Start here
New to email marketing? Good. Start here.
No jargon, no pressure. This page explains what email marketing is, what you need and how your first campaign comes together.
What it is
Emails to people who asked to hear from you.
Email marketing means sending useful, regular emails to customers and fans who gave you their address: news, tips, offers, invitations. Unlike social media, nobody decides who sees your post - it lands in their inbox.
Why it works for small businesses: your list belongs to you, it's cheap to reach people again, and the people on it already like you.
What you need
Less than you think.
- People who said yes
- Customers or visitors who agreed to get your emails. A signup form on your website is the usual start.
- Something to say
- News, a useful tip, a new product, an event. Once a month is plenty.
- A sender people recognise
- Your business name, sending from an address they trust. Quick start covers this on day one.
Your first campaign
How it comes together in 404 Emails.
- 1
Collect subscribers
Put a signup form on your site, or import customers who agreed.
- 2
Design the email
Click it together in the builder, in your brand.
- 3
Test and send
Send yourself a test, then send it to your list or schedule it.
- 4
See what worked
The report shows what people clicked.
Learning path
Read these in order.
- How to send your first newsletterFrom "I should really start a newsletter" to the first one sent, in an afternoon.
- How to grow an email list, the honest wayWhere good subscribers come from, and how to ask without being pushy.
- How to design an email people actually readLayout, type and colour choices that survive every inbox, including dark mode.
- GlossaryLook up any word you don't recognise.
Beginner questions
How often should I email?
Can I email my customers without asking?
Do I need a website?
Is it hard to set up?
Try it with your own list.
We're letting businesses in a few at a time, so every new account gets a proper start. Tell us about yours.