Everything I Wish I Knew Before Sending My First Newsletter
Email Marketing 101: A How-t0 Guide
Class is in session
A practical guide to building, sending, and actually landing in inboxes…not spam folders.
Email marketing has a reputation for being either a spam factory or a mysterious dark art. The truth? It’s neither. Done right, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have, because unlike Instagram or TikTok, you own your list. If a platform disappears tomorrow, your subscribers come with you.
Here’s what you actually need to know about how to do email marketing and get started the right way.
Why email beats social (in one key way)
Social media platforms own your followers. Email lists belong to you. You can export them, move them to a new platform, and contact your audience whenever you want, without paying for reach or hoping an algorithm cooperates. You can also segment your list so that different readers receive messages that are specifically relevant to them. That level of control doesn’t exist anywhere else.
Building your list the right way
Before you think about what to send, you need subscribers, and you need them to have opted in properly. This isn’t just good practice; it’s the law.
- Create a sign-up form (your email platform likely has one built in)
- Require an explicit opt-in checkbox, not pre-checked, not implied
- Share the form on your website, social channels, and at events
- Store subscriber data inside your email platform, not a separate spreadsheet
- Add a reCAPTCHA to keep bots out and protect your sending reputation
Pro tip: lead magnets. You’ve probably gotten them without even being aware of it.
So what are they? The fastest way to grow your list is to offer something in exchange for a sign-up: a free short story, a first chapter, bonus content, a giveaway entry. Give people a genuine reason to hand over their email address. That’s your lead magnet.
Staying legal: the CAN-SPAM Act in plain English
The CAN-SPAM Act has real teeth — violations can cost up to $50,000 each. It sounds scary, but compliance mostly comes down to three things:
Rule 1: Subscribers must explicitly opt in. A checkbox they check themselves — not one that’s pre-filled or implied by clicking a button.
Rule 2: Every email must have a visible, working unsubscribe link in the footer. This is non-negotiable, and most email platforms handle it automatically.
Rule 3: Manage your list inside your email platform. Unsubscribes need to be honored promptly, so don’t let that data get lost in a spreadsheet.
Using your email platform’s native sign-up forms is the easiest way to handle all of this — they put part of the compliance burden on the vendor and create an automatic paper trail.
Choosing a platform (free tiers compared)
For most people just starting out, a free tier is plenty. Here’s how the three most popular options stack up:
Mailchimp: 500 contacts · 1,000 emails/mo · 1 automation · 1 audience
MailerLite: 1,000 contacts · 12,000 emails/mo · multiple automations · multiple audiences
Brevo: Unlimited contacts · 9,000 emails/mo · full template builder · multiple automations
For most beginners, MailerLite or Brevo offer the best combination of generous free limits and automation features. If you’re already embedded in a larger marketing stack, Mailchimp’s integrations may win out.
Actually landing in the inbox
Writing a great email means nothing if it ends up in spam. Three things make the biggest difference:
DKIM authentication: This verifies your emails are legitimately from you. Most platforms walk you through setup, so don’t skip it. It’s one of the most critical steps for deliverability.
A real mailing address in your footer: Google, Yahoo, and Outlook spam filters look for this. A PO box or virtual mailbox works fine, but you need something physical listed.
Watch your subject lines: Exclamation points and emojis can trigger some spam filters. Keep subject lines simple and declarative, especially early on when your sending reputation is still being established. Too many recipients marking you as spam makes the problem snowball.
Automations and A/B testing (the quick version)
An automation sends an email in response to something a subscriber does. A test tells you what’s actually working.
A welcome email is the most important automation you’ll build. It sets the tone, delivers your lead magnet, and starts building the relationship while interest is at its peak. Set it up once and let it run forever.
A/B testing is how you stop guessing. Want to know if emojis in your subject line help or hurt open rates? Send version A to half your list, version B to the other half, and let the data decide. Only testing one variable at a time is the key. Most email platforms offer an A/B testing option when you build your emails.
Ready to get started?
Let me help you set up your email platform
I offer 1:1 email platform setup sessions to help you get your sign-up forms, DKIM authentication, welcome automation, and first newsletter built correctly from day one — so you’re not guessing your way through it.
Prefer to learn with your team?
Book a lunch and learn
Bring this presentation to your team. I’ll walk through email marketing best practices live, answer questions specific to your organization, and leave everyone with a ready-to-implement action plan — all over lunch.