How to do email marketing: complete guide to get started

What is email marketing?

Email marketing is one of the most effective digital communication strategies for building and maintaining customer relationships. It consists of sending targeted emails to selected audiences with the goal of promoting products, sharing valuable content or building user loyalty. These are not just newsletters, but personalized messages designed to create an authentic connection with recipients.

Email marketing campaigns can include special promotions, company updates, event invitations and exclusive content. With the ability to segment audiences, each message can be optimized to meet the specific needs of different customer groups.

How to do email marketing: free and paid tools

To start an email marketing campaign , it is essential to choose the right tools. There are several options, both free and paid, that suit the needs of businesses of all sizes.

Free email marketing tools

• Acymailing: The best choice – Just install it as a WordPress plugin and it has no added costs except for the pro version with which you can unlock features and automations. The email sending limit is set only by the type of SMTP service used
• Mailchimp: Free plan up to 500 contacts and 3,500 emails per month. Easy to use, integration with Canva, but limitations in email customization.
• MailerLite: Free plan up to 1,000 subscribers. Well-made templates and intuitive editor, but landing page editor and sign-up form targeting are limited.
• Short: Free plan with sending up to 300 emails per day. Good variety of email templates and support for attachments, but editor is rigid and lacks templates for sign-up forms.

Paid email marketing tools

• GetResponse: Starting at $13.12/month. Offers more than 100 ready-made templates and an advanced editor with AI. Autoresponder available only in paid plans.
• ActiveCampaign: Starting at $29/month. Integration with more than 200 apps, advanced targeting and email customization. Not very intuitive for beginners.
• Mailup: Starting at $39/month. Italian support, user-friendly interface and excellent video tutorials. Creation of automations not immediate and no free plan.
• AWeber: Starting at €12.50/month. Well-made email creator and good landing page templates, but many outdated templates and does not support transactional emails.
• MailerLite: Starting at €8/month. Good prices, intuitive editor and well-made templates. Slow landing page editor and opt-in form with limited targeting.
• Constant Contact: Starting at €9.99/month. Many templates and ease of use, but limited advanced features and limited choice of landing page templates.
• 4dem: Starting at €19/month. Freemium version, easy to use and Italian support, but limited advanced features and improvable interface.
• SendBlaster: Starting at €106/month one-time. Subscription-free, downloadable to desktop, but with a dated graphical style and customer support that is not always satisfactory.

These tools offer sophisticated automation, advanced segmentation, detailed analytics, and integrations with CRM and other business tools. The cost varies depending on the number of contacts and features chosen, but the benefits in terms of efficiency and customization often justify the investment.

Advantages and disadvantages of email marketing

Advantages

Email marketing offers many advantages, making it one of the most popular strategies for businesses of all sizes.

1. Low cost: Compared to other advertising channels such as TV, print or paid social media, email marketing is much cheaper. You can send hundreds or thousands of emails with minimal investment. For example, by using free platforms, small businesses can reach a large audience without having to invest large sums of money.
2. Personalization and segmentation: One of the main benefits of email marketing is the ability to personalize messages based on the recipient’s data. You can send specific offers based on previous purchases, interests, or online behavior. For example, an online clothing store can send a winter clothing promotion to customers who live in colder locations, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
3. Automation and time savings: With email marketing, you can automate the sending of your communications. Modern platforms offer the ability to create “email sequences” that send automatically based on certain triggers, such as signing up for a newsletter or abandoning a shopping cart. This allows you to maintain constant contact with customers without the need to manually send each message.
4. Measurability and Optimization: Every email marketing campaign offers accurate data on how your emails are being received and interacted with by your audience. You can track open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversions and other metrics. This allows you to continuously optimize your strategies for better results. For example, if you notice that a certain item type generates a high open rate, you can replicate it in future campaigns.
5. High personalization and targeting: Another benefit is the ability to segment your list into very specific groups and send targeted content. If you sell both men’s and women’s products, you can create separate groups and send customized communications to each group. This approach increases the likelihood that the email will be read and lead to a conversion.
6. Customer loyalty and relationship building: Email marketing is not only about immediate sales, but also about strengthening the customer relationship in the long run. Through sending valuable content, such as articles, guides, and surveys, you can maintain an ongoing, positive relationship. A practical example: a gym that sends weekly tips on workouts, nutrition, and health creates a stronger bond with its members, increasing loyalty and the likelihood that they will remain members in the long run.

Disadvantages of email marketing

Despite its many advantages,email marketing also has some disadvantages that are important to consider for an effective strategy

1. Problems with deliverability: A common problem with email marketing is that emails are not delivered correctly. Often, emails end up in the spam folder or are blocked by email providers. For example, if you send too many emails in a short period, some mail servers may consider you a “spammer,” reducing the chance that your messages will reach recipients. It is important to maintain a good sender reputation by avoiding practices that may be perceived as invasive, such as sending emails to unverified addresses or without users’ consent.
2. Inbox saturation and oversaturation: People receive a large amount of email every day, which means that your communications may be ignored or not opened. Inbox saturation is a real risk, especially if the emails sent are not relevant or personalized enough. For example, a user who receives dozens of promotional offers from different stores every day may stop opening your emails unless you offer highly personalized content or concrete benefits.
3. Dependence on third-party platforms: Many companies use email marketing tools such as Mailchimp, SendinBlue or ActiveCampaign. If the platform you use stops working or changes its policies, your campaigns could be compromised. For example, if a free platform suddenly limits the number of emails sent or changes its rates, you may find yourself having to re-plan your entire strategy. Dependence on these tools could reduce flexibility and autonomy in the long run.
4. Requires ongoing list management: Maintaining a clean, up-to-date contact list is critical to effectiveemail marketing, but this can take time. You must periodically remove inactive or invalid addresses and properly segment contacts to avoid sending irrelevant communications. If you are not careful, you risk sending emails to people who are no longer interested in your products or services, reducing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
5. Possible negative user perception: Some recipients may perceiveemail marketing as an invasion of their privacy, especially if they receive too many emails or if the communications are not personalized enough. For example, if a person has never interacted with a particular company and is frequently receiving promotional emails, he or she may feel annoyed. In such cases, it is essential to provide a faci

Summary

Advantages	Disadvantages
Costs low: ideal for small budgets.	Problems with deliverability: risk of ending up in spam.
High customization: messages targeted to recipients.	Inbox saturation: risk of ignoring emails.
Automation: automatic sending based on specific triggers.	Dependence on third-party platforms: policy changes.
Measurability: easy to analyze performance (opens, clicks).	Continuous list management: need to clean and segment regularly.
Direct interaction with audience: increased interaction.	Negative perception: possibility of user feeling invaded.
Increasing conversions: strengthening sales.	Difficulty creating engaging content: need to attract attention.

How to do free email marketing with WordPress

If you want to do free email marketing using WordPress, one of the easiest and most effective options is to use the AcyMailing plugin together with PHP Mailer or an external SMTP service to manage email sending.

Step1 – Installing AcyMailing : AcyMailing is a free plugin that allows you to easily manage your email marketing campaigns directly from WordPress.

To get started, go to the “Plugins” section of your WordPress site, search for AcyMailing and install it. After activation, you can configure it to collect your newsletter subscribers and send personalized emails.

Step 2a – Configure PHP Mailer to send emails: If you send a limited number of emails, you can use the PHP Mailer service , which is already integrated into your hosting service.

This system allows you to send emails directly through the web server that hosts your site, at no additional cost. However, this method may not be ideal for a large number of sends, as some hosting providers may limit the number of emails sent.

Step 2b – External SMTP Service: If you need to send a lot of emails, it is advisable to set up an external SMTP service to avoid deliverability problems and to improve the performance of your campaigns. Services such as Gmail, Mailgun or Sendinblue offer free plans that allow you to send a limited number of emails per month without incurring a cost. Otherwise, you could opt for a paid service such as SmtpStudio to have no limitation other than the bandwidth purchased.

By configuring external SMTP, AcyMailing will send your emails through the SMTP server, improving the reliability of sending and reducing the risk of your emails ending up in spam.

With these configurations, you can immediately start email marketing within 10 minutes without having to invest in expensive tools, taking advantage of free and easy-to-implement solutions with WordPress.

Types and examples of email marketing

Email marketing is divided into several types, each of which can be used according to the marketing objectives of your business. The main types are:

• Transactional emails : These emails are sent as a result of a user action, such as a purchase or registration. A classic example is an order confirmation or forgotten password. These emails are critical to ensuring a smooth and secure experience for your customers.
• Promotional emails : These emails are intended to promote a product, service or event.
• An example might be a special offer or an exclusive discount for your subscribers. These messages are designed to stimulate immediate purchase or interest.
• Informational emails : These emails offer valuable content such as articles, guides or industry updates.
• For example, a company might send a weekly newsletter with the latest news or tips for using its products. They are ideal for maintaining engagement with the audience and building a trusting relationship.

How important is the email subject line?

Theemail subject line is one of the most crucial elements in an email marketing campaign. This topic deserves an in-depth article but in short we can say that the subject line is the first thing recipients see and, often, the decision to open or ignore the email depends on it.

A good subject line should be short, clear and arouse curiosity. For example, if you are offering a special discount, a subject line such as “20% off for you, today only!” might entice the reader to open the email. Also, the subject line should reflect the content of the email, without sounding too promotional or misleading, otherwise you risk ending up in the spam folder. It is also important to tailor the subject line to the recipient or audience segment to increase the open rate.

Create personalized content

Another key aspect inemail marketing is the personalization of content. This content also deserves a closer look as generic, impersonal emails tend not to attract recipients’ attention. In contrast, personalizing emails-using the recipient’s name or suggesting content based on their preferences-significantly increases engagement. For example, if you have data on your customer’s previous purchases, you can send emails that suggest new products that might interest them, such as “Hi Marco, we found the product for you!” In addition, segmenting your audience by factors such as age, location, or buying behavior allows you to send even more relevant and targeted messages. This type of approach not only improves open and click-through rates, but also helps you build a stronger, longer-lasting relationship with your subscribers.

Conclusion

Email marketing is a key strategy for anyone who wants to build lasting relationships with their customers. Whether you choose free or paid tools, the important thing is to create relevant and personalized campaigns.

Always evaluate the advantages and disadvantages, and leverage the potential of this form of communication along with other forms of promotion such as SMS marketing to improve your business results.

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