Email marketing that people read

In short

Email works best for staying in touch with people who already know you - customers, enquiries and fans.
Under the Spam Act, commercial emails need consent, must identify your business, and must include a working unsubscribe.
Never buy email lists. They break the rules, damage your sender reputation and rarely produce customers.
Send something useful on a regular schedule, with one clear purpose per email.
Measure clicks, replies and sales, not just opens.

Why email still works

People who give you their email address are telling you they’re interested. Email lets you:

bring past customers back with offers, reminders and news,
turn enquiries into sales with helpful follow-up,
share useful advice that keeps you top of mind,
reach your audience without paying for every view.

Email works best alongside your other marketing: social media and search bring new people in; email keeps them.

The rules: Australia’s Spam Act

The Spam Act applies to any commercial email or SMS that offers, advertises or promotes goods or services, whatever the size of your business, including one-off promotions. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) sums it up in three rules:

Consent. You need permission before you send. - Express consent is best: someone ticks a box or signs up to receive your emails. - Inferred consent applies only in narrow situations, such as an existing relationship where the message relates directly to it. ACMA warns it doesn’t automatically cover marketing just because someone bought from you. - You must be able to prove consent, so keep records of when and how people signed up.
Identify yourself. Every message must clearly show your business name and contact details, and they must stay accurate for at least 30 days after sending.
Unsubscribe. Every message needs a working, easy unsubscribe that doesn’t require logging in. Act on requests promptly (ACMA’s guidance is within five business days).

These rules apply even when someone else, such as an agency, sends on your behalf. Never buy or rent email lists. They don’t have valid consent, and sending to them damages your reputation with email providers so your emails go to spam.

Building your list

Give people a good reason to sign up, and ask clearly:

At checkout or booking: an unticked box saying “Send me tips and offers by email.”
On your website: a short sign-up form on key pages, with what they’ll get and how often.
A useful free resource: a checklist, template or guide in exchange for an email address.
In person: a sign-up sheet or QR code at your counter or events, with clear wording.
After an enquiry: ask if they’d like to hear from you, rather than assuming.

Quality beats size. A list of 300 local customers who opted in is worth far more than 10,000 strangers.

What to send

Pick a rhythm you can sustain, such as monthly or fortnightly, and a mix of:

Useful tips related to what you sell (“5 things to check before winter on your air conditioner”)
News about new products, services, hours or team members
Offers for subscribers, used sparingly so they stay special
Customer stories and recent work
Reminders, such as a service due, a booking anniversary or a seasonal check

Automated emails

Set up a few emails that send themselves:

Welcome: thanks for signing up, what to expect, and your best resource.
After a purchase or job: check they’re happy, and ask for a review.
Re-engagement: a gentle “still interested?” to people who haven’t opened in months.

Writing emails people open

A clear, specific subject line: say what’s inside. “Your winter heater checklist” beats “Newsletter #14”.
A recognisable sender name: your name and business.
One main purpose per email, with one clear button or link.
Short and scannable: most people read on a phone.
Sound like a person, not a brochure.
Test before sending: check links, images and how it looks on a phone.

Choosing an email marketing tool

Use a proper email marketing service, not your everyday inbox. These services handle sign-up forms, unsubscribes, list management and delivery, and help you follow the rules. Compare:

price by number of subscribers, and the free plan’s limits,
sign-up forms and landing pages,
automation (welcome and follow-up emails),
connection to your online store, booking system or CRM,
reporting on opens, clicks and sales,
where data is stored, and privacy settings.

Make sure your domain has the “email ID checks” (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) set up for the service you use, so your emails reach inboxes. See Professional email for your business.

Measuring results

Open rates are a rough guide, and less reliable than they used to be because some email apps open emails automatically. Focus on:

clicks on your main link,
replies and enquiries,
sales or bookings that follow,
unsubscribes and complaints: a rise means the content, frequency or audience is off.