Feeling Lost with Email Marketing? Here is Your Easy Guide to Getting Started

Jacinta Lal
Oct 7
4 min read

Updated: Nov 10

Dear DVYA Diary,

Starting email marketing can feel overwhelming, especially if you have no subscribers, a tiny budget, and zero clue where to begin.

The good news is, a small list and low budget are not barriers. Even sending a few thoughtful emails can make a difference if you keep things simple and consistent.

A tool I LOVE and often recommend is MailerLite. It helps schedule emails, automate simple tasks, and track results without complicated setups or big costs.

Here is a step-by-step guide to get started, with examples and ideas you can try today.

✨ Step 1: Understand What Email Marketing Really Is

When I first started, I spent hours worrying about what to write. Then I realised that a few simple emails can go a long way. Planning makes it easier to stay consistent and ensures each email has a purpose.

Think of emails like small conversations in their inbox:

Welcome emails: Say hello and set expectations about what they will receive.
Tips and advice: Share helpful content related to your niche.
Behind-the-scenes updates: Show what you are working on or little personal touches.
Soft offers or promotions: Introduce your products or services in a natural way.

For example, if you run a small handmade jewellery shop, your emails could be:

Email 1: Welcome and introduction to your story.
Email 2: 3 tips for styling jewellery in everyday outfits.
Email 3: Share a new collection with a soft offer.

I usually set all of this up in MailerLite, which lets me organise sequences in one place and see the full campaign at a glance.

🖊 Step 2: Write Emails That Feel Like You

A huge tip I wish I had known is that your emails do not need to be perfect. They just need to feel human. People respond to a real voice.

When I write, I focus on:

Writing like I talk to a friend.
Keeping each email short and focused on one idea.
Sharing something that readers can actually use.
Including one clear action or link.

Example email:

Subject: How I organise my week without feeling overwhelmed

Body: I share three tips I use every Monday morning and include a link to a small free resource.

I love how MailerLite lets me drag and drop content, add links, and preview my emails so they feel approachable before sending. It’s such a helpful tool for someone just starting out.

📅 Step 3: Schedule and Automate

Automation is a beginner-friendly way to save time and make email marketing feel manageable. It allows you to set up emails in advance so they go out automatically.

Here is how I personally use automation:

Day 0: Welcome email
Day 3: Share a helpful tip or insight
Day 7: Soft offer or link to a useful resource

I like being able to plan the week ahead without worrying about forgetting to send emails. Using MailerLite, I can set up these automated sequences in minutes, which gives me more time to focus on content.

📊 Step 4: Track What Works

Tracking email performance can feel intimidating for beginners, but you do not need to get lost in numbers. I focus on three key things:

Open rate: How many people opened the email.
Click rate: How many clicked links or buttons.
Replies: How many people responded.

For example, a tips email may get a higher click rate than a soft offer email. This shows me what my audience values and helps me plan future content. Even with a small list, tracking engagement gives you confidence. I love how MailerLite makes these stats easy to understand and accessible.

🧪 Step 5: Try A/B Testing

Even if the email list is tiny, testing what works can make a big difference. A/B testing is simply sending two slightly different versions of the same email to see which performs better.

Some easy ways to test include:

Subject lines: Try two different openings to see which gets more opens
Call-to-action wording: See which phrasing encourages more clicks
Email layout or images: Test one format versus another to find what readers respond to

This process helps understand what your audience enjoys and engages with, so future emails are more effective. Beginners often feel nervous about testing, but it does not need to be complicated. Start with one small test at a time.

Setting up A/B tests is simple in MailerLite, and the results are easy to read, making it a great tool for someone just starting out.

🎯 Step 6: Manage Your Subscribers with Segmentation

Even with a small list, knowing a little about your subscribers can make your emails feel more personal. Segmentation is the process of dividing your audience into smaller groups based on their interests, behaviours, or other details.

Here are some simple ways to start:

Interest-based segments: Group subscribers by what topics they are most interested in.
Engagement level: Separate active readers from those who rarely open emails.
Location or time zone: Send emails when it is most convenient for them.

For example, if you have a few subscribers interested in social media tips and others in content marketing, you can send targeted emails to each group. This makes your emails feel relevant and increases the chance people will open and click.

Even if your list is growing slowly or your budget is tight, segmentation gives you a chance to test, learn, and grow. MailerLite is beginner-friendly and designed for small budgets, allowing you to send the right message to the right people while giving you the space to experiment and improve.

💡 Why This Works for Beginners

Even with a tiny list and tight budget, you can start connecting with your audience. Here is why this approach works:

You plan content that actually matters to readers.
You write in a human, approachable voice.
You schedule and automate to save time.
You track engagement to see what works.

For me, MailerLite simply makes it easier to manage all of this without feeling complicated. The tool supports the process rather than being the focus, which is perfect for beginners.

Until next time besties! 🦋

Want an easy way to schedule, automate, and track your emails while testing and growing your list?