Tip
12 email marketing tips
- Welcome new subscribers immediately (template).
- Pick a rhythm you can keep, such as weekly.
- One idea per email.
- One main link. Multiple choices reduce clicks.
- Write like you talk. Short sentences, plain words.
- Subject lines that say what's inside (subject line examples).
- Help far more often than you sell.
- Invite replies. Ask a question at the end.
- Watch clicks and replies, not just opens (open rates).
- Remove long-inactive subscribers periodically to protect deliverability.
- Follow the rules: permission, a clear unsubscribe and a valid postal address (FTC CAN-SPAM guide).
- Automate the repeatable parts (email automation).
Tip
Which tip matters most?
Consistency. A plain email every week does more than a beautiful one every few months, because people remember who keeps showing up with help.
Example
Worked example: one week of email, start to finish
Here's how a piano teacher might put these tips into practice in one week:
- Monday: Publishes a YouTube video, "Why adult beginners quit (and how to stop)."
- Tuesday: Writes a 200-word email: one tip from the video ("practice 10 minutes, same time each day"), one link to the video, signed with her first name.
- Subject line: "The 10-minute rule for adult beginners."
- Wednesday morning: Sends it. It's the same day every week, so readers expect it.
- Thursday: Replies to the four people who answered with questions. Two of those questions become future video topics.
- Monthly: Checks clicks, replies and unsubscribes, not opens.
Nothing here takes more than an hour a week, and every part reuses work she already did.
A pre-send checklist
Before you hit send, check:
- The subject line says what's inside.
- The first sentence makes the point. No "I hope this email finds you well."
- There's one main link, and it works.
- It reads well on a phone (short paragraphs, no wide images).
- Your name is in the from field, not just your business.
- The footer has your postal address and an unsubscribe link.
- You sent a test to yourself and clicked the link.
Watch out
Common mistakes small businesses make
- Only emailing when there's a sale. People learn your emails mean "buy something" and stop opening. Mix helpful emails in, most of the time.
- Waiting until the list is "big enough." A list of 50 engaged people is worth emailing. The habit matters more than the size.
- Writing like a brochure. Write like you'd talk to one customer at your counter.
- Buying or scraping lists. It breaks the rules in many countries, damages deliverability and reaches people who never asked to hear from you.
- Never cleaning the list. Addresses that bounce or haven't clicked in many months drag deliverability down. Ask them if they still want your emails, then remove the ones who don't respond.
How often should a small business email?
Weekly is a good default, because it's frequent enough to be remembered and manageable to write. Every two weeks is fine if you're consistent. What hurts is silence for months, then a sudden flood when you need sales.
Dave’s take
A principle I keep coming back to
"Create great content and also think about how you can add them to your list." (Dave)
AI shortcut
How can AI speed this up?
AI tools and plans checked October 18, 2026. They change often, so confirm on each tool's own page. No affiliate links.
- Draft from transcripts. Turn each video into a short email with AWeber's Newsletter Assistant or Claude.
- Edit for one idea. Ask: "Cut this to one tip and one link."
Tools mentioned:
- AWeber's AI Writing Assistant: built into AWeber's message and landing-page editor (currently labeled beta), plus a Newsletter Assistant.
- ChatGPT: free plan, Go ($8 a month in the US) and Plus ($20 a month).
- Claude: free plan, Pro at $20 a month.
AI is great for first drafts. Always edit the result so it sounds like you and is accurate for your business.
Key takeaways
- Send a welcome email immediately and email on a steady rhythm.
- One main idea and one main link per email.
- Judge success by clicks and replies more than opens.
- Follow the basics: permission, easy unsubscribe, a real postal address.
