Email marketing can start from a lead-magnet or promotional blast, then continue with automated email sequences that nurture & educated people.
I first had success with email marketing working in academia for The Franchise Centre with targeted broadcasts, then later with automated email sequences in NFP Lotteries.
Automated email sequences are growing in popularity over broadcast emails in 2026 due to ISPs driving authentication requirements & AI reviews before authorising sends.
By focussing on email marketing with valuable content & offers, entrepreneurs can build a strong foundation, foster relationships & create growth.
If you’re starting out get the basics right, e.g. email sender authentication.
I use Postmark SMTP authentication for my transactional emails sent from web forms (Sign-up, Contact Us, & Comments), via WP plugin.
For my automated “Welcome/Follow-up Series” emails, I use Mailgun SMTP authentication & branded sub-domains which is aligned with Mastermind Business System.
See an overview of SBMarketer’s High-Performance Marketing Websites system here.
Why is creating an email list so valuable?
“When you have attracted a warm audience from insightful content, you become a niche audience owner!”
As your audience grows over time, they become loyal & more likely to buy from you, than a random website or social media visitor.
Contrary to what many people believe, the best digital marketing strategy for new entrepreneurs is not paid social media (FB) or paid search (AdWords).
This is due to the high costs, e.g. paid social (CPL $5-20) & paid search (CPC $5-10). SEM is best suited for mature businesses with profit to invest.
Paid social media is a trap to avoid, as you don’t own your followers, they’re not invested in your methods, & you can be shadow banned.
Why Email Is The Best Digital Strategy For Entrepreneurs
Here are my Ten Reasons why I think email is the best digital strategy for new entrepreneurs.
1. Direct Communication
With email you’re able to communicate directly with a person from your audience who is already interested in your methods.
“Email lets you talk straight to people without the noise of social media, & it builds trust over time.”
If a person takes the time & effort to sign-up, they’re interested in your information, & you have their inbox for building a relationship.
And conversion timeframes vary for people, so if you keep providing helpful content, you will grow customers over time.
2. High Return On Investment
Email is known to deliver one of the best ROIs—$36 for $1 spent (Amra & Elma), among paid search, social & programmatic.
When you consider the high cost of digital advertising & sponsorships, email marketing’s low-cost frequency makes sense.
People like, Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Tim Denning, & Justin Welsh all invest in email to educate & engage their audiences.
A subscription to an email marketing system with automation starts from US $97.00 /mth.
Or ask about partnering with SBMarketer to get started email marketing for less.
See the Amra & Elma Top 20 Automation Marketing Statistics 2025.
3. Open Rates & CTRs
For new entrepreneurs building an email list is a necessity if you want affordable growth.
And you can compare industry Open Rates & Click-Through Rates (CTR) to gauge success.
SMEs providing services can aim for Open Rates of 32-38% & CTRs around 2%. Across industries the average CTR is 2%, so aim 1.5-2.5%.
If your list is aged & these targets are being missed, try cleaning-up & validating the list, plus sharpen the offers to provide more value.
Tip: Try adding a video embed to your emails to boost Open Rates & CTRs.
4. Relationship Building
Email newsletters & Welcome Series emails are a powerful way to build trust & relationships.
Someone discovers your website, they enjoy the articles & sign-up, then you have a new lead to nurture with insightful content.
As you build content & share insights & solutions to problems you faced, your credibility grows.
That’s when momentum begins, & you start seeing more engaged leads with sales growth.
Tip: Add personal stories & anecdotes with questions to boost audience engagement.
5. Lead-Magnets & Automation
An email system with automation will enable the introduction of lead-magnets & Welcome or Follow-up Series emails for growth marketing.
Lead-magnets with valuable problem-solving content will attract people who sign-up to download a checklist, guide, or report.
Usually the lead-magnet is immediately accessible or delivered by email to the recipient, & it secures permission to email.
This can trigger an email sequence over multiple days & weeks, that reminds recipients of the problem & dream solution with special offers.
Tip: Include time-limited CTAs with bonuses & coupons related to the lead-magnet.
6. Audience Segmentation
Audience segmentation is a positive by-product of email marketing.
People who have downloaded your newsletter or lead-magnet are tagged & segmented into different buckets for alternate email sequences.
This enables sending the right information, e.g. website performance data to web leads, & email performance data to email leads, etc.
Segmenting is also applied to customers who have purchased services, & to facilitate sending related information, e.g. what’s next.
Tip: Understanding your audience segments & match them with signature offers.
7. Flexible Communications
Email can be used for a wide variety of content distribution purposes.
Anything from newsletters & lead-magnets, to event marketing & promotions, to sending event recordings, & announcing product launches.
It’s important to cover all future email purposes in your business website terms & conditions.
Ensure you have opt-in permission to send emails & always follow SPAM & Privacy Act laws.
Tip: Use web forms with mandatory opt-in checkboxes on sign-up to ensure permission.
8. Measurable Results
Professional email systems provide detailed analytics, like Open & Click reports, allowing the tracking of open rates, CTR, & offer conversions.
Some systems pinpoint the areas & buttons with the most clicks assisting email production, like the feature image & first CTA button.
The Open & Click reports become valuable for new entrepreneurs, as you learn what email content engages & converts audiences.
Email permits fine-tuning messages, whereas other channels take a lot of money to do this.
Over time you can adjust email subjects, content & offers to suit what’s working.
9. Customers Like Emails
I like email & I have multiple personal (Gmail) & business (G-Workspace) accounts.
If you’re Gen-X, you may have multiple emails to make life easier, from storing flight itineraries & hotel bookings, to reading lifestyle newsletters.
When you get new customers, they will want to hear from you in Welcome Series emails, so make sure your email is interesting & related.
We all get busy in life & forget our PD interests & skills gap—then an email arrives from a provider about an event or sale, & your motivated.
10. People Check Emails Daily
According to Zero Bounce’s 2025 survey—93% of email users check inboxes daily, & 42% of users check 3-5 times per day.
Email has become a communication habit & constant for many people.
86% of respondents said they had at least three email addresses like me!
Beware over time email engagement will decline, as new addresses dominate. See the complete survey.
Tip: When engagement drops, target low-performing addresses with SMS marketing & update requests.
Why Email Is The Best Digital Strategy For Entrepreneurs
Many marketers will agree that email is the best strategy for new entrepreneurs in 2026.
To start with email marketing, request my High-Performance Email Checklist & get access to exclusive specials.
Next think about what type of lead-magnet (checklist or guide) is suitable for your Internet business, to start an email automation series.
It delivers the highest ROI ($36 for $1 spent) of all digital channels, gives you audience ownership & allows direct communication without social media algos (smtp2go.com).
Email marketing is the best channel for new entrepreneurs, due to its affordability & ability to convert warm leads, but it must be compliant.
Learn more about the email marketing landscape in 2026 and what’s changed like authentication.
Ask about partnering with SBMarketer to get started with affordable email marketing.
If you want to avoid the shock of being suspended or shadow-banned on social, then do email.
There is no better channel than email for targeting Gen-X & Baby Boomers.
And integrate chat (Slack, Messenger & Telegram) for targeting Gen-Y & Z.
Let me know how email has worked for you in the comments below.
