The short answer
For a small business, email marketing is simple: send useful emails to customers who chose to receive them, so they come back. A handful of emails done well is enough: an automatic welcome, a monthly newsletter, a thank-you after a purchase that asks for a review, a birthday message. It costs little (with Spedito nothing up to 500 contacts, then €5 a month for up to 1,000) and, once the automations are set up, it takes an hour or two a month.
Why email works for a small business
For a shop, a restaurant or a studio, customers who come back are worth their weight in gold. Email is the cheapest way to remind them you are there:
- The list is yours. On Instagram and Facebook an algorithm decides who sees your posts; an email lands in the inbox of everyone who signed up.
- It costs little. No cost per click or per view: you pay for the tool, which for a small list can be free.
- You can measure it. You see who clicked and what interested them.
- It works on its own. Automated emails go out at the right moment, even while you are busy with customers.
Six emails every small business should send
- The welcome, sent automatically as soon as someone signs up: thanks, who you are, what they will get and perhaps a small gift. It is often the most-read email of all.
- The newsletter, once or twice a month: some news, a tip, an event.
- The thank-you after a purchase, with a request for a review a few days later.
- The reminder after a booking: what to know before coming and, afterwards, how it went.
- Birthday wishes, with a small gift. You only need to ask for the day and month.
- The abandoned cart, if you sell online: a reminder of what was left behind.
Spedito has a ready-made template for the welcome, after-purchase, booking, birthday and abandoned-cart emails: pick one, change a couple of lines and it runs by itself.
Examples by type of business
If you are not sure where to start, here is what businesses that do it well write about:
- Shop: new arrivals, tips on using what you sell, early access to the sale for subscribers, an invitation to an in-store event.
- Restaurant, café or pub: the seasonal menu, a special evening, a free dessert on someone’s birthday.
- Professional practice (accountant, solicitor, consultant): this month’s deadlines, a practical tip, the answer to a common question.
- Hair or beauty salon: this month’s trends, free slots this week, a nudge when it is time for the next appointment.
- Gym or yoga studio: class times, a new instructor, a free trial for anyone who brings a friend.
- B&B or holiday let: off-season availability, local events, a discount for returning guests.
What it costs
For a small business there are three costs: the tool, the domain and your time.
- The tool: Spedito is free for up to 500 contacts, then €5 a month for up to 1,000 and €9 for up to 2,500, excluding VAT. The comparison with other platforms is in our guide to the cheapest email marketing software.
- The domain: you need an address like hello@yourshop.co.uk. If you have a website you already have one; if not, it costs a few pounds or euros a year.
- Your time: the biggest cost, covered below.
How long it takes
- To get started: your first email takes ten minutes. With domain verification, importing contacts and a signup form, allow an afternoon.
- Every month: an hour or two for the newsletter. With Spedito’s AI the first draft is ready in seconds: you tidy it up and sign it.
- Automations: you set them up once and they run on their own for every new subscriber or customer.
If your customers speak different languages, Spedito can send each of them the same email translated into their language, without you writing it twice.
The rules to follow
Only email people who agreed to hear from you. For your own customers there is an exception, the “soft opt-in”: you can promote products similar to the ones they bought, as long as you gave them the chance to opt out when you collected their address and in every email after that. Every email also needs an unsubscribe link.
The rest, with a checklist, is in our guide to GDPR-friendly email marketing.
How to tell if it is working
Look at a few numbers, regularly:
- Clicks: the most reliable number, it tells you what people actually care about.
- Returning customers: a discount code just for subscribers shows how many come from your emails.
- Unsubscribes: a few per send are normal; if they climb, you are writing too often or about the wrong things.
- New subscribers: if the list isn’t growing, make your signup form easier to find, online and at the till.
Spedito sends you a summary of these numbers 24 hours after every send. To pick the right tool, read our guide to simple newsletter software.
Frequently asked questions
Does email marketing work for a very small business?
Yes: even with a hundred customers, one email a month that brings a few back is worth more than a lot of posts. With Spedito it is free for up to 500 contacts.
What do I write when I have no news?
A tip related to what you sell, the answer to a question customers often ask, a look behind the scenes. People also sign up to get to know you.
How many emails can I send without annoying people?
One or two newsletters a month, plus automated emails, suit almost every small business. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Do I need a website?
No: every Spedito form also has its own page, with a link and a QR code for Instagram, WhatsApp or your counter.