The 4 Pillars of Email Marketing

If you’re considering email marketing for your brand, here are 4 key areas to focus on:

1. Email List Growth
2. Automated Flows
3. Email Campaigns
4. Email Deliverability

1. Email List Growth

Growing your email list is the foundation of successful email marketing. Use tools like pop-ups, checkout sign-up forms, dedicated landing pages, or embedded forms to encourage sign-ups.

Why it matters:

• The larger your list, the more revenue potential.
• An email list is a channel you own — unlike social media, which is prone to bans, hacks, or algorithm changes.

Key considerations:

• Where and when to use each type of form.
• How to drive traffic to your website or sign-up page.
• What to offer in exchange for emails (e.g., discounts, free shipping, downloadable templates).
• The copy — make it clear, compelling, and action-oriented.

2. Automated Flows

Flows are automated emails triggered by specific customer actions, such as signing up, abandoning a cart, or completing a purchase.

Why it matters:

• Reduces reliance on campaigns while driving revenue passively.
• Converts high-intent traffic and recovers lost sales.
• Personalizes the customer experience for better retention.

Key considerations:

• Tailor flows to your industry (e.g., welcome flows for all industries, cart abandonment for e-commerce).
• Define each flow’s objective, audience, and trigger.
• Regularly review and optimize your flows — don’t “set and forget.”

3. Email Campaigns

Campaigns are one-time emails sent to your list on specific dates, often for promotions, events, or updates.

Why it matters:

• Keeps your audience engaged and familiar with your brand.
• Drives time-sensitive conversions and strengthens customer loyalty.

Key considerations:

• Frequency: Send 3–4 emails per week (adjust based on your industry and audience).
• Content strategy: Educate customers on a problem or solution while positioning your product as the answer.
• Branding: Use campaigns to establish yourself as a trusted, sought-after brand.
• Always include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to drive conversions.

4. Email Deliverability

Email deliverability is the ability to land in your subscriber’s primary inbox — not the spam or promotions folder.

Why it matters:

• If your emails don’t get seen, your message and offers don’t matter.

Key considerations:

• Ensure proper technical setup (e.g., DMARC, DKIM, SPF).
• Monitor key metrics:
• Open rates (aim for 40%+).
• Click rates (aim for 2–5%).
• Spam complaint rates (<0.1%).
• Bounce rates (<2%).
• Gradually scale your sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters.

Final Thoughts:

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools to grow your brand, but it requires a solid foundation.

Focus on these four pillars — list growth, automated flows, campaigns, and deliverability — to maximize your email ROI and build lasting customer relationships.