Email Marketing for Audience Nurture: Why It’s Important & How to Get Started

Email Still Rules the Marketing Kingdom

Over the past couple of decades, advancements in digital marketing have accelerated to near-breakneck speed, with entire new disciplines and specialties popping up overnight and marketers constantly on the lookout for the next big thing. Despite all of the head-spinning changes that this field has seen, though, one platform has managed not only to hold on, but continue to outpace other marketing channels.

To this day, email continues to deliver the highest ROI of any marketing channel pound-for-pound. For every $1 spent, email marketing generates an average return of $36, according to a 2022 Litmus study. That's a 3,600% ROI!

For businesses like yours, this isn't just a nice statistic - it can be a lifeline. While big companies can afford to put their resources toward numerous marketing channels, most business owners need to focus our limited resources where they'll generate the biggest bang for their buck. And that, time and again, is email.

At Northstar Collaborative, we've made email a cornerstone of our audience nurture approach because, in a lot of ways, it’s the perfect channel for businesses to build their broader communities. It's direct, it's personalized, and most importantly, it's a channel you own completely (unlike social media, where you're always at the mercy of the latest algorithm change).

So, let's dive into how you can build email campaigns that go beyond the occasional check-in and actually build an engaged community - and generate business!

Building Your Email Foundation: The Fundamentals

Before we get into the fun stuff like subject lines and send times, it’s important to make sure you've got the basics covered:

Putting Together a Quality Email Mailing List

First things first, it’s important to know who your emails are being sent to. Most businesses typically start with the email addresses that were willingly provided by past customers or clients during a sale. Other options include having a newsletter sign-up form on your website or keeping a physical sign-up sheet by your register if you have a storefront.

You may be asking yourself “How many email addresses do I need for my email marketing to be worthwhile?”

At Northstar Collaborative, we have a saying: We would rather reach out to 10 devotees than 100,000 strangers. A smaller list of engaged people beats a massive list of indifferent people every time. There are both idealogical andtechnical reasons for this:

• Email service providers monitor engagement rates (how many people open your emails, click links within those emails, that kind of thing). Poor engagement leads to more of your emails landing in spam folders.

• Most email service providers charge based on the size of your mailing list, so maintaining a larger list of unengaged contacts can cost you more money for no additional return.

• Smaller, targeted lists allow for more personalized communication.

Don't be afraid to regularly clean your list by removing unengaged contacts. It might hurt to see your subscriber count drop, but your engagement metrics (and wallet) will thank you.

Choosing Your Email Service Provider

As a small business, you need a provider that grows with you. There are tons of options out there, but in general, we recommend looking for:

• Intuitive email templates and builders that don't require coding knowledge

• Features and capabilities that you can grow into, even if you don’t need them right away

• Solid deliverability rates (the percentage of emails that actually reach inboxes)

• Reasonable pricing that fits within your current budget

Legal Compliance

Nothing kills email marketing faster than running afoul of regulations. At the absolute minimum, make sure you're following these rules:

• Ensure your header items (subject line, from: and to: addresses) don’t contain any false or misleading information

• Get explicit permission before adding anyone to your mailing list

• Make unsubscribing easy and honor requests promptly

• Be clear about who you are and why you're emailing

• Include a valid physical mailing address in your messages

Note: This is a much broader and deeper topic than we could hope to cover in a single blog post. For more information on legal compliance, check out This Compliance Guide For the CAN-SPAM Act From The Federal Trade Commission.

The Anatomy of High-Converting Emails

Now that we've covered the basics of how to get your email marketing up and running, let's talk about what makes email campaigns actually work:

1. The Subject Line

The subject line of an email is the first thing that a recipient sees, and it can mean the difference between whether or not someone opens the email or sends it to the trash - That’s a lot of responsibility for just a handful of words!

It is crucial that your subject line captures the viewer’s attention and compels them to look further into your message. While there are endless ways to do this, here are some tactics and examples that have worked well for us and many others.

• Curiosity Gaps: One way to get your readers’ attention is to pique their interest with a topic that they would want to learn more about ("The unusual way our clients are increasing referrals...").

• Useful Ideas: Continue to provide your customers/clients with valuable resources long after the sale. ("5 uses for your [Product Name]")

• Behind-the-Scenes Updates: Sometimes, your past customers simply want to know how you’re doing. Providing them with important updates can help them feel more like they’re part of your business’ community (”Introducing our newest team member!”)

• Timely Advice: If your readers follow some sort of seasonal or yearly schedule, they are likely to resonate with emails that speak directly to that experience. ("Before your busy season starts, read this")

Above all else, keep it classy! Avoid all-caps, excessive punctuation, and spammy words like "FREE" or "ACT NOW" – they come across as desperate leave your readers feeling like they’re being barked at.

2. The Body

Once you nail the subject line and get people to click into your email, you can have a bit more fun crafting a message that is bound to convert! While the actual content of your emails will vary pretty widely based on your business/industry, here are some general rules to make sure your emails are as compelling as they can be.

Value-First Content

A healthy marketing email, no matter the industry, gives the reader more than it asks of them. It’s crucial that your email represents real value for the reader, because that gives them a valid reason to open it.

Value can take many forms:

• Useful information or tips

• Entertainment or inspiration

• Solutions to common problems

• Exclusive insights or offers

Of course, we’re not saying that you should never ask your readers for anything. As we cover below, calls to action are a necessary part of any marketing email, but as a general rule of thumb, try to aim for ~80% value to ~20% promotion.

Finding Your Voice

In email marketing - or any form of written content, for that matter - your voice will have a massive effect on how your message is received by the reader. Unfortunately, we don’t have time offer a master class in voicing, but here are some key things to consider:

• Emotional Tone: Are your readers the type to get excited and hyped up about your offer, or do they prefer a more calm and collected approach?

• Formality: Do your readers respond better to structured and professional messages, or something that reads more like a text message from a close friend?

• Complexity: It’s important to know your audience’s average reading level. Do they appreciate complex, academic publications, or should you use plain language when writing your emails?

3. Call(s) to Action

The difference between "nice to read" emails and high-converting ones is often in the call to action (CTA). Make yours:

• Clear and specific: "Reserve your consultation" beats "Learn more."

• Benefit-focused: Emphasize what they'll get, not what they have to do.

• Visually distinct: Use buttons for important CTAs so they stand out visually.

• Low pressure for early communications: If a reader is new to your business or mailing list, start with "soft" CTAs like downloading a resource before asking for appointments or purchases.

4. Strategic Timing and Frequency

There's no universal "best time" to send emails. It depends entirely on your audience and their online behavior.

• Know Your Readers’ Schedules: For example, are the people on your mailing list more likely to check their email when they get to the office in the morning, or when they’re winding down in the evening?

• Use Your Existing Metrics: If you’ve been sending out emails for a while, use the data at your disposal! Do you see certain times of day with increased open rates?

As far as frequency, we are staunchly in the “Quality Over Quantity” camp. As you get more into email marketing, you’ll quickly realize that creating a polished, value-driven email can take a lot of time and creative energy.

Because of this, as a general rule of thumb, we recommend sending out emails monthly if you’re just starting out, bi-weekly if you’re starting to see some good reader activity, and weekly if you’re truly on a roll! Any more frequently than that, and you become likely to overwhelm your readers and cause subscriber fatigue.

Email Campaign Types Every Business Should Have At Their Disposal

Different types of email campaigns serve different purposes in your audience nurture strategy. Here are the four essential types every business should implement to at least some degree:

1. The Welcome Sequence

This is your digital equivalent of a handshake – the series of emails that introduces new subscribers to your business. A good welcome sequence:

• Sets expectations for what they'll receive from you

• Delivers immediate value to validate their decision to subscribe

• Tells your story in digestible pieces

• Includes a low-risk conversion opportunity

We recommend a 3-5 email sequence spread over 7-14 days. This gives new subscribers time to get to know you without overwhelming them.

2. The Nurture Campaign

These regular communications keep you top-of-mind with your audience between purchases. Effective nurture emails:

• Provide consistent value related to your industry or offer

• Showcase your expertise without being self-congratulatory

• Include subtle reminders of your services or products

• Encourage two-way communication

Consistency is key here. Whether it's weekly, biweekly, or monthly, stick to a schedule your audience can count on.

3. The Conversion Campaign

When you have something specific to promote, conversion campaigns focus on moving subscribers to action. These should:

• Target specific segments most likely to be interested in your offer

• Build a case for your offer over the course of several emails

• Address common objections before they arise

• Create a sense of timeliness without being overly urgent or manipulative

For most small businesses, a 3-email sequence works well: introduction of the offer, deeper dive into benefits, and last-chance reminder.

4. The Re-engagement Campaign

No matter how good your emails are, subscribers and customers alike have the tendency to “go cold.” Re-engagement campaigns attempt to win them back with:

• Acknowledgment of their absence

• High-value content that reminds them why they subscribed

• A clear option to unsubscribe if they're truly not interested

• An incentive to re-engage (when appropriate)

After a re-engagement attempt, clean your list by removing those who don't respond. This keeps your engagement metrics healthy.

Measuring Success

How do you know if your email campaigns are actually working? While open rates get a lot of attention, they're just the beginning. Here's what you should track:

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of recipients who clicked a link in your email. This shows how compelling your content and CTAs really are.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of clickers who completed your desired action (scheduling a call, making a purchase, etc.) - This is where the rubber meets the road.

Revenue Per Email

For sales-focused campaigns, track the total revenue generated divided by the number of emails sent. This gives you a clear ROI measure.

List Growth Rate

How quickly is your list growing (or shrinking)? Healthy email marketing should result in steady list growth.

Engagement Over Time

Are the same people opening and clicking month after month? Sustained engagement indicates you're providing consistent value.

Common Email Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Treating All Subscribers the Same

Not all subscribers have the same interests or relationship with your business. Even basic segmentation can dramatically improve results.

Focusing on Promotion Over Value

If every email is asking for something, subscriber fatigue will set in quickly. Remember: ~80% value to ~20% promotion.

Inconsistent Sending

A consistent schedule sets proper expectations. Sending out random, sporadic emails can confuse your readers and leave them wondering why they subscribed in the first place.

Neglecting Mobile Optimization

Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. If your emails look terrible on phones, you risk losing most of your audience.

Making It All About You

While the occasional internal update can help subscribers feel like they’re part of the community, make sure you’re also speaking to the experience of the reader.

Email Success Is About Relationships, Not Transactions

The most successful email campaigns we've seen share a common trait: they focus on building relationships rather than driving transactions. Transactions naturally follow when relationships are strong.

This relationship-first approach is at the heart of our audience nurture philosophy at Northstar Collaborative. While the metrics and tactics matter, never lose sight of the human being on the other end of that email address.

They've given you permission to enter their inbox – one of the few digital spaces they still control. Honor that permission by providing consistent value, respecting their preferences, and focusing on how you can help them, not just how they can help you.

By following the principles in this guide, you'll build email campaigns that don't just convert once, but create lasting relationships that generate value for years to come.

Want to take your email marketing to the next level? This post is part of our ongoing series on Audience Nurture strategies. Sign up for our monthly newsletter or drop us a line to chat about how we can help implement these strategies in your business.

Sources:

1. "Email generates $36 for every $1 spent" - Litmus, "Email Marketing ROI: The Metrics You Should Track" (2022)

2. "Mobile opens account for 60% of all email opens" - Litmus, "Email Client Market Share" (2021)

3. "Segmented email campaigns drive a 760% increase in revenue" - Campaign Monitor, "The New Rules of Email Marketing" (2019)

4. "Welcome emails have an average open rate of 50-60%, compared to 15-25% for standard newsletters" - GetResponse, "Email Marketing Benchmarks" (2020)