Email marketing best practices every small business should know

Email marketing still works. In fact, 22% of marketers send two or three marketing emails per day, and 21% send daily emails. And why wouldn’t they? The number of global email users reached 4.37 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to 4.89 billion by 2027. That’s 4.89 billion people you could reach by sending emails. 

For small businesses, email marketing is an affordable direct line straight to a huge, accessible audience. The problem however lies in what you’re sending out, and who you’re actually sending it out to, because although there’s a lot of people to speak to, you only want to be speaking to the right people, in the right way. 

At BlackCat Content, we help small businesses turn their email lists into loyal communities. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the email marketing best practices that actually work, from crafting irresistible subject lines to building trust with your audience.

Why email marketing still matters in 2025

According to emailmonday.com, email marketing can return up to $36 for every $1 spent. It can be an affordable way to bring in steady leads. And unlike social media, where algorithms control reach, email gives you direct access to your audience.

For small businesses, that means you can communicate directly with customers, drive repeat sales, and build lasting relationships, all without breaking your budget. 

It’s been going round that “email marketing is dead” but in the same way that “SEO is dead”, it’s never dead, it just needs to be done right. Because success doesn’t come from blasting messages into inboxes. It comes from strategy. That’s where best practices matter most.

Email marketing best practices 

1. Know your audience first

Every great email starts with understanding who you’re talking to. Once you’ve created your list of people you want to email, you’ll need to segment your audience into different factors, such as:

• Demographics: age, location, job role, etc.

• Behaviour: past purchases, engagement history, or website activity.

• Interests: product categories, topics, or services they care about.

For example, a local café might send weekday lunch promos to work emails but send weekend brunch updates to personal emails. The more personalised your emails, the better your open and click-through rates.

2. Craft emails people actually want to open

Your subject line is your first impression. Keep it clear, concise, and genuine.

A few proven tips:

1. Use personalisation (“Hey Sarah, your next coffee’s on us”)

2. Add curiosity or a hook (“The secret to perfect latte foam ☕”)

3. Avoid spammy words like “FREE!!!” or “Act Now!”

Don’t forget your preheader text, that little preview beside your subject line. Use it to expand on your message and boost open rates. 

3. Deliver value in every email

Your subscribers didn’t sign up to be sold to nonstop, they signed up for value.

The best email marketing balances promotion and education. Try mixing content types such as:

• Quick tips or tutorials

• Customer stories or testimonials

• Product updates or behind-the-scenes insights

• Exclusive offers or events

A small business that shares useful, authentic content stands out from the sea of sales pitches. Ask yourself: Would I enjoy receiving this email?

4. Design for readability and mobile

Beautiful emails are great,  but functional, mobile-friendly ones convert.

5. Timing and frequency matter

When and how often you email can make or break your campaign.

Start by testing send times, mornings often work best for business audiences, evenings for consumers. Then, pay attention to your open and click data to fine-tune timing.

Consistency is key. Whether it’s once a week or twice a month, set a schedule your audience can rely on. Over-emailing leads to fatigue; under-emailing leads to forgetfulness.

6. Measure, Test, and Improve

Email marketing is part art, part science. And as like with any type of marketing, measuring, testing and improving is key. 

Track key metrics like:

• Open rate (interest)

• Click-through rate (engagement)

• Conversions (action)

• Unsubscribe rate (fatigue or mismatch)

Use A/B testing to compare subject lines, visuals, and call-to-action wording. Even small tweaks can lead to big improvements over time.

At Blackcat Content, we encourage our clients to think long-term,  building data-driven campaigns that evolve with audience behaviour.

7. Stay Compliant and Build Trust

Respecting your audience’s privacy isn’t just good ethics, it’s good marketing.

Follow key compliance laws such as GDPR, which require clear consent, identification, and opt-out options.

Be transparent about what subscribers can expect when they join your list, and always honor unsubscribe requests promptly. Trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild.

How Blackcat Content Can Help

At Blackcat Content, we believe every email should feel like a conversation, not a campaign.

We help small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and small marketing teams: 

• Develop tailored email marketing strategies

• Write and design high-converting campaigns

• Build automated welcome sequences and nurture flows

• Analyse performance to continually improve results

If your email marketing feels like it’s missing the mark, we can help you turn it into one of your most reliable growth channels.

Ready to create emails your customers actually look forward to? Chat to us today. 

FAQS

How often should I send marketing emails to my subscribers?

It depends on your business and audience, but a good rule of thumb is one to four times a month. The goal is to stay top of mind without overwhelming your readers. Monitor engagement rates,  if open or click rates drop, you may be emailing too often.

How can I improve my email open and click rates?

Start with segmentation and personalisation. Make sure each email speaks to a specific group’s interests. Then, test subject lines, send times, and CTAs. Finally, ensure your content delivers on the promise of your subject line, readers should always get something useful or interesting.

What’s the best time to send marketing emails?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but research shows that mid-morning (around 10 a.m.) on weekdays often performs well. The key is to test and track what works best for your audience, your ideal time might differ depending on industry and audience habits.