Should Your Local Small Business Start an Email Newsletter? Here's What You Need to Know
You’re a small business owner offering services in your local community, and you’ve heard (maybe from us!) that it’s a really smart idea to start an email newsletter, but how do you get started? We’re here to walk you through it.
Why Should Small Businesses Start an Email Newsletter?
Building an email list of folks who have raised their hand and said they want to hear from you is one of the best ways to take control of your marketing. In this age of lower organic click-throughs from search engines (hello AI overviews; we see you) and volatile social media algorithms, your email list is your secret weapon and a marketing asset that is YOURS. They are your warmest audience – more likely to convert to an actual customer than folks who follow you on social media, see your ad, or just peruse your website. They have said YES to staying in touch. They want your tips, your advice, your perspective, and your latest deals. They are GOLD.
What Makes People Subscribe to Business Newsletters?
So before you write your first newsletter, it’s important to understand what motivates someone to hand over their email address. Most subscribers are looking for one (or more) of these four things:
Exclusive Access – They don't want to miss special promotions, last-minute appointments, members-only events, or news about your business before everyone else hears it.
Practical Solutions – They're seeking expert tips, how-to guides, and advice that actually helps them save money, solve problems, or make better decisions in areas where your business has expertise.
Inspiration & Ideas – They want fresh perspectives, success stories, seasonal ideas, or guidance that helps them achieve their goals (whether that's a beautiful backyard, a more organized home, better health, or a thriving business).
Connection & Community – They appreciate your expertise, personality, and perspective. They want to feel connected to a trusted partner or local business, be entertained by your stories, or simply enjoy a brief, joyful break in their inbox.
What Should I Include in My Small Business Newsletter?
So in light of these motivations, how will YOUR email newsletter deliver? What content makes the most sense for you to share on a regular basis, considering your market niche, your services, your target audience, and your brand? Here are some questions to help you hone in on it:
Is there a seasonal component to your market niche and services? Send relevant updates that pertain to the current season.
Is your location or physical space a key element of your brand that transforms throughout the year? Keep subscribers abreast of these changes.
Are there aspects of your products or services that are capacity-constrained, have limited availability, or are time-bound? Let them know there’s only room for 5 more clients in that workshop, only two homes currently available, or that this latest offer ends next week.
Do you have advice, tips, or inspirational ideas to share? Share valuable insights and inspiration to help your subscribers achieve their personal and professional goals.
Are you regularly voicing your unique perspective on your target audience’s pain points on your blog? Notify your subscribers of the latest rich, detailed answers to their burning questions available on your website.
Have your clients said they appreciate your sense of humor and your stories? Delight your subscribers with your latest quip, discovery, or adventure in that unique style of yours.
If you answered YES to at least TWO of these questions, you can create an email newsletter that is relevant and engaging.
How to Start an Email Newsletter: 5 Foundational Steps
1. Start asking for subscribers
Invite folks to opt in, anywhere & everywhere: in your website footer, in your website contact form, as a subtle popup on your website, on your social channels, via print (use a QR code!) in your place of business, and even in your email signature.
Be clear and compelling about their reason to subscribe – use “what’s in it for them” language. And mention the email frequency so you manage their expectations. You don’t want someone signing up for a newsletter thinking they will hear from you monthly and you end up sending emails twice a week.
2. Craft a welcome email to send them immediately upon subscribing
All email platforms we work with have the ability to automate workflows like sending a welcome email, or short series of emails, when someone subscribes to your list. You may not, however, find this feature available on free plans. There are creative workarounds you can use with tools like Zapier if you have – or your marketing agency has – their professional level plan.
This welcome email should reiterate the reason for their sign-up, retell your brand story in a short form, and provide a few links to key sections of your website for reference. Make sure this email uses your brand voice – it will set the tone for all future emails!
3. Decide on email frequency & build out your email content strategy
Our clients offering high-frequency services (lower price points, dependent on customers coming back regularly, etc) will email at least monthly, if not more often, with a focus on things like:
Seasonal promotions & reminders that encourage habitual visits
News & events that have a sense of urgency (and scarcity)
Lifestyle content offering tips & advice that have practical value and nurture belonging
Those with low-frequency, high-commitment services (purchases are less frequent, require higher time or financial investment, and are more relationship-driven) tend to email quarterly or when there is significant or time-sensitive news, and share content along these lines:
Trust-building content like case studies or educational content, including links to blog articles
Testimonials and social proof to overcome decision anxiety
Personal anecdotes and stories to deepen that relational connection
Make sure that your email newsletter integrates with your overall marketing strategy. We recommend building out a marketing calendar that gives you a view of your marketing plans and commitments for the year. Next, create your editorial content calendar, then drill down on the content details by month, aligning with your content pillars and buyer intent.
Build synergy with your other marketing efforts (like social media, advertising, events, partner marketing, blogging, etc), using email as a foundational element of your communication mix. Your clients need to hear from you multiple times and in multiple ways for your message to get through. Be consistent with your visuals and messaging across mediums and channels for maximum impact.
It can be helpful to build a template with standard sections for your newsletter so your readers know generally what to expect from you (ie. promotions, latest on the blog, upcoming events, etc). But feel free to mix it up now and then, so they (and YOU!) don’t get bored.
4. Commit to a start date!
Once you recognize the value of building an email subscriber list, you should begin as soon as possible, even if you only have a handful of subscribers. You don’t want to wait too long to deliver on the promise you made to them when you asked them to sign up!
It can be helpful to capture notes (and photos!) throughout the month as ideas come to you for your newsletter. Find sources of inspiration everywhere. People ultimately connect with people and stories, so find ways to weave in something relatable as you share about your business.
Should I Hire Help for Email Marketing?
If the idea of starting an email newsletter sounds like the right next step for your local small business, but you can’t find a way to carve out the time to get it off the ground, it can be helpful to team up with a marketing professional or agency that specializes in working with small business owners. An outside partner can help in the following ways:
Identify the best email marketing platform for your needs & set it up
Develop your email newsletter template
Craft your welcome email & initiate the automation
Map out your marketing & editorial calendar with you
Prompt you for email content in a timely manner & edit it to ensure a consistent brand voice
Publish the newsletters regularly to keep delivery on your predetermined schedule
At Rinehart Marketing, we love helping local service-based businesses in the Pacific Northwest get started with email marketing! We see it as a foundational element of any small business’s marketing strategy, and we make it easy and cost-effective to get started. Reach out if you’re ready to get those emails flying!
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started:
Q: How many subscribers do I need before starting an email newsletter? A: There is no perfect number. You can start with as few as 10-20. The important thing is to deliver on your promise to subscribers as soon as possible. Don’t wait and therefore miss the chance to stay top-of-mind with your warmest audience.
Q: What's the best email marketing platform for small businesses? A: The answer is “it depends.” Popular platforms for small businesses include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Flodesk, and Kit (formerly ConvertKit). If you are in a high-frequency business, chances are your point-of-sale or booking system has some form of email marketing, either built in or with a tight integration to a favored email platform.
Q: How do I get people to sign up for my email list? A: Make sure the sign-up process is easy and worthwhile. Include your signup form in your website’s footer, as part of the contact form, and as a subtle popup. Keep the fields you ask for to a minimum (email address and name is best) and be sure to clearly communicate the value of subscribing – last-minute deals, important news, exclusive access – and how often you’ll be emailing.
Content & Strategy:
Q: What if I don't have enough to say every month? A: You probably have more to say than you might first think! Think about recent conversations you've had with prospective clients, questions you’ve had from customers, success stories, and personal anecdotes that tie to your brand. Find inspiration from the seasons! Keep an ongoing list of ideas as they come to mind, so when it’s time to write, the process will be easier.
Q: Can I use the same content in my newsletter and on social media? A: Definitely! In fact, we recommend it, so your clients see your message in multiple places and on multiple occasions. Your social content will likely be a short teaser of the topic with the invitation to read more, while your email content may go into a bit more detail.
Q: How long should my email newsletter be? A: There is no ideal length. What’s important is the value you’re offering (go back to the motivations behind subscribing). But most small business newsletters run about 300-600 words. If you’ve structured your email with multiple sections, make the content scannable, with clear subheadings, and the strategic use of bullet points and call-to-action (CTA) buttons. Ensure your newsletter looks great on mobile too.
Frequency & Timing:
Q: What if I miss a scheduled newsletter? A: Things come up, and it’s bound to happen. But don’t let it derail you and your commitment to keeping your message in front of that warm audience. Most subscribers likely won’t even notice. Just pick back up with your next scheduled newsletter. The important thing is consistency. If it happens more than once, consider reevaluating your newsletter rhythm. Maybe you need to reduce the frequency so your pace is sustainable.
Q: Is it better to send weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletters? A: This answer really depends on your business type, and how often you have news to share. For higher frequency businesses (like spas, cafes, and gyms), you can email more often because of the drive to generate repeat visits (weekly to monthly). The low-frequency, high-commitment services typically would do better with monthly or quarterly newsletters where the purpose is geared to building trust and authority over time.
Results & ROI:
Q: How do I know if my email newsletter is working? A: Track metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and especially conversions (bookings, purchases, contact outreach, etc). Tricks like adding UTM parameters to your email links will help you monitor traffic to your website. Notice some of the qualitative feedback too, like if customers are mentioning your emails or replying to them with questions.
Q: How long does it take to see results from email marketing? A: Email marketing is a longer-term strategy. You may see some impact from emails with specific promotional or limited-time offers, but the real benefit comes from staying top-of-mind with your subscribers over months and even years. Building trust and deepening relationships takes time.
