Email marketing basics, what a new store should send first
A new store only needs two emails to begin, a warm welcome note and an occasional restock note, each short, honest and sent to people who agreed to receive them.
What it is
Email marketing means sending messages to people who gave you their email address and agreed to hear from you. Unlike an Instagram post, an email lands in a place you control. You are not at the mercy of an algorithm that decides who sees your update.
For a new store, the aim is not to build a clever system. It is to keep in touch with the few people who already showed interest.
Start with permission
Only email people who said yes. That means a customer who ticked a box, someone who signed up for updates, or a buyer who knows you will send order messages and occasional news. Keep unsubscribing easy. Our posts on email list basics, opt-in, unsubscribe and trust and how to ask for email addresses without annoying people cover the habits that protect you and your customers.
Order and shipping emails are different from marketing. They are part of the purchase. Varchas Stores sends order emails for you, as described in invoices and order emails done for you.
Email one: the welcome note
Send this when someone joins your list or makes a first purchase. Keep it short.
Sample subject lines: - Welcome to Anita's Candles - Thanks for joining us, here is how we pour - A little hello from our kitchen
What to put inside: - Thank them, in your own voice. - Say who you are in two lines. - Say what they can expect, and how often. - Point to one or two favourite products. - Mention how to reach you with questions.
Our post on what to send in your first welcome email goes into detail.
Email two: the restock note
Send this when a popular item returns. People who missed it the first time often wait for exactly this.
Sample subject lines: - Back in stock, the lavender candle - It is back, in a small batch - Restocked this morning, only 30 pieces
What to put inside: - Name the product and say it is back. - Say the quantity honestly, if limited. - Give one clear link to buy. - Mention any dispatch cut-off.
Keep subject lines truthful. If you write "last chance" when it is not, people notice and stop trusting you. For more ideas, see simple email subject lines for small sellers.
Keep it light
You do not need pictures in every email, long designs or tracking dashboards. A plain, friendly message with one link works fine, especially for people reading on a phone. Do not promise yourself particular open rates. They depend on your audience and are not worth worrying about early.
A gentle rhythm
Do not send an email every day. Send when you have something worth saying, such as a new collection, a restock or a genuine festival offer. Our post on how often a small brand should send emails helps you pick a pace.
Read replies
When someone replies to your email, treat it like a message from a customer, because it is. Respond kindly, and learn from what they say. A small list of people who actually read you is worth more than a long list that ignores you.