A simple, UK-compliant email marketing plan for local businesses: the welcome email, the regular update and the come-back email, plus how to grow your list.
Social media platforms decide who sees your posts. Your email list is different: it's yours, and a message you send lands in the inbox of people who already know you. For a local business, that makes email one of the most reliable ways to bring customers back.
You don't need a complicated setup. You need three emails done well.
Before you start: the UK rules in plain English
In the UK, marketing emails to individuals are covered by PECR and UK GDPR. In practice:
- Get clear permission before sending marketing emails, for example a tick box that isn't pre-ticked.
- The soft opt-in lets you email existing customers about similar products or services, as long as you gave them a chance to opt out when you collected their details and in every email since.
- Every email needs an easy unsubscribe link, and you must honour it.
If in doubt, check the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) guidance for your situation.
Email 1: the welcome
This goes out automatically as soon as someone joins your list. It's often the most-read email you'll ever send, so make it count:
- Thank them and say what they'll get from you and how often.
- Give them something useful straight away, such as an offer, a guide or your most popular product.
- Tell them the one thing you'd like them to do next.
Email 2: the regular update
Once or twice a month, send something people actually want to open. For a venue that might be a new menu, an event or a behind-the-scenes story. For a service business it could be a tip, a recent project or a seasonal reminder.
Keep one main message per email and one clear button. Write the subject line like you'd text a regular customer, not like an advert.
Email 3: the come-back
This is the one most small businesses never send, and it's often the most profitable. Set it up to go automatically to customers who haven't bought or booked in a while:
- Remind them what they liked.
- Give them a reason to come back now, such as a new season, a limited offer or an event.
- Keep it short and personal.
Growing your list
Ask at the moments people are already happy with you: at the till, on the booking confirmation, after a finished job, or through a simple sign-up form on your website. Say exactly what they'll receive. "Monthly specials and first dibs on events" beats "Join our newsletter".
Measure what matters
Opens are a rough guide at best, because many email apps now load images automatically. Watch clicks, replies, bookings and sales instead, and keep reach and revenue separate when you report on it.
Want the whole thing set up and written for you? See our email campaigns service.