Email Marketing: A Comprehensive Beginners Guide

Email marketing may seem outdated, but it remains one of the most effective marketing channels in eCommerce.

If you're managing an eCommerce brand and are looking for a channel that isn't dependent on paid ads or algorithm changes, email marketing is your solution.

It one of the only channels where you can generate predictable revenue, and with just one well-designed program, you can transform your brands profitability.

As a premier email marketing agency that interacts with inboxes every day, we understand what motivates people to open emails, click on links, and make purchases because we have tested, refined, and scaled our strategies for numerous direct-to-consumer brands.

And today, we're going to share this expertise with you. This guide walks you through how to build a smart, scalable email setup that grows with your business. From platform selection to campaign strategy, it’s all here. Even how to avoid rookie deliverability mistakes.

Oh, and we’ll touch on how growing a personalized email list is actually the fastest path to higher conversions. Let’s get into it.

What Exactly Is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is a direct communication method that lets you connect with your customers individually, sending messages right to their inboxes. It assists you in:

• Convert browsers into buyers
• Encourage buyers to become repeat customers
• Transform repeat customers into loyal superfans

It's not just about sending out emails; it's about sending the right emails at the right time to the right people.

When executed effectively, email marketing can produce 20–40% of total revenue for eCommerce brands, all without depending on platforms like Meta, Google, or viral trends on TikTok.

Step 1: Choose a Platform Built for eCommerce

Selecting the right platform that fits your business needs is essential. For many eCommerce brands, Klaviyo is a great option.

Why Klaviyo?

• Seamless integration directly with Shopify or other third-party apps you need for your business.
• Tracks site activity, including product views, abandoned checkouts, and completed orders.
• Enables targeting profiles based on their behaviour and activity through segmentation.
• Operates automated processes in the background, even while you sleep.

Not to mention its reporting is built around revenue. Not just vanity metrics.

If you are transitioning to a new platform, careful timing and planning are essential. A disorganized migration can disrupt your workflows, damage tracking capabilities, and negatively impact deliverability. To assist you, this Klaviyo migration checklist will guide you through the process step by step.

Want to avoid the learning curve? A seasoned Klaviyo agency can make sure the migration doesn’t derail your revenue—or your sanity.

Step 2: Set It Up Right From the Start

This is where most brands go wrong. They skip setup and jump into campaigns. Don’t.

Turn On Site Tracking

Make sure Klaviyo is tracking user actions on your site:

• Active On Site
• Viewed product
• Added to cart
• Started checkout
• Completed purchase

Without this, your emails won’t know when or what to send.

Connect Your Tools

Link up your eCommerce platform, loyalty programs, review tools, and ad channels. The more data Klaviyo collects, the better your segmentation and personalization will be.

Authenticate Your Domain

Before you start sending your emails, you need to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, as this is now part of the latest sender requirements enforced by major inbox providers. If you’re unfamiliar with these, you’re not alone. But trust us, they matter.

These records prove to inbox providers that you’re legit. If they’re missing, your emails will land in spam more often than not. This is why email authentication is key to deliverability.

Step 3: Build a Popup That Grows Revenue, Not Just Your List

Your pop-up is more than just a lead capture tool; it serves as the first impression to your potential loyal customers.

To design a pop-up that converts, here is the best way you can structure it:

• Ask a relevant question ("What is your skin type?" or "What is your favorite flavor?").
• Present your offer and ask for an email.
• Invite SMS opt-in, but make it optional.
• On the thank-you screen, display the code and a reminder to check their inbox.

The additional question (step one) provides you with zero-party data. You will use this information later to personalize product recommendations, content, and promotions.

This serves as the foundation for building a personalized email list that performs well.

Step 4: Set Up the Automations That Drive Sales on Autopilot

Flows are where most of your email revenue will come from. These automated sequences run in the background, triggered by behavior.

Here are the ones you need:

• Welcome Series – Sets the tone. Delivers the incentive. Guides subscribers toward the right products.
• Site Abandonment – Re-engages visitors who didn’t view a product.
• Browse Abandonment – Reminds users about what they looked at but didn’t buy.
• Cart + Checkout Abandonment – Brings people back to finish their order.
• Post-Purchase – Thanks them. Reinforces the value. Sets up repeat buying.
• Product Onboarding – Helps them use the product right. Reduces churn.
• Replenishment & Win-Back – Nudges them to come back when they haven’t purchased in a while.

Need more detail? You’ll want to bookmark our breakdown of the essential email automation flows every eCommerce brand needs.

Step 5: Send Campaigns That Aren’t Ignored

Campaigns serve as your weekly touchpoints, keeping your brand at the forefront of your audience's mind and generating quick revenue.

We usually recommend sending 2 to 3 campaigns each week, but make sure that campaigns deliver valuable content that captures your audience's attention.

Vary your content by mixing in:

• Product launches and promotions  
• Educational content  
• Lifestyle angles or user-generated content  
• Seasonal or holiday-related campaigns  

Focus on being useful, relevant, and brief. That’s what gets opened.

Step 6: Warm Up Your List (And Your Domain)

If you start blasting your entire list right away, you’ll burn your sender reputation.

Instead, you can warm it up:

1. Start with the most engaged 30-day openers
2. Then 60-day
3. Then 90-day

This gradual rollout tells inbox providers that people want your emails. More on that in our guide to how to warm up your email list without hurting deliverability.

Step 7: Track What Works and Improve the Rest

Don’t rely on guesswork. Use data to inform your decisions. To do that, you need to keep an eye on these key metrics:

• Revenue per recipient (RPR)
• Click-to-open rate (CTOR)
• Unsubscribe rate
• Performance by flow and by campaign

Conduct an A/B tests regularly to assess:

• Subject lines
• Headlines
• CTA placement
• Product angles

Even small tweaks can lead to big wins.

Final Thoughts: What Email Should Deliver

Email isn’t about frequency. It’s about impact.

The right email strategy does more than drive sales—it builds relationships. It creates consistency. And it scales with your business.

That’s what we build at Stimulate. If you're serious about working with an email marketing agency that understands how to turn emails into revenue, we’d love to help.

Because in the end, email isn’t just a channel. It’s your most powerful retention tool. And the smartest brands know exactly how to use it.