Email marketing for a business of one: how to pick your first platform

Your email list is the most valuable marketing asset a small business can build. Unlike followers on a social platform, the list is yours: you can move it, and nobody can turn down your reach. Picking the first platform is simpler than the comparison sites make it look.

Start with what you sell

The right platform depends mostly on one question: what will your emails ask people to do?

All of them can send a newsletter. The difference is what they make easy.

Mailchimp

One of the best-known email platforms, with a free plan, a drag-and-drop editor, sign-up forms and basic automations. It suits service businesses and anyone who mainly sends a regular newsletter. The free plan’s limits are tight, so check the current subscriber and sending limits before you rely on it.

Klaviyo

Built for online shops. Its strength is connecting to your store’s data: it knows what each customer bought, so it can send abandoned-cart reminders, “you might also like” emails and win-back offers automatically. If you sell physical or digital products through Shopify or a similar store, it is worth a serious look. If you don’t sell through a store, you will pay for features you won’t use.

Five things to check before you choose

1. How the price grows. Almost every platform charges by the number of contacts. Look at the price at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers, not just the free tier.
2. Whether you can export your list. You should be able to download every contact as a file at any time. All major platforms allow this; make sure yours does.
3. Automations on the plan you can afford. A welcome sequence is the single most useful automation. Make sure it is included.
4. Sign-up forms that fit your website. Embedded forms, pop-ups and a hosted landing page if you don’t have a site yet.
5. Deliverability help. Look for clear guidance on setting up your domain’s email authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) so your emails land in the inbox rather than spam.

A one-weekend setup plan

Saturday morning: create the account, connect your domain and set up email authentication. Your platform’s help pages walk you through it; it is usually a few records added to your domain’s settings.

Saturday afternoon: write one simple sign-up offer. “One useful email a week about X” works. A free checklist or template works better.

Sunday morning: write a three-email welcome sequence:

1. Welcome: who you are, what they will get and how often.
2. Your best help: the single most useful thing you can teach in five minutes.
3. The offer: how you can help further, with a clear next step.

Sunday afternoon: put the sign-up form on your website, your email signature and your social profiles.

The habit that matters most: send on a regular schedule. A short email every week beats a long one every few months.

Common mistakes

• Buying or importing lists. Only email people who asked to hear from you. It is the law in many countries and the fastest way to land in spam.
• Waiting until the list is “big enough”. Start emailing at ten subscribers. You will learn what people respond to.
• Switching platforms every few months. Moving is possible but takes time. Choose by what you sell, then stay put until you have a clear reason to move.

The short answer

Selling through an online shop? Start with Klaviyo. Selling services or sending a newsletter? Start with Mailchimp’s free plan or another simple newsletter platform. Either way, the best email platform is the one you will actually send from every week.

Tools mentioned in this guide

Frequently asked questions