Starting email marketing: what to prepare before you hire help

1. Build a permission-based list

Only email people who agreed to hear from you. That means existing customers who opted in, visitors who signed up on your website and contacts who gave clear permission. Never buy or rent lists. Emails to people who did not ask for them are marked as spam, which damages your sender reputation and can break privacy and anti-spam laws in many countries. A small list of interested people is worth far more than a large list of strangers.

2. Choose a platform

Pick an email platform that connects with your website or online store, fits your list size and includes the automations you need. Create the account in your own name and add freelancers as users, so you keep ownership of the list and its history. If you already have contacts in spreadsheets, check which ones have permission before importing them.

3. Plan how people will sign up

Decide where sign-up forms will appear, such as a website footer, a pop-up, a checkout box or a landing page. Give people a reason to join: useful tips, early access, a guide or a discount. Be clear about what they will receive and how often. Many businesses use double opt-in, where subscribers confirm by email, which keeps lists cleaner.

4. Start with a welcome sequence

The first emails a subscriber receives are often the most read. A simple welcome sequence of three to five emails can introduce your business, share your most useful content and make a first offer. Online stores often add abandoned cart and post-purchase emails next. These automations run in the background and keep working after they are set up.

5. Plan regular content

Decide what regular emails will contain: news, tips, new products, stories or offers. A simple monthly plan helps avoid last-minute emails that feel rushed. Think about your brand voice and keep emails focused on one main message and one clear action. An email copywriter can write sequences and campaigns if writing is not your strength.

6. Design and accessibility

Ask for a reusable template that matches your brand, works on mobile screens and stays readable when images are blocked. Simple, text-focused designs often perform well. An email designer can build templates in your platform's editor so you can reuse them. Include alt text for images, clear buttons and an easy unsubscribe link.

7. Measure what matters

Open rates are less reliable than they used to be because some email apps load images automatically. Focus on clicks, sales or bookings from emails, and unsubscribe and spam complaint rates. Review results monthly and test one change at a time, such as a subject line or the timing of a send.

8. Protect deliverability

Deliverability means your emails reach inboxes rather than spam folders. Ask your freelancer to set up the domain authentication records that your platform recommends, and send from an address on your own domain rather than a free email account. Remove addresses that bounce and people who have not engaged for a long time. Sending regularly to people who want your emails is the best long-term protection for your sender reputation. Avoid sudden large sends to old contacts who have not heard from you in years, because a spike in complaints can affect every email you send afterwards. If you must contact an old list, start with a small group and ask them to confirm they still want to hear from you.

Pre-hire checklist

• Existing contacts checked for permission.
• Platform account in your name.
• Sign-up forms and an incentive planned.
• Welcome sequence outline.
• Monthly content plan and brand voice notes.
• Template requirements and brand assets.
• Goals and measures agreed.

Our email marketing guide explains how to compare freelancers, and our email vs SMS article helps if you are considering text messages too.