Email marketing, sometimes called EDM (Electronic Direct Mail), is the practice of sending emails to people who have opted in to hear from the organisation. It is one of the most direct ways to communicate with customers, members and supporters.
Why we recommend it
Email is a reliable and cost effective form of communication between a brand and their customer. It has a high return on investment (ROI), and is relatively simple to manage once it is set up correctly. Even though email is now considered “old” technology, EDM is still one of the most effective marketing strategies for an organisation to invest in.
In terms of risk mitigation, a subscriber list belongs to the organisation. If a third-party platform changes its rules or suspends an account, the subscriber list is maintained and can be moved to another tool.
What email marketing looks like for a small organisation
EDM is simpler than most people expect. A monthly or even quarterly newsletter with one or two useful items, a seasonal promotion or a short announcement about a new service is enough to keep your organisation visible and front-of-mind.
Tools such as Mailchimp or HubSpot handle the technical side, including subscribe and unsubscribe links, layouts that adapt to phones and reports on who opened the email and what they clicked.
Building a list that works
The most powerful list is a list of people who chose to subscribe. Invite them through a form on the website, at the counter or at events, and tell them what they’ll receive and how often.
After that, reliability builds trust. A monthly email that arrives on time every month tells subscribers the organisation is still operating. Keep it useful, write it in the organisation’s own voice and check how it looks on a phone before sending, since most people read it there. The material for each issue usually comes from content marketing.
What the Spam Act requires in Australia
In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 applies to marketing emails, including those from small organisations and charities. Every commercial message must meet these requirements:
- The sender has the recipient’s consent, which means they subscribed or an existing relationship exists
- The email clearly identifies who sent it and how to contact them
- It includes an unsubscribe option that works and is actioned within five business days
Buying or renting a list does not provide consent. The Australian Communications and Media Authority explains the rules in Avoid sending spam, and email platforms such as Mailchimp build most of these requirements into their templates.
How to get started
- Choose an email platform and set up the sender details using the organisation’s own domain name. Our FAQ on email options explains how professional email is set up.
- Add a signup form to the website and say what subscribers will receive.
- Decide on a schedule that can be kept, such as one email a month.
- Send the first issue to a few colleagues and check it on a phone.
- Look at which emails people open and click, and write more of what they read.
Where to go next
Our Communications & Marketing service covers email strategy, list building and measurement for organisations that want a plan to follow.
