Email marketing remains one of the most effective and measurable tools for small businesses. With the right campaigns, even a modest subscriber list can generate significant revenue, increase customer loyalty, and strengthen your brand presence. After testing dozens of tools and running hundreds of campaigns across multiple niches, I can confidently say that knowing which types of email campaigns to use is just as important as growing your list.
In this guide, we’ll break down the best email campaigns for small businesses, including strategy, examples, performance benchmarks, and implementation tips — all tested in real-world scenarios.
Why Email Campaigns Matter for Small Businesses
Before diving into campaign types, it’s important to understand why email campaigns outperform many other marketing channels:
- Direct communication with subscribers – Unlike social media, emails reach the subscriber directly in their inbox.
- Cost-effective – Sending emails is inexpensive, especially with platforms like Brevo, which combine email, automation, and CRM.
- Highly measurable – Open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and revenue can all be tracked.
- Automation-driven ROI – Automated campaigns like welcome sequences or abandoned cart emails often outperform one-off campaigns.
According to recent research, email marketing returns an average of $36 for every $1 spent, with top-performing small business campaigns exceeding $40 per $1 invested.
Table: Key Metrics for Email Campaigns
| Campaign Type | Average Open Rate | Average CTR | Conversion Potential | Recommended Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Series | 50–60% | 10–20% | High | Once per subscriber |
| Promotional Emails | 20–30% | 2–5% | Medium–High | 1–2 per week |
| Abandoned Cart | 40–50% | 10–15% | Very High | Triggered |
| Newsletter | 25–35% | 3–6% | Medium | Weekly/Biweekly |
| Re-engagement | 15–25% | 2–4% | Medium | Every 3–6 months |
| Event / Webinar | 30–45% | 5–10% | Medium–High | Event-specific |
| Transactional | 50–80% | 10–20% | Very High | Triggered |
These numbers reflect tested performance benchmarks across multiple industries and may vary depending on your audience size, engagement level, and industry.
1. Welcome Series Emails
Purpose: Introduce your brand, deliver lead magnets, set expectations, and begin nurturing subscribers.
Why It Works:
Subscribers are most engaged immediately after signing up. Capitalizing on this period ensures higher open and click-through rates than standard broadcasts.
Example Workflow:
- Email 1 (Immediate) – Deliver the lead magnet and thank the subscriber.
- Email 2 (24–48 hours) – Share your brand story or a case study.
- Email 3 (72 hours) – Offer a low-friction conversion (e.g., discount, free trial).
Benchmarks from Real Testing:
- Open rates: 50–60%
- Click-through rates: 10–20%
- Revenue per subscriber: often 2–5× higher than standard promotional emails
Pro Tip: Use automation tools in Brevo or ConvertKit to trigger the welcome sequence immediately upon signup. Segment by source (e.g., webinar signup vs. ebook download) for even higher engagement.
2. Promotional Campaigns
Purpose: Drive sales, offers, or discounts to your subscribers.
Why It Works:
Promotional campaigns work best when combined with segmentation and personalized messaging. Subscribers who have previously engaged or purchased are most responsive.
Examples:
- Seasonal discounts (Black Friday, Christmas, etc.)
- Limited-time product offers
- Loyalty rewards or member-only promotions
Performance Notes:
- Open rates: 20–30%
- Click-through rates: 2–5%
- Conversion depends heavily on list segmentation and offer relevance
Pro Tip: A/B test subject lines, personalization, and send times to maximize ROI. Include social proof (reviews or testimonials) in your emails to increase trust.
3. Abandoned Cart Emails
Purpose: Recover sales that were almost completed.
Why It Works:
These campaigns target high-intent customers and are triggered automatically by actions taken on your website. They consistently deliver some of the highest ROI in e-commerce.
Typical Workflow:
- Email 1 (1–2 hours after cart abandonment) – Friendly reminder of items left in cart.
- Email 2 (24 hours) – Include incentives like discounts or free shipping.
- Email 3 (48–72 hours) – Highlight scarcity or urgency.
Real-World Results:
- Recovery rates: 8–15% of abandoned carts
- Open rates: 40–50%
- CTR: 10–15%
Pro Tip: Include product images, prices, and direct call-to-action buttons. Personalization significantly boosts results.
4. Newsletters
Purpose: Keep subscribers engaged with ongoing content, company updates, or industry news.
Why It Works:
Newsletters nurture your audience without always selling, building trust and positioning your brand as an authority.
Best Practices:
- Include 2–3 valuable pieces of content per newsletter
- Keep newsletters visually simple and mobile-friendly
- Encourage interaction (polls, surveys, or feedback links)
Benchmarks:
- Open rates: 25–35%
- CTR: 3–6%
- Frequency: Weekly or biweekly
Pro Tip: Segment your newsletter lists by engagement and interest to improve click-through rates and minimize unsubscribes.
5. Re-engagement Emails
Purpose: Win back inactive subscribers and clean your list.
Why It Works:
Dormant subscribers hurt deliverability and reduce overall ROI. A re-engagement campaign can revive a portion or allow you to safely prune inactive addresses.
Common Workflow:
- Email 1: Friendly reminder of value
- Email 2: Offer a special incentive to re-engage
- Email 3: Final “we’ll miss you” or unsubscribe option
Benchmarks:
- Open rates: 15–25%
- CTR: 2–4%
- Response rate varies depending on the inactivity period
Pro Tip: Always analyze response before pruning. Subscribers who open but don’t click may still be valuable if nurtured differently.
6. Event or Webinar Campaigns
Purpose: Drive attendance for online events, webinars, or live workshops.
Why It Works:
Educational events build authority and trust while generating qualified leads for future marketing.
Best Practices:
- Send 3–4 reminder emails: registration confirmation, day-before, and one hour before the event.
- Include clear agendas and benefits of attending.
- Segment by interest to target the right audience.
Performance Insights:
- Open rates: 30–45%
- CTR: 5–10%
- Attendance rate: 35–55%
Pro Tip: Use automated triggers to follow up with attendees with next-step offers or recordings.
7. Transactional Emails
Purpose: Communicate confirmations, invoices, shipping updates, or account activity.
Why It Works:
Transactional emails are read more than marketing emails (50–80% open rates). They also offer an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell.
Examples:
- Order confirmations with related product suggestions
- Subscription or membership renewal reminders
- Account milestone notifications
Best Practices:
- Keep them clear and informative
- Include one or two non-intrusive marketing elements
- Maintain consistent branding
Pro Tip: Platforms like Brevo allow combining transactional emails with marketing automation to increase engagement without spamming the inbox.
How to Choose the Right Campaigns for Your Business
- Early-stage businesses: Focus on welcome series, lead magnet follow-ups, and newsletters. Build trust and educate subscribers.
- E-commerce: Add abandoned cart, transactional emails, and personalized promotions.
- Service-based businesses: Focus on newsletters, webinars, and re-engagement campaigns to nurture leads over time.
- Mature businesses: Use advanced automation, behavioral triggers, and lifecycle campaigns for repeat purchases and loyalty.
Tips to Maximize ROI Across Campaigns
- Segment your audience: New subscribers, repeat customers, and inactive users all need different messaging.
- Use automation: Flows outperform one-off broadcasts for revenue-per-subscriber.
- Test subject lines and CTAs: Even small improvements in open and click rates multiply ROI.
- Track revenue-per-campaign: Focus on profit, not vanity metrics like open rate alone.
- Keep mobile-first design: Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices.
Conclusion
Email campaigns are not one-size-fits-all. Small businesses can achieve exceptional ROI by strategically combining welcome sequences, newsletters, promotions, abandoned cart recovery, transactional emails, and event campaigns.
The secret isn’t just sending emails — it’s choosing the right type of campaign, segmenting your list, personalizing content, and leveraging automation. Modern tools like Brevo make it easier than ever to implement these campaigns effectively, while providing the analytics to optimize performance over time.
By testing, iterating, and focusing on subscriber value, small businesses can transform a modest email list into a reliable revenue-generating asset.
Common Questions:
1. What are the most effective email campaigns for small businesses?
The most effective email campaigns include welcome series, promotional campaigns, abandoned cart emails, newsletters, re-engagement emails, transactional messages, and event/webinar campaigns. These campaigns drive engagement, conversions, and revenue when implemented strategically.
2. How often should small businesses send email campaigns?
Frequency depends on campaign type:
- Newsletters: weekly or biweekly
- Promotions: 1–2 times per week
- Abandoned cart & transactional emails: triggered automatically
- Welcome series: once per subscriber
Over-emailing can lead to unsubscribes, so always prioritize relevance and value.
3. How can small businesses improve email open rates?
To improve open rates, use attention-grabbing subject lines, personalization, segmentation, and clear sender information. Timing also matters — test sending at different times of the day or week to find peak engagement.
4. What type of email campaign generates the highest ROI for small businesses?
Abandoned cart emails, welcome series, and transactional messages typically generate the highest ROI. Automated, behavior-driven emails outperform standard promotional emails because they target high-intent subscribers at the right moment.
5. Which tools are best for running small business email campaigns?
Top tools for small businesses include Brevo, Klaviyo, MailerLite, ConvertKit, and Mailchimp. Brevo is particularly powerful for combining email marketing, automation, CRM, and landing pages, making it easier to implement multiple campaign types efficiently.
6. How can small businesses re-engage inactive subscribers?
Use re-engagement campaigns with a series of emails reminding subscribers of your value, offering incentives, or providing updates. If subscribers remain inactive, prune them to improve deliverability and maintain a healthy list.
7. What metrics should small businesses track for email campaign success?
Focus on open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, revenue per subscriber (RPS), and list growth rate. Tracking these metrics helps identify high-performing campaigns and areas that need optimization.
8. Can newsletters help small businesses increase sales?
Yes. Newsletters nurture your audience by providing value, building trust, and driving traffic back to your website or offers. While newsletters may not always directly convert, they increase engagement and support long-term revenue growth.