Email Marketing Best Practices in 2025

What if I told you that focusing on email marketing could be the key to your organization’s growth in 2025?

This isn’t hyperbole! Intentional email efforts yield real results, and email is several times more effective than social media in converting prospects. 

Let’s explore the best practices for improving your email strategy in the year ahead. 

Tips for Building Your Email List  

Whether you already have a list of 1,000+ people or are starting from scratch, your goal is constantly growing your list with people who fall within your target audience! This is one of the best ways to grow your business and connect with your audience since email open rates outrank social media conversion rates by a wide margin. 

So whether you’re a church, a business, or a nonprofit, growing your email audience should be at the top of your priority list! 

Here are four tips for adding subscribers:

  1. Create a simple opt-in form. Embed it into your website header or footer, include it in your social media profiles, and add it to your email signature.

  2. Develop lead magnets that your audience would enjoy. These are typically educational resources, such as helpful guides, white papers, videos, or PDFs that people are willing to trade for their email addresses.If you’re unsure what would work for your audience, use generative AI for help!

    Here’s a sample prompt:“My business/nonprofit offers [list services / products]. My audience consists of [describe demographics of target audience]. Their pain points include [list 3-5 pain points]. My goal is for new prospects from this target audience to join my email list and receive more content from me, such as [list the kind of content you will provide.] Give me 10 ideas for a lead magnet that I could create.”|

  3. Utilize automation to streamline new subscribers. For example, you can connect your website’s scheduling software to your email marketing program so that whenever someone schedules a consultation with you, they are automatically added to your newsletter list. I use Zapier to connect my SquareSpace scheduler to Flodesk.

    Think about how people come into your sphere. Do they make a donation? Attend a webinar or event? Purchase a product? Make sure all of those touchpoints are automated so that these people are added to your list.

  4. Promote the value of your newsletter. Let’s say you have a product that tends to sell out quickly. Create social media posts that tell people, “When you sign up for my email list, you’ll be the first to know about XYZ.” Fulfill that promise by providing early access to your email subscribers.

    If your email newsletter is primarily value-driven (like mine!) and provides helpful resources, tools, and tips, promote that in your blogs and social media posts.

    If you’re a church, you want members and potential members to be informed about upcoming events so they don’t miss out. Make an announcement during the church service! Tell people about your email newsletter and provide simple instructions for adding their names to the list.

How to Increase Email Open Rates  

What’s the point of building a list and creating great content if people don’t open your emails? You need to get them in the door!

A strong subject line is the key. 

Your subject line should offer a glimpse into what they will get within the email – never use clickbait! To achieve a great open rate of 40%, 50%, or even higher, take time to create catchy and relevant subject lines that pique curiosity. 

Here are some examples of recent email subject lines I wrote for my clients’ email campaigns, with their corresponding open rates.

  • 🔥 Hot January Special! [58.2% open rate]
  • Where we’ve been + Where we’re going 💪 [40.3% open rate]
  • Vision Weekend 2025 ➡️ [70.8% open rate]
  • COMPANY NAME: Year in Review [50.2% open rate]

The other key to great open rates is consistency. If your subscribers only hear from you every couple of months, they’re less likely to open your emails and more likely to unsubscribe. 

Pick a frequency that you can stick with; I recommend monthly at a minimum. Also: 

  • Most of my clients who are service providers email their list once a month or once every two weeks, and more often when they have a special offer. 
  • Businesses that sell products usually send emails more frequently, such as weekly or even a couple of times every week. 
  • My church has weekly announcements, so we send an email every Friday. We consistently get an open rate of over 70%!

No matter the frequency you choose, stick with it. Establishing a reputation for sending regular content will encourage your audience to look forward to and engage with your emails. If your frequency is too much for them, they will simply unsubscribe – and that’s OK!

Crafting the Perfect Email Newsletter  

Putting together a compelling email newsletter that people look forward to reading is both an art and a science. It’s important to balance informative content with engaging storytelling. 

Unlike sales-driven emails, newsletters are about building a relationship with your audience. You are trying to build a relationship, establishing yourself as a trusted resource so that they think of you when they’re ready to make a purchase, donation, or referral. 

Don’t underestimate the power of feedback! Over a year ago, I revamped my email newsletter completely after asking my audience to complete a short survey. They told me what they liked (and didn’t like) about my existing format, and since making adjustments, my open rates have increased.

Click here to read more helpful advice about successful email newsletters.

Personalization and Segmentation in Email Marketing  

Personalization in email marketing involves adjusting the content to speak directly to individual recipients, making them feel seen and valued. This can be achieved by using their names in greetings, sending content that aligns with their preferences, or referencing past interactions. 

Segmentation means dividing your email list into specific groups based on demographics, purchase history, or engagement levels. Doing this allows you to tailor your messages to resonate better with each segment, effectively increasing engagement rates. Your CRM system can help track and manage these segments, allowing you to craft campaigns that speak directly to each audience’s unique needs.

11 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid  

Are you making any of these common mistakes? It’s okay; we all have room for improvement! Take a moment to evaluate your organization’s efforts against these pitfalls:

  1. Information Overload
    Overloading emails with too much information can overwhelm and confuse your readers, leading to lower interaction rates. This overload buries important messages under a mountain of text, causing readers to lose interest quickly. Instead, streamline your content to include only the most crucial information, presenting it in clear, succinct language. Utilize bullet points and section headers to break up text and make your email more digestible.
  2. Broad Scope
    Neglecting to segment your audience can result in them receiving irrelevant messages that don’t resonate, causing them to become irritated, stop opening your emails, or unsubscribe. Use segmentation strategies to categorize your audience based on interests and behaviors. For example, at my church, we have a general email list for announcements, but beyond that, we are careful to segment our list into more narrow audiences. We have specific lists for parents, women, men, teens, and more.
  3. Vague or Non-existent Calls to Action
    Sending emails without a clear “next step” leaves recipients feeling confused. This impacts your conversion and click rates. Instead, make sure every email includes at least one compelling call-to-action that is easy to find and understand. There should be ONE primary CTA on sales emails, even if you list it several times in the email. In email newsletters, it’s okay to have several CTAs.
  4. Not Testing Emails
    Failing to test emails before sending them can lead to unprofessional errors and broken links. Mistakes in emails can appear careless and damage credibility. Always send yourself (or a colleague) a test of an email before it goes out. Check it on mobile and desktop, since the experience can differ. This habit ensures a polished, professional delivery.
  5. Using Careless Subject Lines
    Using a generic or misleading subject line can decrease open rates and trust. Subject lines are often the first impression; trust diminishes if they promise something the content doesn’t deliver. Craft honest, intriguing subject lines that genuinely reflect the email’s content, keeping curiosity and credibility intact.
  6. Ignoring Analytics
    Failing to monitor email analytics can result in missed opportunities for improvement. Without data, identifying what works or needs improvement is nearly impossible. Regularly review metrics like open rates and click-through rates to refine your strategy. Use these insights to optimize content and timing to better connect with your audience.
  7. Not Cleaning Your List
    Ignoring email list hygiene by not regularly purging inactive subscribers can skew engagement metrics. An inflated list reduces overall engagement metrics, painting an inaccurate picture of success. Regularly clean your list by removing inactive and hard-bounced subscribers to maintain engagement accuracy.
  8. Busy Imagery
    Distracting backgrounds and busy graphics can confuse readers and divert them from your core message. Prioritize clarity with simple designs and a clean layout. This helps emphasize your call(s) to action without unnecessary distractions.
  9. Being Non-Compliant
    Disregarding compliance regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM can lead to legal issues and fines. Non-compliance with data protection laws risks severe penalties and loss of audience trust. Ensure compliance by maintaining up-to-date privacy practices and clear consent mechanisms.
  10. Ignoring Responses
    Failing to follow up with people who respond to your emails can result in missing opportunities to nurture leads or answer questions. Respond to all legitimate emails to reinforce connections and address lingering questions. Consistent engagement strengthens relationships and fosters brand loyalty.
  11. Big Blocks of text
    Writing overly long paragraphs can scare away readers with limited time. Lengthy text blocks may also deter readers who prefer quick, scannable information. Break content into short paragraphs or bullet points and use section headings for easy digestibility. This approach respects your readers’ time and improves engagement rates.

Measuring Email Marketing Success  

Before we wrap up, let’s touch on metrics. 

To gauge the success of your email marketing efforts, it’s important to focus on key performance indicators that reflect your campaign goals. 

  • Track open rates to determine how effectively your subject lines capture attention. 
  • Monitor click-through rates to assess how well your content and calls to action resonate with the audience. 
  • List growth metrics can reveal how effectively you’re attracting and retaining subscribers. 
  • Pay attention to conversion rates, indicating how often email campaigns lead to desired actions such as sales or donations. 

Further Reading