10 Modern Ways to Improve Your Email Campaigns You Might Not Have Thought About

If you are a local business owner and you have dabbled in email marketing but feel like you are shouting into the void, you are not alone. A lot of people send emails and then wonder why no one opens them or clicks anything.

The truth is, email marketing has changed a lot in the last few years. What worked back in 2015 just does not cut it anymore. I have been working with email marketing modern strategies for over a decade, and today I want to share 10 fresh and practical tips you might not have considered.

These are not magic tricks but small shifts that can make a big difference to how people engage with your emails. Whether you are a café owner in Portsmouth or a financial advisor in Leeds, these apply to all of us. Let’s get into it.

Use Plain Text to Stand Out

We often get caught up in making our emails look flashy with banners, buttons, and fancy layouts. But here is the thing: people are bombarded with slick-looking marketing emails every day. Sometimes a plain text email that looks like it came from a real person gets more attention.

Try sending a few of your next emails with no images, no buttons and no bold colours. Just write it like a message to a friend. You might be surprised at the results.

Segment Your List Properly

Most small businesses send the same email to everyone. That is easy but not effective. If someone signed up on your website, they probably want different things than someone who bought from you last week. Start by splitting your email list into simple groups.

New subscribers. Existing customers. People who clicked something but did not buy. Speak to each group differently. This is one of the most overlooked email marketing modern strategies.

Send More Emails to Fewer People

I know it sounds strange. But hear me out. Instead of sending one big email to everyone once a month, try sending more regular emails to smaller groups based on what they care about. This makes the content more relevant and personal. People would rather hear from you when it matters to them than get general updates they ignore.

Stop Relying on Offers and Discounts

Discounts are fine once in a while but if every email is a sale or promo, people will switch off. Instead of shouting about what you are selling, share useful stuff. Tips. Stories. Advice. Behind the scenes updates. If you are a plumber, share a quick tip on keeping pipes clean before winter.

If you run a beauty salon, talk about how to look after your skin between appointments. Email marketing is not just about selling. It is about building trust.

Use the Preview Text Wisely

You know that little grey text next to your subject line in your inbox? That is called the preview text and it is prime real estate. Most people forget about it. Make sure your preview text adds to your subject and gives people a reason to open.

If your subject is “Big News from Us” your preview could say “We are launching something special and you are invited”. Treat it like a second headline.

Add Real Personality

No one wants to read emails that sound like they came from a robot. Write like a human. Be honest. Be a bit cheeky if that suits your brand. Use your name and photo in the email footer. The goal with email marketing is not perfection. It is connection.

The more your readers feel like you are a real person, the more they will trust you.

Make It Mobile First

This is a big one. Most people read emails on their phone. That means your design needs to look great on small screens. Use short paragraphs. Big fonts. Clear buttons. Avoid stacking loads of images that take forever to load.

Test your emails on your phone before sending. If you cannot read it comfortably on your own mobile, your customers won’t either.

Test Your Sending Time

You might think everyone checks their email first thing in the morning but that is not always true. Your audience might prefer evenings. Or Sundays. Or lunchtime.

Try sending emails at different times and check the open rates. You will often find patterns that go against the usual advice. The best sending time is the one that works for your people.

Use Behaviour to Trigger Emails

This one sounds techy but it is simpler than you think. If someone clicks a link in your email about a specific service, send a follow up email a day later with more info on that topic. If someone browses your website but does not book, send a gentle reminder email.

This is called behaviour based automation and it is one of the most powerful email marketing modern strategies out there. You do not need to manually send anything. The system does the work for you once it is set up.

Clean Your List Often

Here is a secret no one talks about. The size of your email list does not matter if most of them never open your emails. If you have people who have not opened your last 10 emails, it might be time to let them go. Or at least send a quick “Do you still want to hear from us?” email and clean up based on the responses. A smaller list of active readers is far better than a huge one full of ghosts.

Email marketing is still one of the most powerful tools for any local business. But like anything, it needs a modern approach to keep working. These tips are not tricks. They are part of treating your readers like real people. Respect their time. Send things that matter. Write like yourself.

If you try even three or four of these ideas in your next few campaigns, I promise you will start to see better open rates, more clicks, and more replies. Keep experimenting. Keep listening to your audience. And above all, keep showing up in their inbox with something worth reading.

P.S. If you ever want to chat about how to use email more effectively in your business, just reach out. I am always happy to help.