Why Australian Shops Need Email Marketing and

How to Get Started

A Year-Long Guide to Building 1,000 Subscribers and Growing Your Business

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways for Australian retailers to promote their shops. It means sending emails directly to your prospective customers. Industry figures indicate you can make $36 for every dollar you spend. This makes it better than any other method to advertise your business that is known.

Getting it going properly typically requires about 1,000 subscribers and a year of steady effort. Let’s examine how to approach this as a year-long project.

Firstly, why Australian Shops Need Email Marketing

It’s simple: email marketing works so well. Unlike Facebook or Instagram where you pay a lot and few see your posts, emails go directly to your customers.

Email marketing is effective for every type of shop, big or small, no matter what you sell.

Australian Email Laws You Must Know

Before sending emails, you must follow Australian laws to avoid huge fines.

What you must do

• Ask people if they want your emails before sending them
• Make it easy for people to stop getting your emails by unsubscribing
• Tell people who you are in every email

For business customers, the rules are complex. Generally, if a company recently bought from you, you can email about similar products, but it’s always safer to ask first.

Building Your Email List

You need to collect email addresses from customers who want your communications. Our team aims to get four new sign-ups daily. This is easier than it sounds if you simply ask customers.

Make Signing Up Easy

Request only essential info when people sign up, as extra fields reduce sign-up rates.

Only ask for

• Their first name
• Their email address
• Permission to send them emails

Make it worth their time

Give people reasons to join. Effective ideas include:

• Regular customers earn 5 points per purchase
• Email subscribers earn 7 points plus a birthday discount
• Special sales only for email members

Train Your Staff

Encourage staff to ask customers personally to sign up. This face-to-face approach increases subscriptions.

Put Up Signs in Your Shop

Display eye-catching signs about your email list throughout the store, especially near checkout. Keep a printed copy of your privacy policy available. A helpful privacy template for Australian businesses you can use  is available here:

Choosing the Right Email Platform

You could send emails manually, but dedicated email platforms make it easier and more professional. Both recommended platforms comply automatically with Australian laws and offer easy unsubscribe options.

EmailOctopus - Great for Beginners

EmailOctopus is ideal for Australian shops starting out. It offers a free plan allowing up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month.

Why EmailOctopus is good

• Free to start
• Easy to use for those not tech-savvy
• Good customer support
• Automatically follows email laws

Upgrades with more features start at about $20/month.

BlueFox Email

BlueFox uses Amazon technology to maximise deliverability to inboxes, not spam folders. For $20/month, you get 100,000 emails—enough for most small shops for years.

Why BlueFox Email is good

• Higher chance emails will be seen
• Very affordable for many emails
• Outstanding, helpful customer support

Creating Great Email Content

Many find content the hardest part—yet it’s essential. If sending one email monthly, that’s 12 per year, which is quite manageable.

If writing is difficult, seek help from professionals, skilled family members, or employees.

The 40-30-30 Rule

Balance your emails with:

• 40% helpful tips and advice
• 30% sales and special offers
• 30% community news and local events

This mix helps sell without being pushy since customers get useful info too.

Helpful Information Ideas

Share expert knowledge to build trust.

Examples by shop type

• Greeting cards - seasonal and holiday cards
• Gift shops - occasion-specific gift guides
• Garden shops - seasonal maintenance tips and problem fixes
• Clothing shops - styling advice and care instructions
• Pet stores - pet care, training, health tips

Product Sales Content

Don’t only list products: tell stories about how they solve problems or improve lives.

Good ways to sell products in emails

• Share customer success stories
• Explain how products solve specific problems
• Use quality photos of your products

Example: Instead of "New puppies arrived," say "Charlie the Golden Retriever puppy is looking for an active family who loves weekend adventures."

Writing Emails That People Read

Write like talking to a friend using simple words and short sentences. Avoid complicated business jargon that confuses readers.

Good writing tips

• Put the most important info first as most don’t read beyond the first few lines
• Use "you" to directly address readers
• Keep paragraphs short

One Action Per Email

Each email should focus on one clear action to prevent confusion. Examples include:

• Visit your store for a special sale
• Buy a specific product online
• Download a helpful guide
• Sign up for a workshop

Tracking Your Success

Monitor key metrics monthly to refine your email approach.

Open Rates (Aim for 25%)

Shows how many read your emails. Below 25%? Improve subject lines. Over 30%? Possibly email too rarely.

Click-Through Rates (Aim for 3%)

Shows link clicks. Low rates indicate unappealing content or offers.

Unsubscribe Rates (Keep Under 2%)

High rates suggest too many or irrelevant emails.

Sales Tracking

Most important metric showing revenue from emails. Difficult to track exactly, but any tracking is valuable.

Best Times to Send Emails

Tests show Tuesday mornings (9-11 AM) and Thursday evenings (6-8 PM) perform best, but test your own audience.

Getting Started Step by Step

Set Everything Up

• Pick your email platform
• Create a newsletter that suits your business
• Start asking customers to join your list

Start Sending

• Send your first newsletter ASAP
• Plan content monthly for regular emails
• Get staff to encourage sign-ups
• Ask readers for feedback on your emails

Make Things Better

• Improve gradually; each version should get better
• Plan content for holidays and seasons
• Keep going despite challenges—professionals persevere

Advanced Ideas for Later

Birthday emails: Send automated birthday discounts, which generate 5 times more sales than regular emails. If you don't have birthdates, use your sign-up anniversaries instead.

Holiday automation: Schedule emails for Christmas, back-to-school, and other busy seasons in advance, staying connected year-round effortlessly.

Getting Help When You Need It

Don’t hesitate to ask for help learning email marketing. Both EmailOctopus and BlueFox have strong support teams.

If writing is challenging, consider hiring freelance writers experienced in crafting emails for SMB businesses to convey your voice.

Start Today

Email marketing may seem challenging at first, but it becomes easier with practice. Start and improve step-by-step. The key is merely to start; once underway, continuous improvement is possible and please do not get turned off by knockers. If you cannot take knockers, what are you doing in business?

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, and is now retired, seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology through effective software solutions.