I’ll say it now and I’ll say it again: Email marketing is a missed opportunity for the majority of small service-based businesses and solopreneurs. I strongly believe businesses are leaving money on the table because they aren’t leveraging email marketing. 

Will 2025 be the year you dive into email? Will you blow the dust off your client list and stay connected? Or do you need to start from scratch and put a list-building strategy in place? Whether you have 1 subscriber or 1,000, there’s never been a better time to invest in email marketing. [Have concerns about email marketing? Read this blog post where I address the 3 most common concerns.]

But in 2025, you can – and should – do more than blast your list for the sake of sending emails. If you’re going to commit to email marketing, do it right. 

Here are my top 5 tips for maximizing email marketing in 2025. 

1. Segment, tag and personalize your emails. 

One of the best things you can do is tag each person on your email list. If you’re just getting started or have a small list, do this now. It’s much easier to get into this habit versus going back into a large list and adding tags. 

How do email tags work? 

Tags are really just labels you assign to your email subscribers. You can create multiple tags. And each subscriber might have multiple tags. 

I have tags for clients and for prospects. I often tag people based on how we connected (a specific event, tradeshow, a webinar I hosted, etc.). I might tag people based on a specific service I offer, such as Unreasonable Hospitality coaching and workshops. 

Why tag your subscribers? 

This allows you to send specific content to specific email subscribers. 

For example, I have a “WNC” tag for contacts here in Western North Carolina where I live. That way if I’m hosting an event or have a special offer for locals, I can send those emails just to people tagged WNC. I’m not bothering people in California or Colorado with details on my local event. 

We want to give people the information that’s most relevant to them. I send an email each Thursday afternoon to my full list. That content is applicable to essentially everyone on the list. 

But with tags or audience segments, I can tailor and personalize content to select groups. Email marketing platforms make this pretty easy. MailChimp, for example, even lets you show certain blocks of content to certain subscribers – even though they’re all getting the same email. 

Don’t be afraid to send specific content to specific audiences. Not only is it kind to their busy inbox, but it also increases your conversion chances. 

2. Be real and relatable in your email content. 

In their desire to be professional, too many organizations come off as stuffy and stiff. That doesn’t sit well with most customers these days. 

People want real. They want authentic. That doesn’t mean your emails have to read like a tell-all memoir or a transcript from an episode of “The Real Housewives.” But they should reflect your personality and/or brand voice. Add a little humor. Have some fun. 

Pro tip: As you’re writing your email content, picture your favorite customer. Pretend you’re writing directly to that person. It helps you keep it friendly rather than formal.  

3. Say it with video. 

Adding video to your marketing mix isn’t new advice. We’ve been talking about video for the last few years, and I suspect we’ll continue to tout video as a marketing must for the foreseeable future. 

If you’ve been reluctant to embrace video in your marketing, make 2025 the year you go all in on video. 

Here’s the trick: videos you create for YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram can be repurposed for your email marketing content. I regularly share videos I post on my YouTube channel in my weekly emails. 

Don’t be nervous! Just get started and you’ll get more comfortable as you go. Remember, people want real and authentic. And one of the best ways to let people get to know you is through video. 

Pro tip: Just as you’re thinking about your favorite client when you write your emails, do the same with video. Pretend you’re talking to a client or a friend. 

4. Enlist AI as a helpful tool. 

AI tools like ChatGPT are great for brainstorming, generating ideas, research, or writing a first draft. 

Remember, AI is a tool. It can make mistakes. And sometimes it can sound like what it is – a robot, not a human. So, you’ll need to edit, refine, and add your voice and tone to any draft AI produces. 

But, by all means, use AI tools to get started and save a little time in the process. 

5. Make building your list a No. 1 marketing priority. 

Even more important than collecting new Instagram followers or LinkedIn connections is adding new folks to your email subscriber list. 

A large part of your marketing focus should be on growing your email list. 

Here’s why: 

• You own your email list. It’s not dependent on ever-changing algorithms, random outages or short-lived trends. 
• Email marketing has an excellent ROI (about $36 for every $1 spent). 
• You can truly nurture your audience and more easily reach them in their inbox (versus wondering if they were served your social media post today). 

That doesn’t mean you need to leave social media. It simply means you should use social media to grow your list. With your content and calls to action, you can turn your followers into subscribers. 

Pro tip: Don’t ask people to join your list or sign up for your newsletter. Give them something super valuable in return (guide, checklists, templates, etc.)

Those are my recommendations for boosting your email marketing in 2025. For a few other ideas, check out this article from Mailerlite with other email marketing trends for 2025. 

Still have questions about email marketing? Book a free discovery call and let’s figure out how you can make the most of email marketing in 2025.