Email Marketing ROI Still Wins: The Flows Every SMB Should Set Up First
Email marketing is not dead. In fact, it remains one of the highest-ROI channels available to small and medium-sized businesses. While everyone chases the latest social media trend or experiments with new ad platforms, email quietly continues to deliver results.
At Verve & Metric, we have seen this play out hundreds of times. The businesses that set up proper email flows early see better customer retention, higher lifetime value, and more predictable revenue.
The problem is that most businesses either ignore email entirely, or set it up badly. They send occasional newsletters with no strategy, no automation, and no clear path to conversion.
This is your guide to fixing that.
Why Email Marketing Still Works
Let's start with the numbers. Multiple studies over the past few years have consistently shown that email marketing delivers strong ROI for businesses that do it properly.
Industry benchmarks commonly cite email ROI around £36 for every £1 spent. Thatis a 3,600% return. Some industries see even higher returns depending on their business model and customer lifetime value.
Compare that to:
- Social media organic reach (declining every year)
- Paid ads (costs rising, competition increasing)
- SEO (long lead times, zero-click search eating into traffic)
Email is one of the few channels you own. You do not rely on an algorithm. You do not pay per impression. You build a list, and you communicate directly with people who have given you permission to contact them.
Why Most Businesses Get Email Wrong
Before we talk about what to do, let's talk about common mistakes:
1. No Strategy
They collect email addresses but have no plan for what to send or when. Emails go out randomly with no clear purpose or journey.
2. Generic Messaging
They send the same email to everyone, regardless of where someone is in the customer journey. A brand-new subscriber gets the same message as a loyal customer.
3. No Automation
Everything is manual. Every email requires someone to sit down, write it, and send it. That does not scale, and it leads to inconsistency.
4. Focusing Only on Sales
Every email is a pitch. "Buy this. Sale ends soon. Limited time offer." That burns out your list fast. People unsubscribe or stop opening your emails.
5. Not Tracking Results
They send emails but have no idea what is working. No measurement of open rates, click rates, or conversions. Just hope and guesswork.
At Verve & Metric, we see these mistakes constantly. The good news is they are easy to fix.
The Five Email Flows Every SMB Should Set Up First
Email automation is not complicated. You do not need dozens of flows. Start with these five. Get them working well. Then expand.
1. Welcome Flow (First Impression)
What it is: A series of 3 to 5 emails sent automatically to new subscribers.
Why it matters: This is your first chance to make an impression. People who just subscribed are the most engaged. They want to hear from you. Do not waste this moment.
What to include:
- Email 1 (immediately): Welcome them. Deliver whatever you promised(discount, guide, resource). Set expectations for what they will get from you.
- Email 2 (1-2 days later): Introduce your brand. Tell your story. Explain what you do and why it matters.
- Email 3 (3-5 days later): Provide value. Share a helpful resource, blog post, or case study. Build trust.
- Email 4 (optional, 7 days later): Soft call to action. Invite them to book a consultation, browse your products, or follow you on social media.
Goal: Build trust and set the tone for the relationship.
2. Abandoned Cart or Abandoned Browse (Recovery)
What it is: Automated emails sent to people who showed interest but did not complete an action (e.g., added items to a cart but did not check out, or browsed your services but did not book).
Why it matters: People get distracted. Life happens. A well-timed reminder can recover lost revenue.
What to include:
- Email 1 (1 hour later): Gentle reminder. "You left something behind. Still interested?"
- Email 2 (24 hours later): Add urgency or incentive. "Limited stock" or "Here's 10% off to help you decide."
- Email 3 (48-72 hours later): Final nudge. Social proof(testimonials, reviews) or FAQ to address objections.
Goal: Convert people who were already interested but did not take action.
3. Post-Purchase or Onboarding (Engagement)
What it is: A series of emails sent after someone makes a purchase or becomes a customer.
Why it matters: The first 30 days after a purchase are critical. This is when you build loyalty, reduce buyer's remorse, and set up repeat purchases.
What to include:
- Email 1 (immediately after purchase): Order confirmation. Set expectations for delivery or next steps.
- Email 2 (3-5 days later): Help them get the most from their purchase. Tips, how-to guides, or best practices.
- Email 3 (10-14 days later): Check in. "How's it going? Need help with anything?"
- Email 4 (30 days later): Ask for feedback or a review. If relevant, introduce related products or services.
Goal: Build loyalty and increase customer lifetime value.
4. Re-Engagement or Win back (Retention)
What it is: Emails sent to people who have not engaged with you in a while (e.g., have not opened an email in 60 days, or have not purchased in 6 months).
Why it matters: It is cheaper to re-engage an existing contact than to acquire a new one. A simple email can bring someone back.
What to include:
- Email 1: "We miss you." Acknowledge the silence. Offer value (discount, new content, helpful resource).
- Email 2 (a few days later): "Still interested?" Give them an easy way to re-engage or update their preferences.
- Email 3 (final): "Last chance." If they still do not engage, consider removing them from your active list to keep your list healthy.
Goal: Re-engage dormant contacts or clean your list.
5. Educational or Nurture Sequence (Trust Building)
What it is: A series of emails that educate your audience about a topic related to your business.
Why it matters: Not everyone is ready to buy immediately. A nurture sequence keeps you top of mind and builds trust over time.
What to include:
- Email 1: Introduce a problem your audience faces.
- Email 2: Explain why that problem matters.
- Email 3: Share a case study or example of someone solving that problem.
- Email 4: Offer your solution (product, service, consultation).
Goal: Move cold or lukewarm leads closer to a purchase decision.
How to Set These Up (Even If You Are Not Technical)
You do not need to be a developer or designer to set up these flows. Most modern email platforms (Mailer Lite, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Active Campaign) have templates and automation builders that make this easy.
Here is the process:
Step 1: Choose an Email Platform
Pick a tool that fits your budget and needs. For most SMBs, MailerLite or Mailchimp are good starting points. If you are running e-commerce, Klaviyo is worth the investment.
Step 2: Build Your List
Add sign-up forms to your website. Offer something valuable in exchange for an email address (discount, guide, checklist, free consultation).
Step 3: Write Your Flows
Start with the welcome flow. Write 3 to 5 emails. Keep them short, conversational, and helpful. Focus on building trust, not selling hard.
Step 4: Set Up Automation
Use your email platform's automation builder to trigger emails based on actions (e.g., someone subscribes, someone makes a purchase, someone does not open emails for 60 days).
Step 5: Test and Refine
Send yourself test emails. Check that links work, formatting looks good, and timing makes sense. Launch the flow. Monitor results. Adjust based on what works.
What to Track
Here are the metrics that matter for email marketing:
- Open rate (percentage of people who open your emails)
- Click-through rate (CTR) (percentage of people who click a link)
- Conversion rate (percentage of people who take the desired action)
- Unsubscribe rate (percentage of people who leave your list)
- Revenue per email (how much revenue each email generates)
If your open rate is low, work on your subject lines. If your click-through rate is low, improve your content or call to action. If your conversion rate is low, check your landing pages and offers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Sending Too Often (or Not Enough)
Find a consistent cadence. Once a week is a good starting point for most businesses. Test and adjust based on engagement.
2. Writing Like a Robot
Email should feel personal and conversational. Write like you are talking to one person, not a crowd.
3. Ignoring Mobile
More than half of emails are opened on mobile devices. Make sure your emails look good on small screens.
4. Not Cleaning Your List
If someone has not opened an email in 6 months, they are probably not interested anymore. Remove inactive contacts to keep your list healthy and your deliverability high.
5. Forgetting the Goal
Every email should have one clear goal. Do you want them to read a blog post? Book a call? Make a purchase? Make it obvious.
Real-World Example
We worked with a small consulting business that had been collecting email addresses for two years but had never set up any automation. They occasionally sent newsletters, but engagement was low and conversions were almost zero.
We helped them set up three flows:
1. A welcome sequence for new subscribers
2. A nurture sequence introducing their services
3. A re-engagement campaign for dormant contacts
Within three months:
- Welcome emails had a 45% open rate and 12% click-through rate
- The nurture sequence converted 8% of subscribers into consultation bookings
- The re-engagement campaign recovered 15% of dormant contacts
Total time investment: about 10 hours to write and set up the flows. Ongoing maintenance: less than one hour per month.
That is the power of email when it is done properly.
Final Thought
Email marketing is not flashy. It does not get the same attention as social media or the latest AI tools. But it works. It delivers measurable ROI. And it is one of the few channels you actually own.
At Verve & Metric, we help businesses set up email flows that drive real results. No gimmicks. No vanity metrics. Just clear strategy, honest measurement, and consistent execution.
If you have been ignoring email, or if you have been doing it badly, now is the time to fix it.
Need help setting up email flows that actually convert? Our Growth and Nurture & Retain packages include email strategy, automation setup, and performance tracking. Get in touch to see how email can work for your business.
