Email Campaign Guide 2025: Start in 5 Steps

Email marketing remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient channels in 2025. Whether you’re a freelancer, marketer, or small business owner, launching your first email campaign can help you generate leads, drive conversions, and build long-term customer relationships, all without relying on paid ads.

This guide will walk you through how to launch your first email campaign using modern, budget-friendly tools. No fluff — just results.

Step 1: Choose the Right Email Marketing Tool

Most beginners default to tools like Mailchimp or Brevo, but these platforms can get expensive fast. In 2025, a smarter option is Nova Express, an AI-powered tool that integrates with external email delivery services like Mailgun or Amazon SES.

It allows:

Unlimited contacts
Unlimited campaigns
Full control of deliverability
Integrated AI assistant for copywriting

You only pay for what you send — not the size of your list.

Want to see how Nova Express compares to other platforms? Check out this comprehensive email marketing platform comparison or read a detailed Nova Express review from independent experts.

Watch this video for a complete tutorial:

How to Send Free Email Campaigns with Nova Express & Mailgun Step by Step Guide

Step 2: Set Up Your Email Infrastructure (SPF, DKIM, DMARC Setup)

Before sending your first email, your technical setup determines deliverability. Skipping this step means your emails land in spam—even if your content is perfect.

What Is Email Authentication?

Email authentication proves you’re the legitimate owner of your domain. Without it, Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo treat your emails as suspicious.

Three protocols do this work:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Tells mail servers “only these IP addresses can send from my domain”.
Example record:
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a cryptographic signature proving the email wasn’t tampered with in transit.
You copy the public key from your provider (Mailgun, Amazon SES) and paste it into your DNS as a TXT record.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication): Sets a policy: what happens if SPF/DKIM fails? (Quarantine? Reject? Monitor?)
Basic record:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

Where to find your DKIM key:

Mailgun: Sending → Domains → Domain Settings → DKIM Keys
Amazon SES: Verified identities → Your domain → DKIM authentication

How to Add DNS Records (5 Minutes Total)

Log into your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Route 53).
Find “DNS Management” → “Add Record”.
Insert the three TXT records provided by Mailgun/SES.
Save and wait 5-10 min (TTL 300 seconds).
Check: https://dmarcian.com/dkim-validator — all three must show PASS.

Why This Matters

Without these three records ISPs block 30-50% of your emails automatically. With them you reach 95%+ inbox placement.

Next step: After your DNS records show PASS, warm up your domain so Gmail trusts you — follow the 4-week email warm-up guide to 90% inbox placement (beginner-friendly, 5 min read).

Step 3: Build Your Email List

Avoid shortcuts like buying lists. Instead, grow your email list with:

Lead magnets (e.g., free guides, checklists)
Signup forms on your website or landing pages
Ethical imports from your CRM or customer base

Focus on quality — a smaller, engaged list outperforms a large, cold one every time.

Never buy email lists – it damages your reputation and deliverability. Learn why you should never buy an email list and how to build your list the right way.

Step 4: Design and Write Your First Campaign

Use the drag-and-drop editor in Nova Express to quickly design mobile-friendly emails.

Get inspired by these proven email marketing examples to speed up your design process.

For content:

Write a compelling subject line (curiosity and relevance win)
Keep the message short and action-driven
Use one clear call-to-action (CTA)

Discover the one email tweak that boosts open rates by 30% and apply David Ogilvy’s proven email rules to craft messages that convert.

Nova Express includes AI-powered suggestions for subject lines and copy — great for beginners and pros alike.

Step 5: Send, Measure, and Optimize

Send your first campaign to a test segment. Then monitor key metrics:

Open rate
Click-through rate
Replies
Bounce and unsubscribe rates

Make small changes and test again. Email marketing is not a one-time event — it’s a system you refine.

Learn how to avoid spam filters and follow unsubscribe best practices for better deliverability.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your First Email Campaign

Skipping the Welcome Email
Your welcome email has the highest open rate (50-80%) of any email you’ll send. Don’t waste this opportunity. Send a welcome email immediately after someone subscribes, introducing your brand and setting expectations for future emails.
Ignoring Mobile Optimization
Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices in 2025. If your email doesn’t look good on a phone, you’re losing half your audience. Always preview your campaigns on mobile before sending. Use single-column layouts, large buttons (at least 44×44 pixels), and readable font sizes (14px minimum).
Sending Without Testing
Always send test emails to yourself and team members before launching. Check for broken links, image loading issues, spelling errors, and proper personalization. Test your emails on different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) to ensure consistent display.
Not Segmenting Your Audience
Sending the same message to everyone is a beginner mistake. Even basic segmentation (new vs. existing customers, location, interests) can improve open rates by 30-50%. Start simple: create segments based on signup source, engagement level, or purchase history.

Why Nova Express Is a Smarter Choice Than Mailchimp in 2025

Many platforms like Mailchimp, Brevo, or MailerLite use a contact-based pricing model, meaning you pay based on the number of subscribers — whether or not you email them.

Nova Express flips this model.

Pricing Comparison

Platform	Pricing Model	5,000 Contacts, 2 Campaigns/mo	5,000 Contacts Daily Campaigns
Mailchimp	Contact-based	~$60/month	Up to $350/month
Brevo	Email volume-based	~$35/month (20k emails)	$150–250/month
Nova Express + Mailgun	Send-based	$0–10/month + Mailgun costs	Still under $50/month

Learn more about scaling your email marketing efficiently without breaking the bank.

Key Advantages of Nova Express

Pay only for what you send, not how many people are on your list
Full control over email deliverability via Mailgun or SendGrid
Unlimited contacts and campaigns — scale without extra fees
AI-powered writing assistant for faster, better content
Built-in agency mode with sub-accounts for freelancers and teams

Managing multiple clients? Our subaccounts feature makes it easy to keep everything organized.

For beginners and advanced marketers alike, this structure makes Nova Express the most cost-effective and scalable option.

From Beginner to Pro: Monetize Email as a Service

Want to take it further? Email marketing can easily become a $10K/month business.

This video shows how to launch and scale your own email marketing agency:

How to Start a $10K/Month Email Marketing Agency in 2025

Learn how to price your service, find your first clients, and automate delivery using tools like Nova Express.

Still Unsure if Email Marketing Works in 2025?

Many believe email is outdated but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

This video breaks down the current email landscape, myths, and real results marketers are seeing today:

Is Email Marketing Still Worth It in 2025?

Spoiler: ROI is higher than ever — especially with smart tools and low overhead.

Full Course on Udemy: Email Marketing From Zero

If you want the full, step-by-step education in one place, take the free course:

Email Marketing From Scratch – 22-Part Course on Udemy

It includes everything:

Tool setup
DNS and warm-up
List building
Campaign writing
Optimization
Automation

Taught by Anton Saburov — a marketer with 16 years of experience, founder of InfluBalance and The S-Team.

LinkedIn, Youtube, TikTok

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting Your First Email Campaign

How much does it cost to start an email campaign in 2025?
You can start for free or under $50/month. With Nova Express’s free plan and Amazon SES (which costs $0.10 per 1,000 emails), most beginners spend less than $10/month. Traditional platforms like Mailchimp charge $60-350/month for the same volume.

How long does it take to set up my first email campaign?
With modern tools, you can set up and send your first campaign in under 2 hours. This includes choosing a platform (15 min), setting up email infrastructure (30 min), importing contacts (15 min), designing your email (45 min), and sending a test (15 min).

Do I need technical skills to start email marketing?
No. Modern email platforms like Nova Express use drag-and-drop editors that require zero coding. The most technical part is setting up DNS records (SPF, DKIM), which takes 10-15 minutes following step-by-step guides.

What’s the best day and time to send my first email campaign?
For B2B: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 AM – 2 PM in your audience’s time zone. For B2C: evenings (6-9 PM) and weekends work well. However, your specific audience may differ — test and optimize based on your open rates.

How many subscribers do I need before sending my first campaign?
You can start with as few as 10-50 engaged subscribers. Quality beats quantity — a small, engaged list of 100 subscribers will outperform a cold list of 10,000. Focus on building your list organically before scaling.

How often should I send emails to my list?
Start with once per week or bi-weekly. Consistency matters more than frequency. Monitor your unsubscribe rates — if they spike above 0.5% per send, you’re emailing too often, or your content isn’t resonating. Some businesses successfully email daily, others monthly — it depends on your audience and content value.

Next Steps