How to Start Your First Email Campaign: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2025

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. 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.

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

Before sending any emails, make sure your technical setup is solid:

Use a custom domain email address
Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
Register with a reliable provider like Mailgun for email delivery

This ensures high inbox placement and protects your sender reputation.

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.

Step 4: Design and Write Your First Campaign

Use the drag-and-drop editor in NovaExpress to quickly design mobile-friendly emails. 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)

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.

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