If you’re running an eCommerce brand and wondering when to start email marketing, the short answer is: probably earlier than you think.
A lot of founders delay it, thinking they need a bigger list, a better offer, or more traffic.
But if your site gets even 1,000 monthly visitors, email can start generating revenue for you. Quietly. Consistently. On autopilot.
You don’t need a full-time hire or a creative team.
Just a solid foundation and a willingness to get started.
Let’s say someone visits your site, looks around, then leaves.
It’s not that they weren’t interested- they just got distracted, or weren’t ready to buy.
That’s where email fits in.
You’re not shouting or spamming. You’re just following up, like any decent salesperson would.
One concept behind this is the Zeigarnik Effect. We’re more likely to remember tasks we haven’t finished.
So when someone abandons checkout, or reads about your product and walks away, a simple email brings that unfinished loop back to mind.
That gentle nudge can be the difference between a bounce and a sale.
No ads. No pressure. Just a simple system working in the background.
These are the bare minimum:
Once these are live, your brand has a basic safety net. You’re not letting interest slip through the cracks. Think of flows as the “silent closer” of your marketing team.
Campaigns are where you build the relationship- share stories, offers, behind-the-scenes content. Nothing fancy. Just something consistent.
Aim for 1 email per week. Enough to stay top of mind.
No need for slick design or complex automation yet.
Start with what’s real:
If your list is under 5,000 subscribers, hiring an agency might be premature.
Why? Because email becomes most profitable when you already have people to talk to.
If you’re early-stage, it’s usually more efficient to build your list and send simple emails in-house or with light freelance support.
Once you’re seeing returns and want to scale strategy, design, and segmentation, that’s when a partner like Shawfire Media can make sense.
What’s the best time to send emails?
There’s no universal answer. Some say Tuesday at 10 am. Others say Sunday evenings.
The truth? You need to test it.
And honestly, sending regularly is more important than sending perfectly.
According to Klaviyo, brands earn an average of $5.20 per recipient in their welcome flow. That adds up fast, even with a small list.
One of our clients, a DTC wellness brand, came to us with 3,000 monthly visitors and no email setup.
We added a popup, a basic welcome flow, and a product education campaign.
Within the first 30 days, they generated over £1,200 in sales they would’ve missed – without running any ads or launching a new product.
Sometimes, progress doesn’t look like a big bang.
It looks like quiet systems doing their job.
Shawfire Media helps growth-stage eCommerce brands turn email into a silent revenue driver, without guesswork or gimmicks.
Let’s make email the channel that works in the background, even when you're not.
