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Why Email Marketing Remains the Heartbeat of Brand Growth
How thoughtful emails build relationships that outlast clicks and campaigns
In partnership with
In an age where brands race for attention on social media, search ads, and influencer hype, one channel quietly holds long-term power: email marketing.
Unlike fleeting ads or algorithm-driven reach, emails land directly in someone’s inbox — a space they check daily. Done right, email isn’t just a marketing channel. It’s part of your brand’s promise.
It drives repeat sales, nurtures trust, and turns one-time buyers into loyal advocates. In this issue of Startup Stoic, we explore why email matters more than you think — and show you real brands nailing it.
In this Startup Stoic newsletter, let’s dive deeper into the importance of Email marketing and brands that ace the game.
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Why Email Marketing Makes Brands Stick
Here are the core reasons every founder should build a strong email engine:
Ownership & Reach: You own your subscriber list. You’re not at the mercy of algorithm changes, and you can reach people on your own terms.
Lifetime Value Over One-Off Sales: Each email is an opportunity to add value. Over time, nurturing subscribers increases repeat purchases, upgrades, and referrals.
Personalization & Relevance: Segmented emails and behavior-triggered campaigns feel personal — not generic. That builds emotional loyalty.
Data & Experimentation: Open rates, click-throughs, revenue per email — you can test, optimize, and improve. Your email becomes more than message. It’s measurable growth engine.
Credibility & Brand Voice: Through onboarding sequences, storytelling, and content (not just discounts), emails let your brand voice breathe. Your values show up consistently in every subject line and paragraph.
Together, these make email one of the most scalable ways to grow a brand and build long-term trust.
Brands That Nail Email Marketing
Let’s look at some brands doing this really well — and what we can learn from them:
Bloom & Wild
Known for timely emails tied to personal moments (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day), and very thoughtful copy.Deliveroo
Uses strong offers, well-timed sends, and appealing visuals to stand out in a crowded delivery-app inbox.Spotify
Adds value with music recommendations, playlists, and campaign tie-ups — not just product sales.Airbnb
Their email flows help users stay invested in the brand even between stays — from wishlist reminders to curated content.Patagonia
Combines mission statements (environment, activism) with product messaging. Their emails feel aligned with something larger than commerce.Glossier
Sometimes fewer words make more impact. Their emails often mix minimalism with strong visual identity and brand tone.
These brands succeed not just by sending email — by thinking what their subscribers want, when, and why.
How You Can Build Email Strategy That Actually Works
Here’s a blueprint you can follow for your startup’s email efforts:
Step | Why It Matters | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
Define Your Email Goals | Whether it’s retention, upsell, or nurturing leads, your campaigns must connect to a business metric | Sketch out metrics: repeat purchase rate, churn rate reduction, open-to-click conversion, etc. |
Segment with Purpose | Not every subscriber is at the same stage | Group by behavior: new customers, inactive users, frequent buyers, geography, preferences |
Build Your Flows | Email is more than “send & pray” | Create onboarding series, nurture sequences, promotional emails, loyalty updates |
Personalize & Tailor | Use what you know about customers to deliver relevance | Leverage past purchases, content behavior, birthdays/milestones, user preferences |
Test & Iterate | Small tweaks compound over time | A/B test subject lines, send times, copy tone, creative formats (GIFs, video snippets, rich layouts) |
Measure Beyond Opens | Opening is good. Trust & revenue is better | Track revenue per email, reply or feedback rates, list churn / unsubscribe trends, retention lift |
The Startup Stoic Takeaway
Email marketing isn’t an optional extra. It’s a core part of brand architecture.
When you commit to sending thoughtful emails — not just promotions — you’re building something that scales slow and deep.
It’s not about how many people click today. It’s about how many people trust you tomorrow.
Start your email journey not with templates or flashy design — but with purpose. Know who you’re talking to. Send what they care about. Measure what moves your business.
Because in the long run, brands that talk like humans — even at scale — turn one-time buyers into lifetime partners.
See you next time,
— Team Startup Stoic