Everyone knows how to send an email using popular web-based email service providers (ESPs), such as Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, etc. But if you want to send the same email or a personalized version of the email to a lot of people, it gets challenging with these tools.

Moreover, sending mass emails through these services can lead to poor deliverability, spam complaints, and even account suspension. That’s where dedicated email marketing tools like weMail can save you.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps to send emails to a list effectively, while avoiding common pitfalls. Let’s get started!

Why You Should Avoid Sending Mass Emails with Gmail or Outlook

Before diving into the how-to, it’s important to understand why using personal email services for mass emails is a bad idea.

We have seen almost all other tutorials on how to send emails on an email list feature either Gmail or Outlook when showing the process. We recommend you avoid this. Why? The following section has your answers.

1. You’re Stuck with a Daily Sending Limit

Gmail and Outlook have strict limits on the number of emails you can send per day. Exceeding these limits can flag your account as spam. For example, if you’re using a regular Gmail account, you can only send 500 emails per day.

That might sound like a lot, but if you’re running a business or trying to reach a larger audience, it’s not nearly enough.

Even if you upgrade to Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), the limit only goes up to 2,000 emails per day. Sure, it’s an improvement, but it still might not cut it for growing businesses. Plus, you’re paying extra for that upgrade.

Some sort of limitations apply to Microsoft Outlook as well. Microsoft 365 accounts allow up to 10,000 daily recipients and 500 per email. Outlook.com permits around 300 emails daily with the same per-email limit.

2. Your Emails Might End Up in the Spam Folder

Why You Should Avoid Sending Mass Emails with Gmail or Outlook

Here’s a nightmare scenario: you spend hours crafting the perfect email, only for it to land in your recipients’ spam folders. Unfortunately, this happens a lot when you use Gmail or Outlook for mass emailing.

Both have strict rules to prevent spam and if you hit their sending limits or don’t follow their guidelines, your account could get flagged. And if you’re using a new email account? The risk is even higher. Suddenly, all your hard work goes to waste.

Learn more: Top Most Common Reasons Why Email Goes to Spam and How to Fix It

3. Personalization Is Limited

People don’t want to feel like they’re just another name on a list. They want emails that feel personal and relevant. While popular email service providers do offer some basic personalization features (like Mail Merge), they’re not sufficient.

4. Scheduling and Automation are Basic

If you’re trying to run a professional email campaign, you need more than just the ability to schedule an email for tomorrow morning. Gmail’s and Outlook’s scheduling and automation features are pretty basic. Dedicated email marketing tools, on the other hand, come with advanced automation features.

5. You Can’t Track Your Results

Here’s the frustrating part: once you hit “send” on a mass email in Gmail and Outlook, you’re basically flying blind. They don’t give you any insights into how your email is performing. Are people opening it? Clicking on links? Unsubscribing? You won’t know unless you use a separate tool. Without this data, it’s impossible to measure your success or figure out what needs improvement.

6. Designing Emails Is a Hassle

Designing Emails Is a Hassle

You can throw a basic email with some text and a call-to-action button, but if you want something visually engaging, you’re out of luck with Gmail and Outlook. There are third-party tools that let you design emails and import them into these ESPs. They’re often clunky and time-consuming to use.

Gmail and Outlook are indeed excellent for everyday communication, but they’re just not cut out for mass emailing. If you’re serious about email marketing, you need a tool that’s built for the job – something like weMail.

It takes care of all these limitations, giving you higher sending limits, better deliverability, advanced personalization, automation, analytics, and professional design options.

How to Send Emails to an Email List Using a Tool

To send emails effectively, you need the right tools and strategies. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Build and Organize Your Email List

Your email list is the foundation of your campaign. Start by collecting email addresses from your website, social media, or other channels. Ensure your list is:

  • Permission-based: Only include subscribers who have opted in to receive emails.
  • Segmented: Group your subscribers based on criteria like interests, location, or purchase history for more targeted campaigns.

2. Choose an Email Marketing Platform

For this guide, we’ll use weMail, a powerful and user-friendly email marketing tool. weMail offers features like drag-and-drop email builders, automation, and detailed analytics. It is ideal for both beginners and experienced marketers who work with WordPress sites.

3. Create Your Email Campaign

Once your list is ready, it’s time to craft your email. Here’s how:

  • Write a Compelling Subject Line: Grab your audience’s attention and encourage them to open the email.
  • Design Your Email: Use weMail’s drag-and-drop editor to create visually appealing emails. Include images, buttons, and personalized content.
  • Add a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Guide your readers on what to do next, whether it’s visiting your website, making a purchase, or signing up for an event.

Let’s have a quick tour of how you can create a campaign using weMail:

Step 1: Install weMail and Connect the App

Log in to your WordPress admin panel, install the weMail plugin, and sign up to the weMail app to get started. Once you’re done with the setup, sending emails will feel like a walk in the park. Read the following doc to learn about the installation process:

Step 2: Create a New Email/ Campaign

Navigate to weMail > Campaigns > Add New. And, you’ll see a campaign creation wizard. weMail comes with three default types of campaigns:

Here’s a concise version with two lines for each point, keeping it conversational and engaging:

  • Standard: You can send regular emails, newsletters, and other marketing emails.
  • New Post Notification: You can schedule New Post Notifications to go out daily, weekly, or monthly, effortlessly driving traffic to your site.
  • A/B Test: Run A/B tests with up to 2 variations in a single campaign to discover what your audience loves most.
Create a new campaign with weMail

Choose your preferred campaign type and give a name to the campaign. Then hit the Next or Save & Go Next button.

Step 3: Choose the Recipient Details

Here you need to add the subject line, specify the email list(s), select segment(s), and include the From name and email. weMail allows to add personalization to the subject line. Click on the Personalize dropdown menu to select the desired short code(s).

Choose the Recipient Details

Note: weMail shows helpful text on the right side for each input field. This guided process helps users craft the perfect email without any confusion. And, don’t forget to save the changes you make in every step.

Step 4: Select the Right Email Editor for You

The next step is choosing the Editor and designing your email using the full potential of weMail. You can select between the Writing Focused Editor and Drag & Drop Advanced Builder.

Use the first one If you’re in a hurry and want to compose a text-based email. For more attractive and visually rich emails, choose the drag-and-drop editor.

Select the Right Email Editor for You

Step 5: Compose Your Email As You Like

We’ve chosen the drag-and-drop editor to show you a glimpse of the weMail functionalities. The editor will lead you to the template library available at your disposal. Choose any of the templates you see fit. We’ve selected a two-column-based template as it serves our purposes better.

Compose Your Email As You Like

This is where weMail truly shines, it’s the perfect partner for your creativity. The more imaginative you are, the more stunning your emails will turn out. With weMail’s intuitive editor panel (located on the right side, as shown in the image below), crafting beautiful, professional emails has never been easier.

Simply drag a block from the panel and place it on the email body. Then upload/add the element you need. The good thing is- you can switch to the Simplified Editor at any time.

Compose Your Email As You Like

Worried about responsiveness across devices? weMail covers that too.

Click on the device icons at the top left corner of your screen to check how the email may look on other devices.

Just like every other step, click the Save & Go Next button to save your changes. Once you do, you’ll land on the final Settings page. Here, you can add a catchy preheader text to grab attention.

4. Ensure Compliance

Email marketing is regulated by laws like the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR. To stay compliant:

  • Include an unsubscribe link in every email.
  • Clearly identify yourself as the sender.
  • Honor unsubscribe requests promptly.

5. Test Before Sending

Before hitting “send,” test your email to ensure it looks great on all devices and email clients. You can see a preview of the email with weMail, it also allows you to send test emails to yourself or team members for review.

6. Schedule or Send Your Emails

Choose the best time to send your email based on your audience’s behavior. weMail lets you schedule emails in advance or send them immediately. Learn more from here: Best Days to Send Emails: A Step-by-Step Guide for Email Marketers.

7. Monitor and Optimize Performance

After your email is sent, track its performance using weMail’s analytics dashboard. Key metrics to monitor include:

  • Open Rates: How many people opened your email.
  • Click-Through Rates (CTR): How many people clicked on links within the email.
  • Bounce Rates: How many emails failed to deliver.

Use this data to refine your future campaigns and improve results.

Benefits of Using weMail to Send Emails to a List

How to Send Emails on an Email List

Whether you’re sending newsletters, promotions, or automated sequences, weMail makes it simple, effective, and enjoyable. It is the most affordable tool for email campaigns that drive results. Here’s why weMail stands out as an email marketing tool:

  • Ease of Use: Intuitive interface for beginners and experts alike.
  • Automation: Set up automated email sequences to save time.
  • Advanced Analytics: Gain insights into your campaign performance.
  • Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Woocommerce, Elementor, and other tools.
  • Affordability: Competitive pricing for businesses of all sizes.
  • Easy List Management: Organize and segment your email list for targeted, relevant campaigns.
  • Affordable and Scalable: Flexible pricing plans to fit businesses of all sizes.

Final Takeaways

Sending emails to a list doesn’t have to be complicated or risky. By using a dedicated email marketing platform, you can create professional, personalized, and compliant campaigns that resonate with your audience. Remember to:

  • Avoid using personal email services for mass emails.
  • Build and segment your email list carefully.
  • Test and optimize your campaigns for better results.

With the right tools and strategies, email marketing can become a cornerstone of your business’s success. Start using weMail today and take your email campaigns to the next level!