Short answer: Start by collecting emails from customers who want to hear from you, then send one useful email a week or fortnight: an offer, news or tips. Use an email marketing service so emails reach the inbox, keep each email focused on one action, set up a welcome email, and track clicks to see what works.
Why email, in a WhatsApp-first country?
WhatsApp is where Nigerians chat, and it's great for one-to-one conversations. Email has different strengths: it's almost free per message, it isn't limited by broadcast list rules, people read it on their own time, it carries photos and long content well, and you own the list. Companies and professionals still live in email. The best results come from using both: email for regular campaigns, WhatsApp and SMS for urgent or personal messages (see repeat customers with email, SMS and WhatsApp).
Step 1: build your list (with consent)
- Ask at checkout or delivery: "Can I add your email so you get our new arrivals?"
- Put a signup form link in your Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp bio.
- Print a QR code to your signup form at the counter and on receipts.
- Offer something useful: a price list, a recipe, a small first-order discount.
- Import existing customers who have agreed to hear from you.
Never buy lists or scrape emails. It breaks Nigeria's data protection law and destroys your deliverability. More ideas in how to collect customer emails in your shop.
Step 2: decide what to send
| Type | Example | How often |
|---|---|---|
| New products or stock | "New ankara pieces just landed" | When it happens |
| Offers | "Weekend combo: 2 for ₦9,000" | Once or twice a month |
| Helpful tips | "How to store fresh pepper for 2 weeks" | Weekly or fortnightly |
| News | "We've moved to Admiralty Way" | When it happens |
| Seasonal | Christmas, Easter, Sallah, Valentine's, back to school | A few weeks before |
A good rule: three helpful or interesting emails for every hard sell.
Step 3: write your first email
- Subject: 30 to 50 characters, specific, honest. Test it with the subject line checker.
- Opening line: say why you're writing. No long greetings.
- One message, one button: "Order on WhatsApp", "See the menu", "Book a slot".
- Photos: two to four, with text around them, not one giant image.
- Footer: your business name, address and unsubscribe link (added automatically on ENB).
Step 4: send at a good time
For consumers, weekday mornings (7 to 9am) and evenings (7 to 9pm) work well; for businesses, Tuesday to Thursday mornings. Test your own list: send half at one time and half at another and compare clicks.
Step 5: automate the basics
- Welcome email when someone joins: thank them, say what they'll get, and give a reason to buy.
- Birthday email with a small treat.
- Thank-you after purchase, then a review request.
- Win-back for people who haven't opened or bought in 90 days.
Set them up once and they run for every customer. See automations.
Step 6: measure and improve
- Clicks show real interest. Opens are a rough guide only, because some apps pre-load images.
- Unsubscribes under 0.5% per email are normal; rising numbers mean you're sending too often or the wrong things.
- Sales: ask customers where they heard about the offer, or use a code per campaign.
Change one thing at a time: the subject, the offer or the send time.
How much does it cost?
On ENB, the free plan includes 1,000 emails a month with no time limit, and paid plans are priced in naira from ₦3,900 a month. You don't need a website or your own domain to start.
Common beginner mistakes
- Sending from Gmail in BCC. Deliverability suffers and one person can reply-all. Use a proper email service.
- Importing everyone in your phone. Only people who agreed to hear from you belong on your list.
- Only selling. If every email is "buy now", people stop opening.
- Giant images with no text. They often land in spam and show as blank when images are off.
- Irregular sending. One email in March, the next in November: people forget who you are and mark you as spam.
- Not checking on a phone. Most of your customers will read on a phone; always send yourself a test.
A sample first month
| Week | |
|---|---|
| 1 | "We're starting a newsletter": who you are, what they'll get, a small welcome offer |
| 2 | Your three best sellers with photos and prices |
| 3 | A useful tip related to what you sell |
| 4 | New arrivals or a seasonal offer, with a clear deadline |
By the end of the month you'll know your open and click rates and which type of email your customers like most.
Key takeaways
- Build your list only from people who agreed to hear from you, at the counter, online and on receipts.
- Send one focused, useful email every week or two, with one clear button.
- Automate the welcome, birthday, thank-you and win-back emails first.
- Judge results by clicks, replies and sales, not opens alone.
- Start free, without a website or your own domain, and add a domain when you're ready.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a small business send emails?
Weekly or every two weeks works for most. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Is email marketing still worth it in Nigeria?
Yes. You own the list, it costs very little per message, and it works well alongside WhatsApp and SMS.
Do I need a website for email marketing?
No. You can collect emails with a hosted signup form and send campaigns without a website.
What should my first email be?
A short welcome or 'we're starting a newsletter' email that says what subscribers will get, with one useful offer or tip.
We build the ENB business platform and support Nigerian businesses from our offices in Yaba, Lagos and Owerri. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice; for your own situation, speak to a qualified professional.