Starting a new business as a part-time email list manager is exciting.

Managing an email list is a big deal.

Here’s the good news: it’s easier than you think.

By learning a few basics, you can avoid big mistakes and help your clients succeed.

Whether you’re warming up a client’s email list or planning their first emails, knowing what not to do is key.

I’m going to cover three common email marketing mistakes to avoid.

These tips will help you build trust, grow your client’s list, and make your side hustle a success.

Let’s say someone’s called you and wants to engage your services. Many times, your conversation will start with something like this: “Hey – I hear you’re good at sending emails. I’ve got a list of email addresses that I’d like you to send to.”

When you hear this, you want to ask two questions: (1) where did you get these email addresses from, and (2) how long has it been since you last sent emails to them?

Depending how they answer you, you’ll be giving them either good news or bad news.

The answer to your first question has to be, “they’ve given me permission to email them.” If it’s anything else, then you’ve got bad news for them. That list is worthless. Tell them that they’ll have to start over. And the good news is you’ll tell them you’ll build their email lists the right way. You’ll get explicit permission from the email address owners.

The answer to your second question has to be, “less than a month ago.” If it’s anything longer than that, then you’ve got more bad news for them. It depends upon how long ago the emails were last sent to that list. The longer it’s been, the more worthless the list is.

You’re going to get a mix of types of emails that they’ll want you to send for them. Some want you to send newsletters that look longer than the Sunday edition of the Wall Street Journal. Others want you to send emails that just sell, sell, sell.

The proper emails you want to send are a balance between the two.

Why do you tune into the TV programs that you do? I’m sure it’s not because you just want to spend the next half hour watching just commercials. If you’re like me, you hate commercials.

Well, email subscribers feel the same way.

The emails you send should be a majority of information that’s worth reading. Just like a TV program that’s worth watching.

So, tell them that you’re going to write their emails that are a blend of good content and good products (or services) that they’re selling.

If they have a web site where they post content, that’s even better.

Nobody reads emails anymore. We just scan the emails to see if there’s anything worth reading online.

Your best emails will include snippets of what’s posted on their web site to pique their readers’ interest.

Writing good email copy will go a long way.

On the rare occasion, you’ll be given a list of several hundred email addresses. Maybe it’ll be in the thousands. These addresses may have been recently collected at a tradeshow, exhibition, church meeting, concert, or new school term.

You need to be cautious if you’re sending to a large audience for the very first time.

You don’t want to be mistaken for a spammer.

Spammers are bad actors that give email marketers a bad name. They’re the online version of digital junk mail senders. They get a list of email addresses (sometimes illegally harvested) that they’ll send a one-time blast to. Even if they get a one-percent response out of a million emails sent, that’s 10,000 bottles of snake oil they’ve sold. Or worse, that’s 10,000 credit cards and bank accounts they’ve stolen.

Mailbox providers do everything they can to protect their users from these bad actors. They automatically screen and reject emails if they see a large number they’ve never seen before coming suddenly from the same source.

The email term is “warmup”. That's what you want to do.

It means to start off sending a small number of emails. Then you gradually increase the number of emails you send each subsequent time.

Mailbox providers are always suspicious of emails they see for the very first time.

To be safe, they never route 100% of the emails you send into everyone’s inbox. Some they will; others they won’t. Those they won't will be sent to the spam folders.

Let’s assume you’ve been given a large list to start sending emails to. The proper “warm up” to your list, is to send only a few hundred at a time. (If you’ve been given less than a hundred, then it’s okay to send to the full list.)

Wait an hour and then send the next batch of a hundred. Wait another hour and send to the next batch of a hundred.

Keep repeating the process until you’ve sent the full list.

This technique is called “throttling.”

Sending batches of a few hundred at a time gives the mailbox providers time to evaluate whether your emails are inbox-worthy. Assuming they are, then each subsequent batch of emails you send to this list will get routed more and more to the inboxes, and less and less to the spam folders.

In your email, at the top explain to the recipient why they are receiving the email. People forget all the time why they’re receiving this email you sent.

And make it as easy as possible for them to unsubscribe at the top of the email.

Don’t hide the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.

When people are receiving your emails for the very first time, you want to get the “uninterested” off your list as soon as possible. Continuing to send emails to the uninterested sends the wrong signal to the mailbox providers.

Instead, sending emails only to those who want them tells the mailbox providers that your emails are inbox-worthy.

Starting as a part-time email list manager can feel tricky.

But avoiding these mistakes will set you up for success.

Sending emails to old lists, hard selling, or skipping the warmup process can hurt your client’s email reputation, as well as yours.

Focus on building a fresh list, sending content people want to read, and warming up emails slowly.

This process will help your clients grow their email marketing and show that you know what you’re doing.

Take it step by step, and soon you’ll see how email marketing can make your side hustle shine.