The 3 Essential Email Types Every Solopreneur Needs to Master with Brevo
This Brevo email marketing tutorial covers three useful starting points: newsletters, one-off broadcasts, and automated emails. Use a newsletter for regular updates, a broadcast for a specific announcement, and automation for messages triggered by a signup or another action.
I’ll show you how I organize contacts, reuse an email template, and build a simple welcome sequence. Start with one useful email before trying to build every workflow at once.
Getting Started with Brevo
Before we explore the three essential email types, let's quickly set up your Brevo account. The best part? You can get started completely free with the Free plan, which currently allows up to 300 emails per day after account approval.
Our Brevo partner offer gives you 50% off Starter or Standard for the first three months. Use code SOLO50 through our link.
Quick Setup Steps:
Create your free account using your email or sign in with Google/Apple
Complete your profile (you'll need to verify with your phone number)
Let Brevo scan your website to create your brand automatically, or set it up manually
Set Up Your Sender and Authenticate Your Domain
Add your sender name and email address, then open Settings → Senders, Domains, IPs → Domains to authenticate a domain you own. Follow Brevo’s automatic setup when available, or add the Brevo code, DKIM, and DMARC records shown in your account.
Use Brevo’s domain authentication guide for the current instructions. Ask your domain provider for help if needed; verification can take time. A free Gmail or Yahoo address does not give you control of that provider’s domain.
Managing Your Contacts
To effectively manage your subscribers:
Go to "Contacts" → "Lists"
Create a new list (you can organize them in folders if needed)
Add contacts using one of these methods:
Manually create individual contacts
Import contacts from a CSV file
Create signup forms to collect new subscribers
Creating forms in Brevo is incredibly intuitive:
Choose between full-page forms, embedded forms, or direct links
Use the drag-and-drop editor to customize fields
Connect your form to your designated list
Add confirmation emails and success messages
Get the embed code or direct link to share your form
Keep your signup form simple: a first name and email address are enough to start. If you need a separate landing page, Standard currently includes one; check the plan before upgrading for this feature.
Using Segments for Targeted Messaging
Segments allow you to send personalized emails to specific groups within your list based on criteria you define:
Geographic location
Email engagement (opens, clicks)
Purchase history
Website behavior
Custom fields
For example, I demonstrated a segment for subscribers in the United States or Canada. Choose a segment that makes the message relevant, and make sure purchase or website activity data is connected before relying on those filters.
Email Type #1: The Newsletter
Newsletters are the backbone of your email marketing strategy. They're perfect for consistently delivering value, staying top of mind, and promoting your offerings without overwhelming your audience.
If you don't have capacity for daily emails, a weekly or monthly newsletter is an excellent alternative that gives you a manageable schedule for staying in touch.
Creating a Newsletter Template
Go to "Templates" → "Create Template" → "Email Template"
Name your template (e.g., "Monthly Newsletter")
Enter a temporary subject line (you'll change this for each send)
Enable Google Analytics tracking to monitor website visits from your emails
Choose a layout from the template gallery or start with a simple design
The editor is incredibly user-friendly:
Click on any element to edit text, images, or links
Drag and drop new components like text blocks, images, buttons, or videos
Add sections to organize your content
Customize colors and styling to match your brand
Sending Your Newsletter
Once your template is created and activated:
Go to "Campaigns" → "Create Campaign" → "Email"
Name your campaign
Select your sender profile
Choose your recipient list
Write an engaging subject line
Select your template and customize the content for this specific newsletter
Send a test email, check the links and mobile layout, then schedule the campaign
Email Type #2: Email Blasts
Email blasts (or broadcast emails) are sent on an as-needed basis to share specific information with your audience. Use these when:
Launching a new product or service
Promoting a limited-time offer
Announcing an upcoming webinar
Sharing important news or updates
Creating an email blast follows the same process as a newsletter, but typically with a simpler format and more focused message. You can either:
Create a template first if you'll use a similar format repeatedly, or
Design your email directly in the campaign builder for one-off communications
The key difference is the timing and purpose - these aren't regularly scheduled but are sent strategically to drive immediate action. 🎯
Email Type #3: Automated Emails
Automated emails are perhaps the most powerful type because they work for you 24/7 once set up. These generally fall into three categories:
1. Transactional/Confirmation Emails
These are triggered by specific actions and provide immediate confirmation:
Purchase confirmations
Webinar registration confirmations
Account creation confirmations
Delivery notifications
These emails reduce support inquiries and improve customer experience by providing timely information.
2. Drip/Nurture/Funnel Emails
These sequences guide subscribers through your sales process:
Welcome sequences for new subscribers
Educational series that lead to a product offer
Post-purchase sequences to encourage additional purchases
Onboarding sequences for new customers
3. Behavioral/Marketing Activity Emails
These are triggered by specific actions or behaviors:
Abandoned cart reminders
Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers
Follow-ups based on website page visits
Birthday or anniversary emails
Creating Automated Emails in Brevo
Go to "Automations" → "Create an Automation"
Choose an appropriate workflow template or start from scratch
Choose a trigger (what starts the automation)
Add actions (what happens when triggered)
Add rules (conditions and timing)
The automation builder uses a logical flow:
Triggers start the automation (e.g., "Contact added to list")
Actions define what happens (e.g., "Send email")
Rules determine conditions (e.g., "Wait 1 day" or "If contact is in segment X")
You can create complex workflows with branching paths based on subscriber behavior, such as:
Sending different emails based on geographic location
Waiting until a subscriber opens an email before sending the next one
Creating different paths for customers vs. non-customers
💡 Pro Tip: Brevo offers many pre-built automation templates you can import and customize, saving you time on common workflows like welcome sequences, birthday emails, or abandoned cart reminders.
A simple first automation: contact joins your newsletter list → send a welcome email → wait one day → send a useful follow-up. Test it with your own contact before activating it for subscribers. Store and website triggers need the relevant integration or tracking data; they do not work just because you added an email address.
Standard is the current plan to compare when you need multi-step marketing workflows. Transactional messages can also use Brevo’s SMTP or API integration, depending on how your store or application sends them.
Final Thoughts
By mastering these three email types - newsletters, blasts, and automations - you'll create a comprehensive email marketing strategy that builds relationships, drives sales, and saves you time.
Remember that consistency is key with newsletters, strategic timing matters for blasts, and automations should be regularly reviewed and optimized based on performance.
Start with Brevo's free plan to experiment with these different email types, and you'll quickly see which approaches resonate most with your audience. For an eligible Starter or Standard upgrade, our partner offer is 50% off the first three months with SOLO50.
Ready to take your email marketing to the next level? Sign up for Brevo today and start implementing these three essential email types! 📧
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