Table of Contents: Smart Email Marketing & Content Integration
A Strategic & Practical Guide for Freelancers & Startups
Smart Email Marketing & Content Integration
A Strategic & Practical Guide for Freelancers & Startups
By Dr Mehmet Yildiz
Content Marketing Strategist
Executive Science & Technology Consultant in the Healthcare Sector
First Edition, April 2025
Copyright © Dr Mehmet Yildiz
Publisher: S.T.E.P.S. Publishing Australia
Edited by Mark Longfield, Dr Michael Broadly, Dr Albert Jones, and Aiden MC
Disclaimer
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, printing, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical reviews or articles. All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned in this book are the property of their respective owners. This publication is intended solely for informational, educational, and inspirational purposes. While the publisher, author, and editors have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information herein at the time of publication, they do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability for loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether due to negligence, accident, or any other cause. The use of any information, guidance, or instruction in this book is at the reader's own risk, and it is not intended as a substitute for professional advice in health, legal, financial, technological, or other fields.
About the Author
Dr Mehmet Yildiz is a cognitive scientist, advanced researcher, and seasoned technologist who worked as a Distinguished Enterprise Architect certified by the Open Group on multi-billion-dollar projects until 2021. Working in the IT and healthcare industry over the last 42 years, leading complex enterprise projects for large corporate organizations like IBM, Siemens, and Microsoft, he focuses on cutting-edge technology solutions.
He is a seasoned writer and the author of 40 books on technology, health, science, and content development, combining decades of experience in science, technology, enterprise architecture, and corporate business leadership. With an academic, research, innovation, and invention background, Dr. Yildiz has made significant contributions to content creation, marketing strategy, and digital innovation.
As the chief editor and owner of 17 prominent publications on Medium, he has built a thriving community of over 36,000 writers, supporting them in their creative journeys. His expertise extends to Medium and Substack, where he continues cultivating a large, engaged community, guiding writers to discover their unique voices, grow their audiences, and develop sustainable newsletter-based businesses.
In addition to his large publications on Medium, owning several personal and professional networks on Substack, including health and wellness, technology excellence and leadership, content marketing insights, Substack Mastery Boost Pilot, book club for authors and avid readers, and ILLUMINATION Writing Academy, he gained over 167,000 subscribers as of April 2025. In his recent bestselling books Substack Mastery and Advanced Substack Newsletter Toolkit, Dr. Yildiz distilled decades of tacit knowledge into actionable insights, offering freelance writers and startup founders practical strategies to succeed in today’s competitive digital landscape.
You can connect with the author on several platforms linked to his website digitalmehmet.com.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Why I Wrote This Guide. 9
Chapter 2: From the Dawn of Email to a 700,000+ Strong Network That Brought Me Tangible and Intangible Benefits. 21
Chapter 3: Why I Titled This Book as SMART Email Marketing. 25
Chapter 4: What Is Email Marketing & Why Is It Important?. 32
Chapter 5: What If 90% of Your Growth Is Waiting in an Inbox?. 38
Chapter 6: Why Should Startups and Freelancers Invest in Email Marketing? 43
Chapter 7: Can You Tell Us Why Email Marketing Is Not Dead?. 47
Chapter 8: Do I Really Need an Email List If I Am Already Active on Social Media? 55
Chapter 9: I Am an Absolute Beginner with No Idea What Email Marketing Is. How Can I Start? 59
Chapter 10: How Can I Write Engaging Emails If I Am Not An Experienced Writer? 63
Chapter 11: How Often and When Should I Send Emails for the Best Engagement? 67
Chapter 12: What Should My Welcome Email Say to Make a Great First Impression? 71
Chapter 13: Should I Send Plain-Text Emails or Highly Designed Newsletters? 74
Chapter 14: What Are Some Common Mistakes That Might Hurt My Email Engagement? 78
Chapter 15: How Can I Use Segmentation to Send Better Emails?. 83
Chapter 16: How Can I Make My Emails Feel Personal and Engaging? 88
Chapter 17: Why Is A/B Testing Important for Email Marketing and How Can I Use It? 91
Chapter 18: What Metrics Should I Track to Improve My Email Performance? 96
Chapter 19: Why Are My Emails Ending Up in Spam, and How Can I Fix It? 101
Chapter 20: How Do Startups and Freelancers Build an Engaged Email List from Scratch? 107
Chapter 21: What Are the Best Lead Generation Strategies for Effective Email Marketing? 111
Chapter 22: What Are Opt-in Pop-ups and How Can I Use Them to Build an Engaged Email List? 115
Chapter 23: How Do I Get My First 100 (or 1,000) Email Subscribers? 124
Chapter 24: How Can I Grow My Email List from Scratch with a Practical Strategy? 128
Chapter 25: What’s the minimum number of subscribers before launching a paid newsletter? 135
Chapter 26: What are the main pillars of successful list building?. 139
Chapter 27: Can I grow my email list organically without paying for ads? 146
Chapter 28: What global legal requirements should I be aware of when sending marketing emails? 151
Chapter 29: How Do We Nurture Leads Effectively Through Automated Email Sequences? 159
Chapter 30: How Do I Automate My Email Marketing Without Losing the Personal Touch? 162
Chapter 31: How Can I Blend My Autoresponders with Broadcast Messages for Optimal Results in the Long Term?. 168
Chapter 32: Should I Use AI Tools to Help With Email Marketing? If So, How? 175
Chapter 33: How Can I Prevent My Email List from Going Stale and Keep Subscribers Engaged Over Time? 181
Chapter 34: How Can I Use Email Marketing to Make Money From My Writing? 188
Chapter 35: How Do I Set Up an Automated Email Sequence to Sell My Books, Courses, or Services? 192
Chapter 36: How Do I Convert Email Subscribers Into Paying Customers? 196
Chapter 37: How Do I Write Subject Lines That Increase Email Open Rates? 200
Chapter 38: How Do I Write Effective Follow-Up Emails That Don’t Feel Pushy and Increase My Conversion Rate?. 203
Chapter 39: How Can I Use Email Marketing to Land More Freelance Clients? 210
Chapter 40: How Can I Use Email Marketing for Personal Branding? 215
Chapter 41: What Does Renting an Email List Mean?. 219
Chapter 42: How Does Email Marketing Relate to Affiliate Marketing? 224
Chapter 43: What Are the Popular Email Marketing Platforms and How Can I Choose the Right One as a Beginner?. 230
Chapter 44: Can LinkedIn Empower My Email List Growth, Substack Success, and Book Sales? 238
Chapter 45: How Do I Integrate Email Marketing with My Website, Blog, and Social Media? 245
Chapter 46: How Can I Repurpose My Email Content to Maximize Reach and Engagement Across Multiple Platforms?. 253
Chapter 47: Which Email Marketing Platforms Are Good for Freelance Writers and Startups with Tight Budgets?. 259
Chapter 48: How Can I Optimize My Substack Email Settings with Clear Instructions? 262
Chapter 49: How Can I Combine Copywriting and Email Marketing as a Freelancer or a Startup? 269
Chapter 50: How Do I Collaborate With Other Freelance Writers, Book Authors, & Startups to Cross-Promote My Newsletter?. 275
Chapter 51: Understanding Web Push Notifications: A Comprehensive Guide from Beginner to Advanced 281
Chapter 52: Can you give us a step-by-step sample blueprint for startups and freelancers? 288
Chapter 53: Can You Give Us a Summary of What Startups Need to Grow Their Venture via Email Marketing? 294
Chapter 54: The Future of Smart Email Marketing: What Startups Should Watch and How to Prepare 302
Chapter 55: What’s the Difference Between a Newsletter and a Sales Email, and When Should I Send Each? 311
Chapter 56: How Can I Design Eye-Catching Marketing Emails That Get Results? 315
Chapter 57: How Can I Optimize My Email Campaigns for Better Engagement? 321
Chapter 58: How SMART Email Marketing Builds Lasting Connections in a Changing Digital World 326
Chapter 59: How Do I Know If My Email Marketing Is Working?. 331
Chapter 60: What Mistakes Should I Avoid When Integrating Email Marketing Into My CMS & CRM? 335
Chapter 61: How Can I Improve My Email Open Rates, Engagement, and Long-Term Retention? 340
Chapter 62: Why Cold Emailing Still Works (When Done the Smart Way) 347
Chapter 63: 100 SMART Email Marketing Tips. 356
Chapter 64: Bonus Summary Chapters from My Education Resources 362
Gratitude. 376
Links to Additional Resources. 377