If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your inbox wondering, “Where do I even begin to find clients for my email marketing services?”, you’re not alone.
Whether you’re a freelancer just starting out, a solo creator trying to monetize your audience, or a small business wanting to help others grow through email marketing—landing clients can feel like trying to catch smoke.
You know you have the skills. You know email works. But finding the people who’ll pay you to run their campaigns? That’s the part no one talks about enough.
The good news? You don’t need a huge audience or a fancy sales pitch. You just need a smart plan, a few reliable tools, and a little consistency.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to get clients for email marketing—even if you’re starting from scratch. We’ll break it down into steps you can actually follow and show you how platforms like MailDrip.io can make the process easier by helping you show your value right from day one.
Let’s get into it.
Why Getting Email Marketing Clients Feels Hard (But Doesn’t Have to Be)
Getting clients isn’t just about selling—it’s about trust. Email marketing is personal. You’re asking a business to hand over their list, their message, and their customer relationships. That’s a big deal. So naturally, many potential clients are cautious.
The challenge isn’t that there aren’t enough businesses that need help—it’s that they don’t know you exist or how you can help them.
That’s where this article comes in. We’re going to fix that by walking through the practical steps to get noticed, build trust, and close your first (or next) client.
How Do I Get Clients For Email Marketing?
Step 1: Start with a Clear Offer
Before you start pitching yourself, you need to know exactly what you’re offering. Are you writing newsletters? Setting up automated drip campaigns? Helping with strategy, design, or analytics?
If your offer is too broad (“I help businesses with email”), people won’t know what you actually do. But if you say something specific like, “I set up automated welcome email sequences that convert first-time visitors into paying customers,” that’s something people can say yes to.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure where to begin, start with something small and outcome-focused. For example:
“I help creators set up automated email sequences that turn new subscribers into buyers.”
This kind of message is easy to understand—and easy to sell.
Step 2: Build a Simple Portfolio (No Clients? No Problem)
You don’t need a dozen testimonials to get your first client. You just need something that shows what you can do. Create mock campaigns, write a short email series, or even offer a free audit of a brand’s current emails.
With tools like MailDrip.io, you can build sample drip campaigns using real templates, test delivery, and show potential clients exactly how their business could benefit. Even better, MailDrip.io’s Pay As You Go plan means you don’t need to commit to monthly fees while you’re still getting started.
Set up a free account, create a sample sequence, and share it as a live example in your pitch. It’s like giving them a sneak peek of what you can do—with no pressure.
Step 3: Find Your First Few Leads
You don’t need to run ads or buy leads. Start by going where your potential clients already hang out. Here are a few places worth checking:
- Facebook groups for creators, coaches, and small business owners
- Subreddits like r/Entrepreneur, r/smallbusiness, or r/emailmarketing
- Freelance platforms like Upwork, Contra, or Fiverr
- Local businesses in your area with outdated or missing email strategies
When you reach out, focus on being helpful—not salesy. For example:
“Hey! I noticed you don’t have a welcome email when someone signs up on your site. I help businesses set up simple automated sequences that turn new signups into customers. Would you be open to a free email audit?”
This approach shows you’re already thinking about their business, not just pushing your own.
Step 4: Use Cold Outreach—But Make It Warm
Cold emailing gets a bad rap because most people do it wrong. They copy and paste the same message to dozens of people, hoping one bites.
A better way: personalize and keep it short. Focus on what they get out of it.
Here’s a short script you can tweak:
Subject: Quick idea for [their business name]’s email list
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Hi [Name],
I saw your site and noticed you have a great offer for [product/service]. I specialize in setting up automated email campaigns that help businesses like yours convert more leads into customers—without sounding pushy or spammy.
Would you be open to a free 15-minute chat? Happy to share a few ideas even if we don’t work together.
Cheers,
[Your Name]
Short, respectful, and focused on them.
Step 5: Offer a Free Mini Service (If You Want To)
If you’re struggling to close a first client, consider offering a free “quick win”:
- A welcome email series template
- A free newsletter layout using MailDrip.io
- A checklist to improve their open rates
When someone sees you’re willing to give value without asking for money upfront, it builds trust. And once they see results, they’re more likely to hire you for ongoing work.
With MailDrip.io, you can even schedule that “freebie” as a real sequence so they can test it in action—without needing to sign up for a big platform themselves.
Step 6: Ask for Referrals and Testimonials
Once you land your first client—even if it’s a free one—ask for a testimonial. This is gold when it comes to winning new clients.
Even better, ask if they know anyone else who could use your help. A simple line like:
“I really enjoyed working with you—if you know anyone else who needs help with email, feel free to send them my way!”
…can go a long way.
Step 7: Show Results Over Time
Email marketing is all about long-term results—open rates, click-throughs, and conversions. Don’t just finish a campaign and disappear.
Keep track of what’s working. Offer to tweak and improve. Show that you care about their business—not just the paycheck.
With MailDrip.io’s scheduling and drip automation tools, it’s easy to build campaigns that get smarter over time. Whether your client wants to send emails daily, weekly, or monthly, you can set it all up without manual follow-up.
This kind of ongoing support makes clients stick with you longer—and refer more people your way.
FAQs
Do I need to be a designer to offer email marketing services?
Nope. Platforms like MailDrip.io offer free, pre-designed templates that look clean and professional. You just customize them to fit your client’s brand.
Can I offer services even if I don’t have an email list myself?
Yes. Many great email marketers build others’ lists without having one of their own. What matters is that you know how to create and send emails that get results.
What’s the difference between newsletters and drip campaigns?
Newsletters are often one-off updates, while drip campaigns are automated sequences sent over time—like a welcome series, product launch, or re-engagement campaign.
Final Thoughts
Getting clients for your email marketing services doesn’t have to feel like guesswork. Start small, focus on results, and use the right tools to show your value from the beginning.
With MailDrip.io, you don’t need to overcomplicate things. The platform is designed to help creators and service providers like you build clean, effective email campaigns without needing a full-time tech team or expensive software.
So whether you’re just starting out or trying to scale your email marketing side hustle, the tools—and the clients—are out there waiting.
Want to test-drive a sample campaign for yourself? Try MailDrip.io for free and show your next client what’s possible.
Now over to you—what’s been your biggest challenge when it comes to getting clients for email marketing?
