Skip to content
Guidewinds
Resources/Help Guides
Help Guide

Email Campaigns

Reach your anglers with targeted email campaigns. Promote seasonal trips, fill open slots, and keep past anglers coming back.

7 min read

Creating a Campaign

Email campaigns let you send a single message to many anglers at once. To create one:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Marketing → Campaigns
  2. Click "New Campaign"
  3. Select your target audience
  4. Write your subject line and email body
  5. Preview, then send or schedule

Pro Tip

Always send yourself a test email before sending to your full list. Click "Send Test" to preview exactly what anglers will see.

Choosing Your Audience

Target the right anglers to keep your messages relevant and your unsubscribe rate low.

Audience Options

  • All Anglers: Everyone who has booked with you and opted in to marketing emails
  • Recent bookers: Anglers who completed a booking in the last 30, 60, or 90 days
  • By Trip type: Only anglers who booked a specific trip

Segmentation Tips

Smaller, targeted audiences perform better than blasting everyone:
  • Promote a specific trip to anglers who booked similar ones
  • Send a "we miss you" email to anglers who haven't booked in 90+ days
  • Announce new trips to your most active anglers

Writing Effective Content

Subject Line Tips

  • Keep it short: 40-50 characters works best on mobile
  • Create urgency: "Last spots this weekend" or "Early-bird pricing ends Friday"
  • Be specific: "New summer trips now available" beats "Monthly newsletter"
  • Avoid spam triggers: Skip ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation marks, and words like "FREE!!!"

Personalization

Use merge tags to personalize each email. Insert the angler's first name in the greeting to make it feel personal rather than mass-produced.

Clear Call to Action

Every campaign should have one clear next step. Examples:

  • "Book Now" linking to your booking page
  • "View Trips" linking to your public profile
  • "Claim Your Spot" for limited-availability trips

Respect Opt-Outs

Only email anglers who have opted in to marketing emails.Guidewinds automatically handles unsubscribe links and suppression lists, but sending unwanted emails damages your reputation and deliverability.

Scheduling and Sending

Send Now vs. Schedule

  • Send now: Delivers immediately. Good for time-sensitive announcements like last-minute openings.
  • Schedule: Pick a date and time. The campaign sends automatically so you can set it and forget it.

Best Times to Send

There's no universal best time, but these guidelines help:

  • Tuesday through Thursday mornings (8-10 AM) tend to get the highest open rates
  • Avoid weekends and holidays unless your content is specifically tied to them
  • Consider your anglers' timezone — schedule based on when they'll be checking email

Seasonal Timing

Plan campaigns around your busy seasons. Send promotional emails 2-4 weeks before your peak periods to fill your calendar early.

Viewing Campaign Analytics

After sending, track performance in Dashboard → Marketing → Campaigns. Click any sent campaign to see its results.

Key Metrics

  • Open rate: Percentage of recipients who opened your email. Industry average is 20-25%.
  • Click rate: Percentage who clicked a link. 2-5% is typical.
  • Unsubscribe rate: Should stay below 0.5% per campaign. Higher means your content isn't resonating.
  • Bookings generated: How many bookings came from the campaign link.

Improving Your Numbers

If open rates are low, experiment with different subject lines. If click rates are low, make your call to action more prominent and compelling. Track what works over time and refine your approach.

Tips for Better Campaigns

Be Consistent

Send on a regular cadence — monthly or bi-weekly works well for most captains. Anglers who hear from you regularly are more likely to rebook.

Promote Seasonal Trips

Highlight what's coming up. New trips, seasonal specials, or limited-time pricing create natural reasons to reach out.

Lead with Value

Don't just sell. Share helpful tips, behind-the-scenes content, or local insights that make your emails worth opening even when anglers aren't ready to book.

Keep It Short

Most people skim emails on their phone. One key message, one image, and one clear button performs better than a long newsletter.

What's Next?

Back to all help guides