How to send a monthly update email to a customer list in 2026

A plain step by step guide to sending a monthly update email to a customer list, with tools to consider and mistakes to avoid.

By Uncommon Comforts · 2026-10-18

Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.

To send a monthly update email to a customer list, get a list of customers who agreed to receive email, choose a sending service, pick the main topic, draft a short email with a clear subject line, send a test first, and send on the same day each month. After sending, look at the available numbers and use them to shape the next update.

Option	Own fee	Card fee
Connections Newsletter	Free; no paid tier for creating a publication ^[1]	Not published
Dedicated email campaign service	Not published	Not published
Website or blog newsletter tool	Not published	Not published
Basic email account	Not published	Not published

What you need before you start

To send a monthly update email, a small business owner needs a few things ready before the first send. First, a list of customers who agreed to receive email, stored somewhere easy to reach and keep in order. Second, a sending service, which is the tool that holds the list and sends the message. Third, a check of whether the sending tool requires a postal address before the first send. Fourth, a clear purpose for the update and a short list of topics to cover each month so the work stays small. Fifth, a way for new customers to join the list, such as a signup form on the business website. Sixth, a plain format for the subject line and body so every month looks the same and takes less time to write. Finally, a working sense of what the customer cares about, so the update stays useful and does not turn into a long sales pitch.

Step by step

Start with the list. Check that every address belongs to a customer who asked for email, and remove any address that never agreed or that asked to leave. A clean list helps keep the customer list accurate.
Choose the sending service. Pick the tool that will hold the list and send the message, and enter the business name and postal address it asks for before any email goes out.
Decide the content. Choose one main topic for the month and two or three short news items or tips that serve the customer. Keep the plan to a single paragraph so it is easy to fill in every month.
Write the email. Keep the body short, put the most useful item first, and close with one clear next step the customer can take, such as visiting the shop or replying with a question.
Write the subject line. Make it plain and accurate so the customer knows what the email is about before opening it. A plain subject line tells the customer what to expect.
Send a test. Send the draft to an account the owner controls first, check the subject, layout and text on a phone and a computer, and fix anything that looks wrong.
Pick a date. Choose the same day each month so the update becomes a habit the customer expects, and mark the date on a calendar so it is not forgotten.
Send to the list. Start the send to the whole list, and keep a copy of the message for reference and for answering customer questions about it later.
Note the numbers. After sending, look at how many opened the email and what they clicked, and use that to shape the next month. The point of the monthly update is a steady, small habit, not a single big campaign.

Tools that can do it

A few kinds of tools can send a monthly update email. The right one depends on the size of the list, the budget, and how much the owner wants to manage alone.

Connections Newsletter is made by the team that publishes this site. It works as a web app, so the owner opens it in a browser ^[1]. Making publications is free, and there is no paid tier for creating a publication ^[1]. Free sends about 300 emails a week ^[1]. An issue can be put on the public page and sent by email as separate actions ^[1]. Every issue gets a public web page with past issues and a sign-up form that can be placed on a business website ^[1]. New subscribers start as pending and become active through double opt-in ^[1]. The subscriber list can be downloaded as a spreadsheet file whenever the owner needs to take it elsewhere ^[1]. After a send, the owner can see the open and click numbers for that newsletter and refresh them ^[1]. A welcome email with a subject and message can be turned on for new subscribers ^[1]. When sending, the owner can choose everyone or only subscribers with chosen labels ^[1]. The send API accepts an optional start time ^[1]. A postal address is required before the first send ^[1].

A second option is a dedicated email campaign service. Its prices are not in the sources here, so check its published prices before choosing. Check what it charges at the planned send volume, and check whether a card or billing setup is needed first.

A third option is a newsletter tool tied to a website or blog. Check what it charges as the list grows.

A fourth option is sending from a basic email account with the list in the blind copy field. Check whether a plain account shows opens and clicks, and whether it meets the needs of the list.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few mistakes trip up small business owners sending a monthly update. Sending to customers who never agreed to email is the most serious, because it breaks trust and the rules. Missing the postal address in the email is another, so check whether the tool requires an address before the first send. An irregular schedule is a third mistake, because it can make planning future updates harder. Long bodies and too many topics can make an update harder to read, so consider focusing on the information that matters most. A subject line that hides the topic can make it harder for the customer to understand what the email contains. Skipping a test send risks sending a broken layout or a typo to the whole list. Ignoring the numbers after a send means missing information that can help shape future updates. Finally, forgetting a clear unsubscribe path traps customers and raises complaints, so that option should always be present in the email.

Frequently asked questions

How often should a small business send a monthly update email?

Once a month is a schedule some small businesses choose for updates. The value of a monthly cadence comes from consistency, so pick the same day each month and hold to it. One monthly update with a clear topic can be easier to plan than a weekly schedule for an owner who runs other work at the same time.

What should go inside a monthly update email?

A monthly update email should lead with one main topic that the customer finds useful, followed by two or three short news items or tips, and end with one clear next step the customer can take. The subject line should say plainly what the email is about. Keep the body short and put the most useful item first. A small business update can be a brief, readable message rather than a long sales letter.

Does a monthly update email need a postal address?

Yes, a postal address belongs at the bottom of the monthly email. Connections Newsletter requires one before the first send ^[1], and for other tools check what they ask for. Check the requirements of the sending service before sending.

How do you know which sending tool fits a monthly update list?

Match the tool to the size of the list, the budget, and how much the owner wants to manage alone. Check what the tool charges at the planned send volume, whether it needs a card or a billing setup first, and whether it shows opens and clicks after a send. When the facts about a tool are not published, ask the tool for its current pricing and limits before choosing. A tool choice depends on the list, the message, and the information the owner wants to review after each send.

Is Connections Newsletter free to use for monthly updates?

Connections Newsletter has no paid tier for creating a publication ^[1], and free sends cover about 300 emails a week ^[1], which fits a modest monthly update for a small customer list. It runs as a web app ^[1], and a postal address is required before the first send ^[1]. New subscribers must confirm by email before they join ^[1], and the subscriber list can be downloaded as a spreadsheet file ^[1]. For a list above the free send volume, the owner should check whether the tool's limits still suit the monthly send.

Making publications is free; there is no paid tier for creating a publication. ^[1] Free sends about 300 emails a week. ^[1]

Try Connections Newsletter

Sources

Connections Newsletter's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)