My 3-Day Journey to Understanding Email Marketing Automation
Three days ago, I thought Gmail was the only way to send bulk emails. I didn’t know that entire tools and platforms existed just to send emails better. Today, I’ve sent my first email campaign using Sendinblue (now called Brevo), and everything changed.
If you‘re learning digital marketing like me, this is the story of how I discovered email marketing automation and why it matters.
Before Sendinblue: What I Thought Email Marketing Was
Let me be honest about my starting point.
I was learning digital marketing on my own. In my studies, I came across something called “email marketing” and “sending bulk emails.” I understood the concept: send one email to many people at once.
But here’s what I didn’t know: I had no idea what tools actually did this.
I thought maybe:
Gmail could send to hundreds of people at once? (I had no idea how)
Maybe it was expensive?
Maybe I needed special skills to use it?
Before Sendinblue: What I Thought Email Marketing Was
Let me be honest about my starting point.
I was learning digital marketing on my own. In my studies, I came across something called “email marketing” and “sending bulk emails.” I understood the concept: send one email to many people at once.
But here’s what I didn’t know: I had no idea what tools actually did this.
I thought maybe:
Gmail could send to hundreds of people at once? (I had no idea how)
Maybe it was expensive?
Maybe I needed special skills to use it?
I didn’t know. I was confused.
How I Found Sendinblue: A Name That Meant Nothing
While researching email marketing tools, I discovered a platform called Sendinblue (now known as Brevo).
At first, “Sendinblue” was just a name I found. I didn’t understand what made it special.
Then I realized: Sendinblue(Brevo) is a tool designed specifically to send bulk emails. That’s literally its job.
The realization hit me: Email marketing isn’t some mysterious thing. It’s just using the right tool for the job.
Setting Up Sendinblue: Easier Than I Thought
Here’s where my biggest assumption was wrong.
I thought setting up an email marketing platform would be:
Complicated
Require credit card information (scary)
Involve hidden costs
It wasn’t any of those things.
I created a Sendinblue(Brevo) account with just my email and basic information. No credit card needed for the free tier. The setup took maybe 10 minutes. That’s it.
My first question was: Is this genuine? Is my personal information safe?
Yes, Sendinblue (Brevo) is legitimate. Founded in 2012, used by thousands of businesses, and follows GDPR privacy standards. Your information is safe. No sketchy vibes here.
Next, I created a newsletter signup form and embedded it on Jagatthu.com (my blog). It took about 30 minutes to get it working.
Then I created my first email campaign called “Welcome Email – June 2026.”
Subject line: “Welcome to Jagatthu Newsletter! 🎉”
Content: A simple message introducing myself and my blog.
I sent it to my only subscriber (me). And it worked. The email appeared in my inbox exactly as intended.
That one email changed how I see digital marketing. Not because the email was special. Because I understood for the first time: I can actually do this.
What I’ve Learned So Far
1. Email Marketing is NOT Complicated
It’s just: Choose a tool → Create a list → Write an email → Send it. Sendinblue handles all the “behind the scenes” stuff.
2. Free Tools Are Genuinely Useful
Sendinblue’s(Brevo) free tier gives you everything to start: email sending, subscriber list, tracking of opens and clicks. No credit card required.
3. I Can Track What Happens
Sendinblue(Brevo) shows me: How many people opened my email? Who clicked links? This data proves what’s working and what isn’t.
4. This is Actually Digital Marketing
Before, “digital marketing” felt theoretical. Now I’m doing it. I’m collecting subscribers. Sending campaigns. Tracking results. This is real.
What’s Next?
Right now, my goal is simple: Get 20-30 subscribers.
To do this, I’m promoting my newsletter on WhatsApp, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Once I reach that milestone, I’ll send my second campaign and start analyzing the data more seriously.
I’m also planning to set up UTM parameters so I can track email traffic in Google Analytics 4. That way, I’ll know exactly how many people came from my emails to my blog.
Later, I’ll upgrade to a business email address ([email protected]) so my emails look more professional. But for now, free tier is perfect for learning.
The Real Takeaway
Three days ago, I thought email marketing was something mysterious that required special knowledge or expensive tools.
Today, I know better. Email marketing is just using the right tool to send the right message to the right people at the right time.
And if I can figure out Sendinblue(Brevo) in 3 days while learning digital marketing from scratch, anyone can.
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Are you learning email marketing too? What’s your biggest question right now? Drop it in the comments—let’s figure it out together.