How do I start a newsletter with SendFox?

Start a newsletter on SendFox's Free plan, no website needed: edit your signup page in Growth → Smart Pages, add a welcome email, then send your first issue.

What do I need to start a newsletter?

Just a SendFox account. See How do I set up my SendFox account? The Free plan holds up to 1,000 contacts and sends 3,000 emails a month, with 3 lists, 1 Smart Page, 1 form and 1 automation. That's enough to launch.

Your account already comes with a Smart Page (a hosted signup page) and a list that collects its signups. For your first 10 days, the Get started with SendFox checklist on your Dashboard walks you through your first steps; see What does the SendFox Dashboard show?

This guide covers the setup in SendFox. For help choosing a topic and finding your first readers, read How to start a newsletter on sendfox.com.

Step 1: Choose your list

You can keep collecting subscribers on the list your Smart Page already uses, or create a list with your newsletter's name:

1. Go to Audience → Lists and click Create list.
2. Enter a name, such as Newsletter, and click Create.

Already have subscribers somewhere else? Import them now. See How do I switch to SendFox from another email platform?

Step 2: Set up your signup page

You don't need a website: SendFox hosts your Smart Page for you.

1. Go to Growth → Smart Pages and click Edit on your page.
2. Under Where do signups go?, pick your list.
3. Write a Headline that says who the newsletter is for and what they'll get.
4. Click Publish & get link, then put the link in your social bio and email signature.

On the Free plan this is your one Smart Page. Lifetime and Pro can create more with Create Smart Page. See How do I create a Smart Page? Have a website too? Add a signup form to it: see How do I create and embed a SendFox signup form?

New accounts use double opt-in, so new subscribers first get a confirmation email and join your list once they confirm.

Step 3: Write your welcome email

Set up an automation so every new subscriber gets a welcome email:

1. Go to Automations, click Create automation and choose Blank automation. Give it a name and click Continue.
2. Click Add a starting trigger, choose Joining a list group, select your list and click Save.
3. Click Add email and write your welcome: what readers will get and how often, a link to your best piece of content, and one question they can reply to.
4. A new automation email waits one day before it sends. To send it straight away, click the Wait 1 day chip and set Wait for: to 0; the chip then reads Immediately.
5. Click Save changes, then Start. The first time, SendFox asks for your mailing address. A Running badge means the automation is live.

More detail: How do I create an automation in SendFox?

Step 4: Send your first issue

1. Go to Emails and click Create email.
2. In the To row, choose your list.
3. Write your issue. Use {{contact.first_name}} to greet readers by name; see How do I personalize SendFox emails with personalization tags?
4. Click Test to send yourself a copy, then click Schedule / send and choose Send now or Schedule for later.

Before your first send, verify your email address and add your mailing address. See How do I create and send an email?

To send from your own address, validate your sending domain. Until you do, emails are sent from mail@sendfoxmail.com with your address as the reply-to. See Why are my emails sent from mail@sendfoxmail.com?

Step 5: Keep a schedule with less work

Already publish a blog, podcast or YouTube channel? Smart Campaigns can turn each new post into a draft email for you to review and send:

1. Add your feed under Settings → Web presence → Content sources.
2. Switch on Content updates under Settings → Smart Campaigns.

Smart Campaigns work on every plan. See How do SendFox Smart Campaigns work?

Step 6: Grow with referrals

Under Growth → Referrals, switch on Referral program, add your prizes, and click Save changes. Your emails then invite readers to share your newsletter and earn prizes you choose. See How does the SendFox subscriber referral program work?

Step 7: Charge when you're ready

When readers want more, add a paid newsletter under Settings → Paid newsletter. Readers pay you monthly through your own Stripe account, and SendFox doesn't take a cut. Paid newsletters are part of Pro. See How do paid newsletters work in SendFox?

Troubleshooting

I see “Upgrade to create more Smart Pages” instead of Create Smart Page

The Free plan includes one Smart Page, and SendFox already made it for you. Click Edit on it instead. To create more pages, upgrade to the $29 Lifetime deal or Pro.

A new subscriber isn't on my list yet

They haven't confirmed their subscription yet. With double opt-in, people join your list after they click the link in the confirmation email.

My welcome email didn't go out right away

Check that the automation shows Running and that the email's chip reads Immediately, not Wait 1 day.

Still stuck? Browse quick answers in the SendFox FAQ, visit the Help Center at help.sendfox.com, or email support@sendfox.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really free to start a newsletter with SendFox?

Yes. The Free plan includes up to 1,000 contacts, 3,000 emails a month, a Smart Page, a form and an automation. See sendfox.com/pricing for all plans.

What happens when I outgrow the Free plan?

Move to the one-time $29 Lifetime deal or to Pro, which is billed monthly or annually. See How does the SendFox $29 Lifetime send pool work? and Which SendFox Pro tier should I choose?

Do I need a website?

No. Your Smart Page is hosted by SendFox, so you can share its link anywhere.

How often should I send?

As often as you can keep up. Weekly is common, and sending on a steady schedule matters more than sending often.