How do I start email marketing after collecting 900+ opt-in subscribers and not sending yet?

Hi! With ~900 opted-in subscribers and a couple months of “silence,” the safest (and usually best-performing) way to start is: send a clear re-introduction/welcome email first, then ramp into your regular festival newsletter gradually while closely watching engagement (opens/clicks/replies/complaints/unsubscribes). That approach protects deliverability and also reminds people why they’re hearing from you.

Here’s a simple, deliverability-friendly rollout that works well:

1. Start with a “Welcome / You’re on the list” re-introduction (send first)
   Keep it short and obvious:

• Who you are + why they’re getting this (“You signed up for winter festival updates and local tips…”)
• What they’ll receive (accommodation tips, schedules, transport, recommendations, deals if relevant)
• How often you’ll email (set expectations now)
• A clear “manage preferences” / “unsubscribe” link (don’t hide it)
• One easy action to generate engagement: “Reply and tell me which dates you’re attending” or “Click to choose your interests (lodging / food / afterparties / budget tips).”

That reply/click is helpful for sender reputation and for segmentation.

1. Segment by recency and engagement (don’t blast everyone the same way)
   Since you collected signups over a couple months, split into groups like:

• Most recent signups (e.g., last 30 days)
• Older signups (31–60+ days)
  Send the re-intro to the most recent group first, then the older group a day or two later if metrics look healthy. People who signed up more recently tend to engage more, which helps deliverability.

1. Ramp volume and frequency over 1–2 weeks (you don’t need an extreme “warm-up”)
   900 subscribers isn’t huge, so you usually don’t need a long warm-up schedule—but you do want to avoid going from 0 to frequent sends overnight.
   A sensible pattern:

• Day 1: Re-intro to most recent segment
• Day 2–3: Re-intro to the next segment
• Day 4–7: First real “value” newsletter (best lodging neighborhoods, booking timelines, price watch tips, etc.)
• Week 2: Move into your normal cadence (often 1–2 emails/week for event-focused lists)

If you plan to send more frequently as the winter event gets closer, build up to it gradually and make it expectation-based (“As we get closer, I’ll send 2x/week with time-sensitive updates”).

1. Make sure the technical basics are solid before the first send
   This prevents avoidable spam-folder issues:

• Ensure SPF and DKIM are set up for your sending domain, and DMARC is strongly recommended
• Use a consistent “From” name/address and a real reply-to inbox you monitor
• Avoid URL shorteners and overly salesy subject lines early on
• Send to your most engaged segment first (recency is a good proxy if you have no past opens/clicks)

1. Watch the “red flag” signals and adjust
   After each send, check:

• Spam complaints (keep them as close to zero as possible)
• Unsubscribes (some is normal after a long gap)
• Bounce rate (remove invalids promptly)
  If a segment shows weak engagement, slow down and consider a one-time “Still want these updates?” email for the oldest/least engaged subscribers rather than continuing to mail them regularly.

If you tell me roughly when the winter event is and what your planned newsletter frequency is (weekly? twice weekly near the event?), I can suggest a concrete 2-week send calendar and what to put in those first 2–3 emails.