The word spam, to mean unwanted junk email, derives from the Monty Python sketch of the same name. If you think email marketing involves sending people unsolicited Viagra ads, think again. Email is a tried and tested method for reaching the right people online and persuading them to take action.
You need very little technical knowledge to get started, since there are plenty of excellent third-party services you can use, such as MailChimp or Campaign Monitor, to handle everything from sign-up forms and email templates to managing mailing lists and measuring your results.
This allows you to focus instead on your email marketing strategy: your marketing aims, who you will target, and what you will email them.