Get up and running with PDQ

Clear practical guides to help you connect your site, send your first campaign and build from there. Our set of short tutorials walk you through the basics, without complexity or guesswork. 

STEP 1
Add or importing subscribers


Getting started with PDQ usually begins with adding subscribers. Most people do this by setting up a simple signup form on their website so new contacts can join your list as they arrive.

PDQ supports a few easy ways to do this, whether you’re using WordPress, Elementor, or another website platform. You can choose the option that fits how your site is built, and you’ll find more detail on the integrations page about the various connections that are available. Once a form is live, new subscribers are added automatically and ready to receive emails. 

IMPORT AN EXISTING LIST

If you’re moving from another email service like Mailchimp or Mailerlite, you can also import an existing list. PDQ accepts standard CSV files, making it straightforward to bring your contacts across and keep your audience together in one place. This step is optional, and many people start with forms first and import later if they need to.

Either way, PDQ helps you keep subscribers organised from the start, so sending relevant messages and building your audience feels manageable rather than complicated. 

DESIGNED FOR RESPONSIBLE EMAIL MARKETING

PDQ includes built-in tools to support compliant email practices, including opt-in management, unsubscribe handling and suppression lists. These features help you meet common requirements under regulations such as GDPR, CAN-SPAM and similar frameworks, depending on how you operate.

As with any email platform, compliance depends on how you use the system, but PDQ makes it straightforward to do the right thing.


STEP 2
Create your first email

Your first email doesn’t need to be a full newsletter or a polished campaign. For many people, it’s simply a short auto-responder that thanks new subscribers for joining and lets them know what to expect next.

PDQ makes it easy to create this kind of message using a simple template or a basic layout of your own. You can keep it short and friendly, confirm the signup worked, and set expectations about how often you’ll be in touch or what kind of content you’ll send.

Once it’s set up, this email can be sent automatically every time someone joins your list. It’s a small step, but it helps build trust straight away and gives you a solid foundation before you move on to larger campaigns or newsletters later.



STEP 3
Plan your first campaign


Once your welcome email is in place, the next step is planning your first proper campaign. In PDQ, a campaign is simply an email you send to a group of subscribers. It might be a newsletter, an update, an announcement, or a one-off message you want people to see.

A campaign doesn’t need to be complex or promotional. Many first campaigns are short and practical, such as sharing a recent update, pointing people to new content, or following up on something subscribers have already shown interest in.

At this stage, you’re thinking about what you want to say, who it’s for, and when it should go out. PDQ lets you plan campaigns at your own pace, save drafts, and come back to them when you’re ready. 

Over time, campaigns often become the regular emails your audience expects, but to begin with, one clear message is more than enough.




STEP 4
Choose when to send



Once your campaign is ready, you decide when it goes out. You don’t have to send immediately unless you want to

PDQ lets you send a campaign straight away, or schedule it for a specific date and time. This makes it easy to plan ahead, line emails up with announcements or events, or simply send when it suits your schedule.

You can also save a campaign as a draft and come back to it later. Nothing is locked in until you’re ready, and you stay in control of when your messages reach subscribers.

This final step is about timing and confidence. When everything looks right, you choose the moment that works best for you and your audience.




STEP 5
See how your emails are performing


After a campaign is sent, PDQ shows you clear, useful metrics to help you understand how it performed. You can see how many people opened your email, clicked links, or unsubscribed, without needing to dig through complex reports.

These metrics are there to give you insight, not judgement. They help you spot what your audience responds to, whether that’s a subject line, a type of content, or the timing of your send.





You don’t need to track everything at once. Many people start by simply checking opens and clicks, then use that information to make small adjustments next time. Over time, these small changes help you send more relevant, effective emails without adding extra work.

PDQ keeps reporting straightforward, so you can learn what’s working and improve gradually, at a pace that feels comfortable.







STEP 6
Build on what you've learned



Once you’ve sent a few campaigns and reviewed the results, you start to see patterns. Certain subject lines get more opens. Some content gets more clicks. Some audiences respond better than others.

This is where PDQ becomes less about one-off sends and more about consistency. You can reuse templates that work, refine segments, and gradually shape your campaigns around what your subscribers actually engage with.

Nothing here needs to be rushed. Many people improve simply by making small adjustments from one campaign to the next, using the insight PDQ provides to guide decisions rather than guess.