Gym Lead Machine gives you two ways to send a one-time email to a group of contacts: a Smart List send from your Contacts, and an email campaign from Marketing → Emails. The setup is different for each, and the most important difference is how each one handles invalid email addresses and unsubscribed contacts. This article walks through both so you can send safely from either place.
What you can do with Smart List sends and email campaigns
Send a one-time email to a Smart List straight from your Contacts
Build and send a designed email campaign from Email Marketing
Send immediately, at a scheduled time, or in batches
Preview and test an email before it goes out
Target the right audience with separate Smart Lists for leads, active members, and past members
Protect your sender reputation by keeping invalid and unsubscribed contacts out of every send
How do I send an email from a Smart List?
Smart List sends start from the Contacts section, where all your leads and members are stored. Before you start, set up a Smart List filtered to contacts with valid email addresses.
Go to Contacts.
Open or create a Smart List.
Select the contacts you want to email.
Click Send Email.
Review the number of selected contacts and click Confirm & Proceed.
NOTE: Sending bulk emails this way will automatically filter out invalid and unsubscribed emails.
Enter an Action Name so you can find this send later.
Enter your sender information, subject line, and an optional preheader.
Choose how to build the email: Quick Compose (this is most common), From Smart Builder, or Select existing template.
Scroll down to write or paste in your email. Send yourself a test email if you want to check it first.
Open Additional settings if you want click tracking or UTM tracking.
Choose a delivery option: Send all at once, Send all at scheduled time, or Send in batch mode (batch mode is recommended for email lists over 200 contacts).
Scroll down, check the confirmation checkbox, and click Send Email.
When you send from Contacts, Gym Lead Machine automatically skips invalid email addresses and unsubscribed contacts. This protection applies even if you select all contacts from the Contacts page or use a Smart List without valid email filters.
How do I send an email campaign from Email Marketing?
Email campaigns are built in Marketing → Emails and work well for designed newsletters, promotions, and announcements.
[CALLOUT — Warning] Emails sent from Email Marketing do not automatically filter out invalid or unsubscribed contacts. Always send campaigns to a Smart List filtered to valid, subscribed contacts so your email only reaches people who should receive it. Before sending, make sure you create a Valid Email Smart List in GLM.
Go to Marketing → Emails → Campaigns.
Create a new campaign or open an existing one.
Build or select a template, then add your content, images, and links.
Use Preview and Test Email to check how the email looks on desktop and mobile.
Click Send or Schedule.
Enter the Sender Name.
Review the Sender Domain.
Enter the Sender Email. We recommend using your From Email custom value.
Enter the Subject Line.
Under Recipients, choose Send to Smart List.
Click the + button and select your valid email Smart List.
Open Additional Settings if you want link tracking, UTM tracking, or tags.
Choose how you will send your message. Send Now, Schedule or Batch Schedule. If you are scheduling, set the Date and Time.
RSS Schedule is for scheduling blog posts as emails. For more on that see Set Up an RSS Email Campaign in GLM
Smart Send, although visible, is not able to be used in GLM
Click Send or Schedule.
Choosing Send to Smart List instead of All Contacts keeps your campaign limited to subscribed contacts with valid email addresses. All Contacts includes everyone in your account, including invalid and unsubscribed contacts.
Smart List sends vs. email campaigns: which should you use?
| Situation | Smart List send | Email campaign |
|---|---|---|
| Where you start | Contacts | Marketing → Emails |
| Invalid and unsubscribed contacts | Skipped automatically | Must be excluded with a Smart List |
| Best for | Quick, simple messages | Designed newsletters and promotions |
| Recipient step | Select contacts from your Smart List | Choose Send to Smart List and add your list |
| Delivery options | Send now, schedule, or batch | Send now or schedule |
Frequently asked questions
Does Email Marketing filter out unsubscribed or invalid contacts?
No. Campaigns sent from Marketing → Emails do not automatically remove invalid or unsubscribed contacts. To keep them out, choose Send to Smart List under Recipients and select a Smart List filtered to valid, subscribed contacts. Smart List sends from Contacts skip invalid and unsubscribed contacts automatically.
Why should I use a Smart List instead of All Contacts?
A Smart List filtered to valid email addresses keeps unsubscribed contacts and bad addresses out of your send. Sending to invalid or unsubscribed contacts can hurt your sender reputation and your deliverability, which affects whether future emails reach the inbox.
Can I schedule an email instead of sending it right away?
Yes, from either place. In a Smart List send, choose Send all at scheduled time or Send in batch mode. In an email campaign, click Schedule and set the date and time. Scheduled campaigns send according to your account's time zone.
Can I reschedule an email campaign?
Yes, as long as you change it at least one hour before the scheduled send time.
Can I attach a file to my email?
Yes. On the Send or Schedule screen of an email campaign, click Attach Files and select your files. Keep attachments within 10 MB in total. Smart List sends also support attachments while you compose the email.
Where can I see the results of a Smart List send?
Open the send under Contacts → Bulk Actions. You can review metrics such as Delivered, Opened, Clicked, Unsubscribed, Bounced, and Skipped. For broader reporting, go to Marketing → Emails → Statistics and filter to Bulk Action Campaigns.
What's the difference between an email campaign and a workflow email?
Campaigns are one-time sends to a group of contacts. Workflows send emails automatically as contacts meet triggers and conditions, such as submitting a form or booking an appointment.
Helpful tips
Create separate Smart Lists for leads, active members, and past members, then send each campaign to the list it was written for
Always choose Send to Smart List in Email Marketing, even when you plan to email most of your contacts
Send a test email before every send to check layout, links, and personalization
Use batch mode for large Smart List sends to spread delivery out over time
Use your From Email custom value as the sender email so your campaigns stay consistent
When this feature is most helpful
Announcing a promotion, event, or schedule change to your members
Sending a monthly newsletter
Following up with a group of leads who haven't booked yet
Reaching out to past members with a comeback offer
Sending a quick note to a Smart List without building a full campaign
If you have questions about sending emails in Gym Lead Machine, our Support team is happy to help. Reach us at hello@usekilo.com.