Writing the email is maybe a fifth of the job. The rest is deciding who gets it, making sure it lands in the inbox, testing it, and explaining the numbers on Monday. Most “Claude for email” lists stop at copy. This one covers the whole job.
Quick answer: Start with the free emails, ab-testing and analytics skills from coreyhaines31/marketingskills (57.8k GitHub stars), then add sendx/email-skills for deliverability and segmentation. If you run Klaviyo, pair the klaviyo-analyst skill from thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing with Klaviyo’s official MCP server. Paid packs ($39 to $167) are optional bundles, and none has published independent test results.
If you only need sequences and cold email, the task guide Claude Code skills for email marketing goes deeper on that. This page is for the person who owns the program.
What Claude Code skills actually do for an email marketer
Direct answer: A Claude Code skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file that teaches Claude a repeatable method, such as “audit a list for segmentation gaps” or “check a domain’s DMARC record.” Claude loads it when the task matches. For email marketers, skills hold the playbook. MCP servers connect Claude to your ESP so the playbook runs on real data.
Skills live in ~/.claude/skills (available everywhere) or .claude/skills inside a project. You install them three ways:
npx skills add owner/repo, the Vercel skills CLI that most repos now document./pluginmarketplaces inside Claude Code, for bundled plugins such as Anthropic’s.- Copying a folder by hand, or running a repo’s own install script.
The full walkthrough is in how to install Claude Code skills, and the concept is explained in what Claude Code skills are.
Skills, plugins and MCP servers side by side
| Piece | What it is | Email example | How you add it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill | A method in a SKILL.md file | ”Run a 4-phase flow audit” | npx skills add or copy the folder |
| Plugin | A bundle of skills and commands | Anthropic Marketing plugin with email-sequence | claude plugin install |
| MCP server | A live connection to an app’s API | Pull last 90 days of Klaviyo flow revenue | claude mcp add |
Here’s the thing: a skill without data gives you generic advice. An MCP server without a skill gives you raw numbers and no method. The useful setup is both, pointed at one job at a time.
Takeaway: treat skills as your written SOPs and MCP servers as the wire to your sending platform.
The email marketer’s job, mapped to skills
Direct answer: Split the role into seven jobs: segmentation, lifecycle flows, deliverability, campaign reporting, testing, template HTML, and copy. Free open-source skills cover the first five well. Template HTML has the thinnest coverage, and copy is covered best of all.
The table below maps each job to skills that exist today. Every skill name was checked against the repo’s file tree on 2026-11-01.
| Job | Skill (repo) | Free or paid | What it handles |
|---|---|---|---|
| List segmentation | smart-segmentation (sendx/email-skills) | Free | Segments and tags so the right people get the right email |
| Lifecycle flows | workflow-automation (sendx), onboarding and churn-prevention (coreyhaines31) | Free | Multi-step automations, onboarding, win-back logic |
| Deliverability | email-deliverability-expert-skill (sendx), klaviyo-analyst (thatrebeccarae) | Free | Audit, diagnose and fix inbox placement problems |
| Reporting | email-analytics (sendx), analytics (coreyhaines31), performance-report (Anthropic Marketing plugin) | Free | What metrics mean and what to do next |
| Testing | ab-testing (sendx and coreyhaines31) | Free | Hypotheses, sample sizes, reading results |
| Compliance | compliance-navigator (sendx) | Free | Privacy law and consent questions |
| Copy | emails, copywriting (coreyhaines31), email-copywriting (sendx) | Free | Subject lines, preview text, body |
| Template HTML | No dedicated, well-maintained skill found | n/a | See the template section below |
Why the role page differs from the task page
A task post asks “how do I write a welcome sequence?” A role post asks “what does my week look like, and which part can Claude take?” For most email marketers the week includes a Monday report, a deliverability scare every few months, a test to plan, and segments that drift out of date. Copy is one line in that list.
So: install by job, not by repo. Loading 170 skills you never call adds noise to every session. The kostja94/marketing-skills README makes the same point, advising you to “install two or three relevant skills when the task is known instead of loading the entire library.”
Takeaway: pick the two jobs that eat most of your week and install for those first.
Deliverability audits: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and the bulk sender rules
Direct answer: Claude Code can check your DNS records, read a DMARC aggregate report you paste in, and compare your setup against Gmail and Yahoo’s bulk sender requirements. Use a deliverability skill for the method and a terminal command (dig) for the facts. Claude cannot see your sender reputation inside Gmail; Google Postmaster Tools can.
This is where Claude Code beats a chat window. It can run commands. Ask it to check your domain and it can run:
dig +short TXT yourdomain.com # SPF
dig +short TXT _dmarc.yourdomain.com # DMARC
dig +short TXT selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com # DKIM (you need your ESP's selector)Then the skill tells it what “good” looks like.
The rules your audit should check
Google and Yahoo began enforcing bulk sender requirements in February 2024. Google defines a bulk sender as one sending close to 5,000 or more messages a day to personal Gmail accounts. Microsoft announced similar rules for Outlook.com consumer addresses, effective from May 2025. Check the current wording on each provider’s help page before you act, because thresholds and enforcement steps change.
| Requirement | Gmail / Yahoo bulk senders | How Claude can check it |
|---|---|---|
| SPF and DKIM | Both required | dig the TXT records, confirm alignment with your From domain |
| DMARC | A record required, p=none is the minimum | dig _dmarc, read the policy and rua tag |
| From alignment | From domain must align with SPF or DKIM | Compare header domains in a raw message you paste |
| One-click unsubscribe | Required for marketing mail (RFC 8058 List-Unsubscribe-Post) | Inspect raw headers of a sent campaign |
| Honor unsubscribes | Within two days | Process check, not a DNS check |
| Spam complaint rate | Keep under 0.3% in Postmaster Tools (Google advises under 0.1%) | You export the data; Claude reads it |
Which skills to use
email-deliverability-expert-skillfrom sendx/email-skills. Free. Built to “audit, diagnose, and fix email deliverability problems.” The repo is young (9 stars, last push 2026-07-20) and written by an ESP, so expect some SendX framing. Install:npx skills add sendx/email-skills --skill email-deliverability-expert-skill.klaviyo-analystfrom thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing. Free. The README lists “deliverability diagnostics” inside a four-phase Klaviyo account review. 188 stars, last push 2026-05-14. Install with the repo’sbash scripts/install.shwizard or copy the skill folder.brazein the same repo, if you are on Braze. The README lists deliverability and IP warming.
But here’s the catch: a skill’s advice is only as current as its last edit. Bulk sender rules moved in 2024 and 2025. Ask Claude to check the provider pages live when the audit matters.
Takeaway: let dig supply the facts, let the skill supply the checklist, and confirm thresholds on the provider’s own page.
List segmentation and lifecycle strategy
Direct answer: For segmentation, Claude works best on an exported list (CSV) or through an ESP MCP server, using a skill that defines your segment logic. For lifecycle strategy, skills such as workflow-automation, onboarding and churn-prevention map stages to flows and flag gaps, like a missing post-purchase or sunset flow.
Segmentation on real data
Claude Code can open a CSV export, group subscribers by engagement window, purchase count or signup source, and write the segment definitions back in your ESP’s terms. The smart-segmentation skill gives it a method rather than letting it invent one each session.
A practical first job: ask for an engagement split (opened or clicked in 30, 90 and 180 days, plus never engaged). That split feeds both your sunset policy and your deliverability. Mailbox providers watch engagement, so mailing a large never-engaged segment can hurt placement for everyone else.
Be careful with exports. A subscriber CSV is personal data. Keep it out of shared repos, and check your company’s policy before you send it to any AI tool.
Lifecycle gap audits
The common lifecycle stages are welcome, browse or cart abandonment, post-purchase, replenishment or upsell, win-back and sunset. A gap audit compares what you run against that list.
| Stage | Free skill that helps | What to ask Claude |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome / onboarding | onboarding (coreyhaines31) | “Map our first 14 days and find the drop-off point” |
| Abandonment | workflow-automation (sendx) | “Draft trigger, delay and exit rules for cart abandonment” |
| Retention / churn | churn-prevention (coreyhaines31) | “Which signals should trigger a save flow?” |
| Win-back and sunset | klaviyo-analyst (thatrebeccarae) | “Run a flow gap analysis on our account” |
| Planning the whole program | campaign-plan (Anthropic Marketing plugin) | “Build a quarterly lifecycle calendar” |
Anthropic’s official plugin installs with claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins and then claude plugin install marketing@knowledge-work-plugins. Its marketing folder contains brand-review, campaign-plan, competitive-brief, content-creation, draft-content, email-sequence, performance-report and seo-audit. For the broader marketing stack, see Claude Code skills for marketers.
Takeaway: run one gap audit, fix the biggest missing flow, then move on.
Campaign reporting and testing
Direct answer: Claude Code can turn an ESP export or MCP data into a weekly report: what changed, why it probably changed, and what to test next. Testing skills add the discipline most email programs skip, such as a written hypothesis, a minimum sample size, and one variable per test.
Reporting that says something
Opens have been unreliable since Apple Mail Privacy Protection launched in 2021, because Apple preloads images and inflates open counts. A good reporting skill should push you toward clicks, conversions, revenue per recipient and unsubscribe and complaint rates. When you review any reporting skill, check that it handles this. If it ranks campaigns by open rate alone, edit the SKILL.md.
Options:
email-analytics(sendx): explains what each metric means and the action to take.analytics(coreyhaines31/marketingskills): general marketing analytics.performance-report(Anthropic Marketing plugin): structured performance write-ups.- thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing also ships an
html-report-builderskill for client-ready HTML reports, useful for agencies.
Testing without fooling yourself
Both coreyhaines31 and sendx ship an ab-testing skill. Use it before the send, not after. Ask Claude for the hypothesis, the one variable, the sample size needed to detect the lift you care about, and the decision rule. Small lists often cannot reach significance on subject-line tests, and a good skill should tell you so.
Install the coreyhaines31 trio:
npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill emails ab-testing analyticsTakeaway: report on clicks and revenue, and decide the test’s success rule before you hit send.
Template HTML and email code
Direct answer: No well-maintained, email-specific HTML template skill turned up in this research. Claude Code can still write and fix table-based email HTML or MJML, inline CSS, and add dark-mode and accessibility fixes. Always test the output in a rendering tool such as Litmus or Email on Acid before sending.
Email HTML is its own dialect. Outlook on Windows uses Word’s rendering engine, Gmail strips some <style> usage, and dark mode inverts colors unpredictably. A general coding model knows these rules, but nothing forces it to apply them.
The fix is a small skill of your own. A 40-line SKILL.md that says “use tables for layout, inline all CSS, set role=presentation on layout tables, add alt text, keep width at 600px, include a plain-text part” gives you consistent output every time. The guide how to build a Claude Code skill shows the format.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Table-based layout or MJML | Outlook desktop ignores much modern CSS |
| Inline CSS | Some clients strip head styles |
| Alt text on every image | Images are often blocked by default |
| Dark-mode test | Logos and text can vanish on inverted backgrounds |
| Plain-text part | Helps accessibility and some filters |
| One-click unsubscribe header | Required for bulk marketing mail, set in your ESP |
If you are not technical, Claude Code skills for non-developers covers the basics without the jargon.
Takeaway: write your own template skill; it is the one gap the free libraries leave open.
ESP MCP servers: Klaviyo, HubSpot, Mailchimp
Direct answer: Klaviyo and HubSpot both run official MCP servers that Claude Code can connect to. Mailchimp has no first-party MCP server for its marketing platform that we could verify; community servers exist. Start any MCP connection read-only and with the narrowest API scopes your ESP allows.
| ESP | Official MCP? | What it exposes | How to connect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Yes, remote and local | Campaigns, flows, profiles, metrics, templates | claude mcp add --transport http klaviyo https://mcp.klaviyo.com/mcp per Klaviyo’s developer docs |
| HubSpot | Yes, remote at mcp.hubspot.com, plus a local Developer MCP | CRM objects such as contacts and deals | Follow HubSpot’s MCP docs; needs an OAuth app on the new developer platform |
| Mailchimp | Not for the marketing platform | Community servers only | Read the code before handing over an API key |
Klaviyo
Klaviyo’s MCP documentation describes a hosted remote server (recommended) and a local option. Pair it with klaviyo-analyst, which its author describes as “built around the official Klaviyo MCP server.” That combination gives you a flow audit on live account data instead of a pasted export.
HubSpot
HubSpot’s MCP page documents the remote server for CRM data and a local Developer MCP set up with hs mcp setup. It suits B2B email marketers whose segments live in CRM properties.
Mailchimp
Community projects such as damientilman/mailchimp-mcp-server exist. Treat any community server as third-party code with your API key. The safer path for many Mailchimp users is a CSV export.
There is also Composio’s route: the klaviyo-automation skill listed on skills.sh and claudskills runs through Composio’s Rube MCP rather than Klaviyo’s own server. ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills (78.5k stars, last push 2026-09-18) catalogs many such app connectors.
Takeaway: connect read-only first, and never let a new MCP setup send or edit live campaigns until you have watched it work.
The best free and paid skills, compared
Direct answer: The free options cover nearly every email job. Paid packs bundle broad marketing libraries; none we found is email-specific, and none publishes independent results. Buy one only if you value a curated bundle over assembling free repos yourself.
Free skills and plugins
| Source | Stars / last push (2026-11-01) | Email-relevant skills | Install |
|---|---|---|---|
| coreyhaines31/marketingskills | 57.8k / 2026-10-31 | emails, ab-testing, analytics, onboarding, churn-prevention, copywriting | npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill emails |
| sendx/email-skills | 9 / 2026-07-20 | smart-segmentation, email-deliverability-expert-skill, email-analytics, ab-testing, compliance-navigator, workflow-automation | npx skills add sendx/email-skills |
| thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing | 188 / 2026-05-14 | klaviyo-analyst, klaviyo-developer, braze, html-report-builder | bash scripts/install.sh from the cloned repo |
| anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins | 34.3k / 2026-11-01 | Marketing plugin: email-sequence, campaign-plan, performance-report, brand-review | claude plugin install marketing@knowledge-work-plugins after adding the marketplace |
| kostja94/marketing-skills | 1.07k / 2026-10-26 | email-marketing among 170+ entries | npx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill email-marketing |
| alirezarezvani/claude-skills | 29.1k / 2026-10-31 | email-sequence and broad marketing skills | See repo README |
Directories worth browsing for more: claudemarketplaces.com, skillsmp.com, claudskills.com and skills.sh. Star counts there are not quality scores, so read the SKILL.md before installing.
Paid packs
| Product | Price (checked 2026-11-01) | Email coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflectual “Master Marketing Skills Bundle” (Gumroad) | $167 one-time | General marketing bundle | No independent reviews found |
| Contra “Ultimate Claude SEO & AEO Skills Pack” | $39 (shown against $79) | SEO and AEO; little email-specific | Relevant if you also own SEO |
| SuperSkills | $50 | General skills pack | Check contents before buying |
We left out packs that use countdown timers or “only X left” claims. A digital file has no stock limit.
Free vs paid in one view
| Factor | Free repos | Paid packs |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 | $39 to $167 |
| Email-specific depth | High (sendx, klaviyo-analyst) | Low to moderate |
| Update visibility | Public commit history | Usually unclear |
| Code review before install | Full source on GitHub | Often only after purchase |
| Support | GitHub issues | Varies by seller |
Takeaway: an email marketer can build a complete stack for $0. Paid packs suit people who want one bundle across many roles.
A starter stack for your first week
Direct answer: Day one, install three free skills and connect one ESP read-only. Days two to five, run one job per day: deliverability check, engagement segmentation, lifecycle gap audit, weekly report, and test plan. That order fixes the riskiest problem (inbox placement) first.
- Install.
npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill emails ab-testing analyticsandnpx skills add sendx/email-skills --skill email-deliverability-expert-skill smart-segmentation. - Connect. Klaviyo or HubSpot MCP, read-only scopes. Mailchimp users export a CSV.
- Audit DNS. Ask Claude to
digyour SPF, DKIM and DMARC and compare them to the bulk sender table above. - Segment. Split by 30, 90 and 180-day engagement. Draft a sunset rule.
- Gap audit. List the lifecycle flows you run against the six standard stages.
- Report. Build a report template that leads with clicks, revenue and complaints.
- Test plan. One hypothesis, one variable, a sample size, a decision rule.
Agencies running this across clients should read Claude Code skills for marketing agencies. Writers on the team can add brand voice skills and copywriting skills.
Common mistakes
- Installing everything. Big libraries crowd the context. Install by job.
- Trusting a skill’s thresholds. Confirm bulk sender numbers on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft pages.
- Giving MCP write access on day one. Read-only until you trust it.
- Pasting subscriber data carelessly. Personal data rules still apply.
- Reporting on opens. Apple MPP inflates them.
Takeaway: deliverability first, then segments, then everything else.
FAQ
What are the best Claude Code skills for email marketers?
For free options: coreyhaines31/marketingskills (emails, ab-testing, analytics), sendx/email-skills (deliverability, segmentation, analytics) and klaviyo-analyst from thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing for Klaviyo users.
Can Claude Code check SPF, DKIM and DMARC?
Yes. It can run dig against your domain and read the TXT records. You need your ESP’s DKIM selector to look up the DKIM record.
Does Claude Code send emails?
Not by default. It can send through an ESP’s API or MCP server if you connect one with write access. Keep connections read-only until you trust the setup.
Does Klaviyo have an MCP server for Claude?
Yes. Klaviyo documents an official remote server at https://mcp.klaviyo.com/mcp plus a local option.
Does HubSpot have an MCP server?
Yes. HubSpot runs a remote MCP server at mcp.hubspot.com for CRM data and a local Developer MCP.
Does Mailchimp have an official MCP server?
We found no first-party MCP server for Mailchimp’s marketing platform as of 2026-11-01. Community servers exist.
What are the Gmail and Yahoo bulk sender requirements?
For senders near 5,000+ daily messages to Gmail: SPF, DKIM, DMARC (at least p=none), From alignment, one-click unsubscribe, honoring unsubscribes within two days, and a spam rate under 0.3%.
Can Claude Code help with list segmentation?
Yes, on a CSV export or through an ESP MCP server. A skill such as smart-segmentation gives it consistent logic.
Are Claude skills for email marketing free?
Most are. The strongest email-specific skills found are open source on GitHub. Paid packs exist, from $39 to $167, but are broad bundles.
Is it safe to give Claude my subscriber list?
It depends on your company’s data policy and your privacy obligations. Strip fields you don’t need, keep exports out of shared repos, and check your AI tool’s data terms.
Can Claude Code write email HTML templates?
Yes, it can write table-based HTML or MJML. No strong dedicated skill exists, so a short custom SKILL.md with email HTML rules helps. Test renders before sending.
Should I trust open rates in Claude’s reports?
Treat them with caution. Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates opens. Lead with clicks, conversions and revenue per recipient.
What’s the difference between a skill and an MCP server?
A skill is a written method Claude follows. An MCP server is a live connection to an app’s data. Email marketers usually want both.
Do I need to code to use these skills?
No. Installing takes one terminal command, and you talk to Claude in plain English. Some MCP setups need API keys or an OAuth app.
Is there a Claude skill for A/B testing emails?
Yes. Both coreyhaines31/marketingskills and sendx/email-skills include an ab-testing skill.
Sources and methodology
All repos were checked through the GitHub API on 2026-11-01 for stars and last push dates. Skill names were checked against each repo’s file tree and install commands against each README. Paid prices were checked on the live product pages on 2026-11-01. Sources: coreyhaines31/marketingskills, sendx/email-skills, thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing, anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins, kostja94/marketing-skills, Klaviyo MCP docs, HubSpot MCP, Google sender guidelines. No skill here was benchmarked for output quality, and no performance claims are made.
Your next step
Pick the job that costs you most each week. For most email marketers that is deliverability or reporting. Install the two matching free skills today, connect your ESP read-only, and run one audit. Then see the wider growth marketer stack when you are ready to expand.
