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How to Use Mailchimp

How to use Mailchimp is a critical part of your business’s success. Accordingly, as official Mailchimp experts, we’re excited to share our know-how to ramp up your email marketing game.

You’ve heard the stats and incredible results that email marketing can have on your business, and you’re ready to get started. (Good call.) We’ve given you some DIY instructions below on how to use Mailchimp, or you can get our help by booking an appointment.

Before You Start Emailing

Your next step is to choose an email marketing platform. Founded in 2001, Mailchimp is an easy-to-use email automation and marketing platform that provides pre-designed email templates with drag-and-drop functionality, most of which is intuitive for first-time users. Ready to get started?

What Mailchimp Can Do for You

Specifically, here’s what you can do with this remarkable automaton platform:

  • Use attractive templates to identify your brand
  • Send emails to engage your audience and grow your list
  • Integrate messages with WordPress
  • Add videos to automations
  • Perform targeted data analysis

Sound too good to be true? Without a doubt, Mailchimp can achieve these goals. If it seems challenging at first, hang in there. Regardless of your automation experience, we’ll show you how to swing from vine to vine—easily and effortlessly.

Get Started with Mailchimp in Four Easy Steps

how to create an account in Mailchimp

Step 1: Create a Mailchimp Account

If you haven’t already, create a Mailchimp account. You’ll need the following information on hand:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Organization name and details (they’ll ask you some questions)
  • Website URL
  • Physical address

You’ll also need to verify your account before you can proceed. At this point, you can log in to your new account and add any additional users who may need access. You may also want to share this article on how to use Mailchimp with them so they’re not left in the dark.

Step 2: Add Your Audience

Now it’s time to figure out exactly who you’ll be talking to through your email marketing. Your audience will probably include current, prospective, and former customers—though you don’t have to talk to them all at the same time. (Segmenting your audience is a wonderful thing!) The most important task is to gather all your up-to-date contact records to add to your Mailchimp audience.

Mailchimp has import tools that make building your audience easy. There are three ways to add audience members:

  1. Upload a comma-separated value file (CSV)
  2. Copy and paste contacts from a spreadsheet like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel
  3. Type information directly into the import table (although that could take a while!)

This article will walk you through your options for how to use Mailchimp to add your audience when you’re ready.

how to use mailchimp audience toolbar view
how to use mailchimp form builder

Step 3: Customize Your Sign-Up Form

No audience? No problem. You can learn how to use Mailchimp to create a sign-up form for your website to collect new contacts for your list. In fact, Mailchimp automatically generates a sign-up form for your website or Facebook page. Additionally, you can take the sign-up form a step further and customize it to fit your brand and voice. 

To access your Mailchimp sign-up form, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Audience icon on the left-hand toolbar.
  2. Then select the Audience Dashboard.
  3. Click the Manage Audience drop-down and choose Signup forms.
  4. Select Form Builder.
  5. Click the Forms and Response Emails drop-down menu and choose which form you want to edit.
  6. Click the Design It tab.
  7. Then select the Page, Body, Forms, and Referral tabs to review the customization options. Use the fields and drop-down menus to make any changes you want to the styles, colors, and fields. (Mailchimp will save your changes automatically.)
  8. When you’re finished, click Save & Close.

For more detailed information, learn how the form builder works.

Step 4: Create Your Campaign

Learning how to use Mailchimp isn’t so daunting after all. Now you’re ready to start creating your first campaign! You have the power to use Mailchimp for automations, ads, and social campaigns—but we’ll start with the most basic: email campaigns.

In your Mailchimp account, start with the following steps:

  1. Click the Create icon in the left-hand toolbar (the icon that looks like a pencil).
  2. Choose Email from your list of campaign options.
  3. Select Regular, which means you’re sending a single campaign, not creating an automated sales funnel or split test. 
  4. Enter a campaign name and click Begin.
how to use mailchimp campaign creator

It’s that simple to get started. For additional information on what to do next, check out how to create a regular email campaign.

If You Need Help – We’re The Mailchimp Pros

Once you get your footing on how to use Mailchimp, now you may be ready for more advanced options. But if coding and graphic design isn’t your area of expertise, it may be time to bring in the Mailchimp experts and use a full-service email marketing agency.

Whether you need help with how to use Mailchimp or would like to hand over the reins entirely, your first step is to book a 20-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit.

The Benefits of Mailchimp Templates

Featuring over 100 templates and designs to fit any message, Mailchimp makes creating attractive automations a snap. Indeed, here are 5 advantages to these wonderful resources:

  • No coding necessary
  • Easy customization
  • Eye-catching, professional design
  • Themes for every purpose, including e-commerce, holidays, sporting events, and special occasions
  • Ability to create brand recognition with ongoing automations

How to Use Mailchimp Templates

Once you decide to take the plunge with a Mailchimp template, things move quickly. Here’s a quick step-by-step tutorial to get you started.

  1. Firstly, select a template from Mailchimp’s library. Protip: Use a fluid layout to convey communication and connectivity or a structured blueprint to symbolize stability and reliability.
  2. Next, set your logo, colors, styles, and fonts in the template. Obviously, your subscription level determines how much customization you can perform. Once you’re happy with the effect, click Save as a Template to keep this layout ready to insert campaign-specific content.
  3. Whenever you want to use your template for a new campaign, go to your Dashboard. Next to the Create Campaign button, click the my templates button. This gives you access to all the templates you create.

The Advantages of Mailchimp Emails

In fact, using Mailchimp to send emails makes perfect sense for anyone who wants to tap into the power of automation. Chiefly, here are the applications and benefits of this platform:

  • Send hundreds (or thousands) of recipients at once
  • Create and manage mailing lists
  • Design attractive, customizable messages
  • Leverage the free use option
  • Automate campaigns and collect leads
  • View reporting and analytics on sent campaigns

How to Use Mailchimp to Send Emails

Overall, sending emails with Mailchimp is a straightforward process. In summary, here are the steps:

  1. To begin with, go to Mailchimp and click the Create button.
  2. In the pop-up window, click Create an Email.
  3. Depending on your needs, select one of the following: Regular—A bulk email sent to many contacts at the same time, Automated—Emails created with pre-set triggers and timelines (these messages can be fully customized), Plain-text—Simple, no-frills emails without images or text formatting, A/B Test—Two versions of an email that send to different audience segments and are tracked to see which one gets the most opens or clicks
  4. Enter your Campaign Name. (This name is only for your identification purposes and isn’t visible to subscribers.) Protip: Include the name and intended date of launch as part of the title to easily sort through messages.
  5. Next, input information for the From line and Subject line (Important: this information is visible to subscribers.)
  6. In the To section, click Add Recipients and choose the list of subscribers you want to receive your email.
  7. After that, click Campaigns and open your project.
  8. Choose Design Email, then click Select a template. This button will take you to a drag-and-drop editor where you can design your email. You can also write the text of your email by placing your cursor on the text block on the left and then clicking the pencil icon.
  9. When designing your email, click Save after finishing each section but do not press Save & Close at this stage.
  10. After you design and write your email, open Preview & Test in the main menu. Use the Link Checker to make sure all the links in your email take you to the intended place. Protip: Send yourself a test email to see how it will appear in your subscribers’ mailboxes.
  11. When you’re happy with the way your email looks, click Save as Template, which allows you to use the same design for future messages.
  12. Click Save & Close in the bottom right corner.
  13. When you’re ready to unleash your message on the world, hit Send.

Finesse Your WordPress Newsletter with Mailchimp

In truth, when you use Mailchimp with WordPress, there are several beneficial tools that will boost your email marketing success:

  • Opt-in forms that are user-friendly, attractive, and mobile optimized
  • One-click signup methods added to your WordPress site’s comment and checkout forms
  • Automatic send times that allow you to pre-schedule messages to stay connected and engaged with your list

How to Use Mailchimp with WordPress

  1. Get your website’s RSS feed URL.
  2. At this point, open Mailchimp and go to Campaigns>Create Campaign>Create an Email>Automated.
  3. Select Share blog posts.
  4. Name your Mailchimp campaign. Protip: Again, it helps to include the name and intended date of the launch as part of the title for quick location purposes.
  5. Click Begin.
  6. Next, enter your RSS feed URL and select a sending time.
  7. Select Recipients and make any Setup changes (for instance, to the Subject field).
  8. At this time, choose your Mailchimp Template and Design options.
  9. Lastly, click Confirm. Your WordPress newsletter will be sent according to your instructions.

Add a Video to a Mailchimp Campaign

Unquestionably, it helps to add a video to certain types of email messages. Fortunately, Mailchimp has the capacity to embed or share a video thumbnail in an email. Here are a few ways to use email videos to your advantage:

  • Announce product updates
  • Post how-to demonstrations
  • Discuss your company culture
  • Demonstrate how specially crafted products are made
  • Share testimonials

How to Use Mailchimp to Embed a Video Into an Email

  1. Firstly, upload your video to a streaming platform like YouTube or Vimeo.
  2. After that, choose a thumbnail image that serves as a preview for the video.
  3. Enable sharing options to make the video available to the public.
  4. At this point, get the video’s embed code from the streaming platform. Protip: Even better, create a blog post or landing page on your website to host the video and drive people directly to your website.
  5. Create your email with copy, images, logos, and CTAs.
  6. Insert the embed code in the body of your email.
  7. Finally, send the email to your target audience.

How to Use Mailchimp to Share a Video Thumbnail

  1. To begin with, upload your video file to a streaming platform of your choice.
  2. Secondly, enable sharing options to make the video viewable to the public.
  3. Now, generate an embed code for your video that you can use on your website.
  4. Create a custom landing page on your website with the video and CTAs.
  5. Next, make the video on the landing page available through the embed code.
  6. At this time, create a custom thumbnail image with a play button logo.
  7. Draft your email layout with copy, images, logos, and CTAs.
  8. Insert the thumbnail and link it with the URL of the landing page.
  9. Finally, send the email to your target audience.

If You Need Help – We’re The Mailchimp Pros

To be sure, Mailchimp is a fantastic automation tool with lots of moving parts. If you’re overwhelmed, we don’t blame you. But there’s good news: with over 20 years of Mailchimp expertise, we know how to make the most of this marketing monkey. Depend on us to elevate your brand, expand your list, move merchandise, and get plenty of clicks with the magic of Mailchimp. Book your appointment today.

How It Works

Transform your email marketing in three easy steps:

number 1 representing step one to start email marketing with email broadcast

Book Appointment

We offer a free 20-minute consult to talk about your business and see if we might be a good fit. If a partnership sounds promising, we'll schedule a discovery call.

number 2 representing step two to start email marketing with email broadcast

Review Proposal

After we have all the facts, we’ll present a proposal outlining our tailored, full-service solution—what it will include, what it will do for your business, and what it will cost.

number 3 representing step three to start email marketing with email broadcast

Win More Business

This is where we execute a world-class email campaign to help you win more business while you celebrate, breathe a sigh of relief, and move on to your next project.

Book an Appointment

Schedule your free 20-minute consultation to see if your business can profit from expert email marketing.

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