In our previous blog we spoke about the importance of email marketing and why it should be part of your digital marketing strategy. Today we tackle the ‘how’ by introducing you to an email marketing software called Mailchimp.
Maybe you’re struggling to impress your audience with your emails and think it’s time for a change. Or, you’re new to e-mail marketing and think there has to be a better way than using Outlook and having to enter a hundred email addresses each time?
Whether you’re sending your first or thirtieth newsletter, Mailchimp is the email software for you. Its easy to use templates and features make the process so much better. All you have to do is come up with some kick-ass content!
Why Use Mailchimp?
If you don’t have the resources to build your own marketing templates, using an email marketing software is the next best thing. Sending out newsletters to your audience is important, but the content and design are even more important.
Mailchimp has a lot of ready-made templates to choose from. Best part? They are easily customizable to suit your brand look and feel. So why choose Mailchimp?
- It’s very easy to use
- It has a free option (we love free!)
- It’s customizable to fit your brand guidelines
- Provides useful campaign analytics
- You can choose the frequency of your email campaigns
- When you’re ready to scale up, they have a paid option with even more features
Ok, but how much does it cost?
There is a free option which is fantastic for when you’re starting out and still building your audience. But, as with all software, there are paid options.
When Does Mailchimp Start Charging?
From what I can tell after using this software for a number of years, the free plan is really targeted at small businesses. It is there to get you started into the journey of email marketing with just enough features to help you succeed.
But they have to start charging at some point. They start charging when your subscriber list start growing to more than two thousand. They have a cost calculator on their website for you to work out how much you’ll spend once you reach a certain number of subscribers.
And the pricing is in Rands, so you’re not subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
Let’s explore the standout features of the free option.
Stand Out Features
Subject Line Helper
This has got to be one of my favourite (if not the favourite) feature Mailchimp offers.
How do people decide to read your email? By the subject line of course! If your subject line is not enticing, then your open-rate will probably be low.
This feature gives you tips and stats so you can craft the “perfect” subject line. They also show you how other people are doing it, and why their open rate is higher than yours.
Mailchimp For WordPress
If you have a WordPress website, you can install a Mailchimp plugin to collect your visitors’ details when they sign up for your newsletters. Their info will be added directly to your database without you doing anything else. It is very helpful and removes the stress of having to manually add each client yourself.
Analytics
If you read one of our blogs last month, you know how strongly we feel about analytics.
Just as analytics for your marketing campaign are important, you need to also pay attention to your newsletter analytics. The Mailchimp dashboard is comprehensive enough for you to understand what you’re getting right and where you need to improve.
Personalization
A personalized newsletter is impressive! Whether you put your recipient’s name on the subject line or on the body of the email, that touch of personalization makes a huge difference.
Depending on the type of relationship you have with your subscribers, you have the option to address them by their first name, surname, titles, etc. This feature offers you the flexibility to choose how you want to personalize your newsletters with each and every email you send.
Unsubscribed List
As a subscriber, I always want the option to unsubscribe from a newsletter. Mailchimp insists on having this button on your emails. The good thing is that the subscriber’s details don’t disappear from your database, they just move from the active subscriber list. You are able to go to the unsubscribed list and see the names of all the people who have clicked the unsubscribe button.
Automation
You know that email you get immediately after signing up for a newsletter? The ‘Thank You for subscribing to our newsletter’ email? Or when you’re shopping online and you have to confirm your purchase with your bank, they immediately send you an email telling you to ‘Check your banking app to complete the purchase’ email? That is automation at it’s best!
You can also do that! You set up the email in advance and set rules as to when and how they should be sent. You can set up a welcome email to your subscribers, remind your buyers to complete their purchase or even remind your patients of an upcoming annual check up. How cool is that?
It’s More Than Just Text!
We use video quiet a bit at Wrapp Around. So I’m happy to be embed our videos in our newsletters. And since the video is hosted somewhere else, (Youtube for example), it does not impact the email’s loading time.
Test Your Emails!
I cannot stress this enough. We’ve made a few boo boos here as well, so we never forget to test.
Send the emails to colleagues and friends. Have them test how they look on desktop and mobile. A second (or third) pair of eyes can pick up the typos you missed.
Getting Started With Mailchimp
As with all subscriber based software, you have to create an account. The process is easy. Just follow the prompts and you will be ready to start sending your first newsletter in no time.
Create A Mailchimp Opt-In Form
You need an audience for your emails. Just collect the basic info you need, like name and email address. Don’t annoy people by making them jump through hoops to receive your content.
If you have an opt in form from a different software provider, you can integrate it with Mailchimp (check that you can) to make sure the contacts are loaded directly onto your database.
And if you have a database already, you can import it.
Create a Template
By creating a standard template, you make the process easier. All you have to do is just change the content every week or month and you’re ready to send.
Segment Your List
Just because I signed up for info on nail polish, doesn’t mean I want to get specials on dog food. And if I sign up for monthly emails, don’t now send me a newsletter daily!
One of the reason people unsubscribe from lists is lack of segmentation. Be sure to know why people subscribed and what information they want to get from you.
You can segment your list by frequency (monthly, weekly, daily, etc.), by product category (hair products or dog food), or maybe I just want to receive info on specials that you run monthly. Give me the option to opt in for other newsletters.
Create Kick-Ass Content!
Because that’s why people signed up!
Even if you have the most beautiful design, if the content doesn’t live up to the promise you made, then unfortunately this won’t work.
Quick tip: before you promise daily emails, make sure you have the resources to create them! And not just churn them out. Provide value every single day!
It’s A Wrapp!
The more you do, the better you’ll become.
Play around with the features and see what your audience responds to. If your open-rate is low, don’t be shy to ask for input from your readers. User-generated content is invaluable.
If you’re using a different email marketing software, leave us a comment below and tell us what you love about it.
