Building and nurturing an email list is paramount for businesses and creators. Having direct access to your audience allows you to foster relationships, promote products or services, and establish brand loyalty. A popular platform for SMB email marketing and list building is Mailchimp. This guide provides an overview of how to use Mailchimp for email marketing:

What is Mailchimp used for?

Mailchimp began as an email marketing service allowing businesses and individuals to design, send, and manage email campaigns. It has expanded beyond its core email functionality into a marketing automation platform with tools for creating landing pages, ads, and even simple websites.

Here we provide an overview of how to use Mailchimp to grow your audience with email signup forms. If you are brand new to email marketing, see our guides on how to do email marketing and email marketing strategy.

Mailchimp Signup Forms

The first thing to do is build your Mailchimp signup forms. These can then be embedded on your website, blog, or ecommerce store.

• Build your form: Click Audience > Signup Forms, if multiple audiences exist, select the desired one from the Current Audience drop-down at the top of the page > choose Form Builder.

• Simplicity is Key: A short form often has a higher conversion rate. Only ask for essential information, typically the email address.

• Design: Ensure the design is visually appealing and the form's look aligns with your brand to provide a seamless user experience.

Ways to Share Signup Forms

After customizing your Mailchimp signup form, you need to share it with potential subscribers. Note, all signup forms are mobile-responsive. And each signup form has its own URL which can be shared across various channels:

• Find your form: Click Audience > Signup Forms, if multiple audiences exist, select the desired one from the Current Audience drop-down > choose Form Builder, find your Signup Form URL and icons for sharing via social media or QR code.

• Embed on website: Mailchimp also provides HTML code for embedding signup forms on other platforms. Some sites will want offer an incentive to encourage visitors to sign up: a discount, a webinar, exclusive content, etc.

• Share on social media: If social media marketing aligns with your business strategy, share your Mailchimp signup form link across your social media channels. Regularly remind followers about the benefits of joining your email list. Read more below about the advantages of using a dedicated landing page.

• Display QR codes: Mailchimp provides QR codes for each signup form, leveraging their renewed popularity since the pandemic. These can be displayed at physical locations, on print materials, and during digital presentations.

• Actively engage at conferences and events: Conferences, trade shows, and events are excellent opportunities to expand your list. You can collect emails by having a physical signup sheet at your booth or through a digital kiosk or tablet where attendees can directly enter their details. If you speak or sit on a panel, invite attendees to sign up for follow-up materials.

Landing Pages vs Signup Forms

Landing pages, or standalone web pages, are distinct from simpler signup forms, and each serves a unique purpose.

While both aim to capture visitor details, landing pages present detailed descriptions of offers, products, or services, promoting actions like newsletter subscriptions or purchases through clear calls-to-action. In contrast, signup forms are usually concise, collecting just the essential information like an email address.

For pitches via paid ads or social campaigns, landing pages are often more effective than standard signup forms. A landing page can be used to showcase your email signup form, then promoted using the same methods described above.

Landing pages can be built on your own website, offering design flexibility, consistent domain branding, and potential small business SEO benefits, but this might require technical expertise and time. Alternatively, Mailchimp landing pages can be used for free and offer quick builds and conversion-optimized designs.

Single Opt-In: Immediate Subscriptions

It’s worth noting that Mailchimp used to be a double opt-in process, but today by default audiences use the single opt-in method. Unlike the double opt-in process which requires subscribers to confirm their subscription, the single opt-in method adds subscribers instantly. As soon as someone submits your signup form, they are added to your Mailchimp audience and their status is marked as a “subscribed contact.”

Mailchimp Mobile App

The Mailchimp mobile app (iOS and Android) has undergone various transformations over the years to better serve its SMB users. Currently, the full-featured app allows users to scan business cards for contact import, manage marketing campaigns, monitor performance, and more.

For users familiar with Mailchimp's older mobile apps, like Chimpadeedoo and Mailchimp Subscribe, the latest version of the mobile app represents a culmination of years of development and improvements. It is intended to provide a comprehensive email marketing solution while on the go.

More Considerations

• Engaging content: Remember, people don’t just subscribe; they stay for the content. Ensure that the content you send is engaging, helpful, and relevant. Healthy open and click-through rates will naturally lead to more referrals and organic growth.

• Leverage integrations: Mailchimp integrates with numerous platforms and tools. For instance, if you run an e-commerce store on Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce, you can integrate these platforms with Mailchimp to automatically add customers to your list. Learn how to use Mailchimp with Squarespace.

• Respect privacy and consent: Always ensure that your methods for collecting email addresses are compliant with laws and regulations, such as GDPR or CAN-SPAM. Being transparent about how you'll use subscribers' information can build trust and reduce unsubscribe rates.

Conclusion

Growing your email list is a continuous journey, not a one-time task. While Mailchimp provides a comprehensive toolkit to aid in these efforts, success lies in an effective strategy that combines these tools with an understanding of your audience's needs. By continuously testing, refining, and valuing your audience's feedback, you'll be better positioned to grow and maintain a thriving email community.