Chimp Answers Blog
Stay up to date with our most recent news and updatesThe “Fundies”
These are what we consider to be the “fundamental” articles on using Mailchimp effectively… if you’ve not checked them out yet… make sure you do!
Mailchimp Fundies
Audiences
Why Mailchimp works best with one audience. Read >>>
Segmentation
How to segment your audience for success. Read >>>
Database
How does Mailchimp’s database Actually work? Read >>>
Automations
How a Mailchimp Automation actually works. Read >>>
Deliverability
Best Practices for hitting the inbox. Read >>>
Marketing Fundies
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The Blog
Our continuously growing resource on all things Mailchimp, Email Marketing and Marketing… search it or scroll to see the main topics…
We talk Covid, business and what we would do differently if we started over
Recently I got together with an expert panel and talked about how Covid had affected our businesses and also pondered if we were to start our business or career again right now, what would we focus on or do differently?
How to send repeated reminder emails
Sending repeated reminder emails to lots of people is not that easy to achieve in many systems. Here at Chimp Answers we like a challenge and so we spent time playing around with Mailchimp to work out how you can set up repeated reminder emails.
Top Mailchimp hacks everyone needs to know
Most people will probably only use the basics of what Mailchimp can offer and will be missing out on some awesome capabilities. To help you out, a few of us “experts” got together to share our Top Mailchimp Hacks Everyone Needs To Know.
At what point is a subscriber GONE?
Keeping your audiences organised and relevant is an important part of email marketing, but how do we know when a subscriber is really ‘gone’…as in, they are in your audience (list) but really shouldn’t be…and actually, perhaps, don’t want to be?
What’s your name?
Your name matters, especially when it comes to emails. Email is sent from an individual to an individual and for most small businesses your email needs to come from a named person in the business and not “sales” or “info”. Why? Let me explain…
What do to with Unsubscribed and Cleaned Emails In Mailchimp
To understand what to do, (if anything) you need to get a handle on what these terms mean to you and Mailchimp. Once you know this, it’s a lot easier to handle.
What email newsletter sign up incentives work best?
“How do I build an email list?” is a regular question within the Chimp Answers community. I’ve spoken to 8 other industry experts to get their opinion on what makes a good incentive when it comes to encouraging email newsletter sign up.
The Perfect Fit
Don’t make it difficult for your customers to say yes…don’t put up unnecessary barriers. Make sure your potential clients know why you are the perfect fit, so that buying from you is a no brainer.
MailChimp Groups vs Tags
Mailchimp Tags vs Mailchimp Groups How to decide which you should be using..."There has to be an answer..."Struggling to understand who your customer actually is?...and what motivates them? Use this FREE Customer Avatar Worksheet to develop your marketing activities...
No email response doesn’t mean no thank you
MailChimp says, on average a resend will increase your overall open rates by 8.7% so should we be taking no for an answer?
Are you letting the tail wag the dog? Take control of technology.
Are you letting technology dictate your marketing when you know what you’re trying to do is the right thing for the business?
You can’t let the tail wag the dog and here’s why.
The power of signals of proof…
The most powerful signals of proof usually come in two main varieties…from someone we know and trust personally, or from a trusted body. If you need someone to help with your Mailchimp…(hint: you’re already in the right place!)…I’m a Certified Mailchimp Expert.
Be Somebody Else In Your Emails
When an email is received, the first thing anyone does is look at who it’s from and connects this with previous knowledge or expectations associated with that name.
Email Open Rates Don’t Matter
Stop looking at open rates and start looking at the actual opens because email open rates don’t matter when it comes to analysing marketing performance.
Mailchimp Landing Pages
Mailchimp Landing Pages are very easy to use, but before you do make sure you understand how you are going to use them in your business…here are some ideas to get you started.
Managing Account Access
Who has access to your Mailchimp account?… How you should manage users and agencies who have access to your data in a GDPR & Data Protection world.
Mailchimp Customer Journeys – First impressions
Mailchimp Customer Journeys are here, something many Mailchimp users have been asking for, for a while. I’ve been getting deep into the weeds over the last few weeks and here’s a hit list of my first impressions.
Mailchimp Customer Journeys – Who can use them?
With Customer Journeys, Mailchimp are stepping up their automation game, but as ever, your ability to use them are dependent on which level of Mailchimp you’re on. Here’s a quick break down of what you can do at each level.
Mailchimp Customer Journeys – Introduction
If you want to succeed at email marketing, you need to be thinking about automation and with Mailchimp Customer Journeys it just got a whole lots easier.
The Power Of The Niche
When you niche into a specific area or marketplace, your message becomes amplified and focused. It resonates with the people it’s targeted at and is more likely to get them to take action.
Testing An Automation
Testing an automation is as important as building one. You NEED to test so that you are confident they are gong to the right people at the right time. This Gmail ‘+’ hack will help.
The importance of a clear out
It’s amazing what you find lurking in your cupboards. Cleaning your Mailchimp audience (getting rid of the zombies) is easier than cleaning out your wardrobe! And what’s better is that it benefits you in two ways.
The Segmentation Rules of Mailchimp & Email Marketing
If you want to succeed in Mailchimp, then you really need to be segmenting your database, but where do you draw the line? When can you segment too much?
Why Consent is so Important in Marketing
Consent is one of the most powerful things a prospect can give you. Consent will always improve your marketing results – or kill them if you don’t have it.
Mailchimp Free Domain For 5 Years
Mailchimp have recently started a promotion offering free domains to their customers. Here’s an insight into the detail and if it’s right for you
Change Your Point of View
When you look at a dice from one side, what number do you see?… What about someone opposite you, what number do they see?… This is why your marketing fails.
Contacting Mailchimp
Sometimes, even here at Chimp Answers, we can’t solve your issues… and you need to speak direct to Mailchimp. Here’s how you can contact Mailchimp directly.
Omnivore and Getting out of MailChimp Jail
Sometimes with emails, things go bad. Don’t fret if you get tabbed by Omnivore, it’s usually easy to solve – as long as you haven’t done something bad!
Why Do You Need a Customer Avatar?
If a customer avatar is such an essential part of marketing (and it is) why do so many businesses not use them? Here are 7 reasons why everyone should.
See In Colour
…before we hired Chimp Answers to help with our marketing, all we could see was black and white… now, we see in colour
Customer Avatars – Getting Clear on What They Are
A Customer Avatar is NOT a target market, but something much more powerful – knowing the difference could really power up your marketing
Email Matters
Times are challenging for everyone, and email is still one of the great ways you can communicate with people – but only if you do it the right way
Don’t Pay Too Much for Mailchimp
Recession or Boom, you don’t want to pay more than you need to. Keep your Mailchimp costs down with this checklist of Mailchimp budget tips.
How to get an email opened
If your email doesn’t get opened by the recipient, was it ever sent in the first place? You can influence your open rates… and here are the tools to use
Welcome Emails
First impressions last and your first email to someone is the most important one you’ll ever send, both to them, but also to ensuring you’re not marked as spam
Mailchimp – VAT in the UK
From February 17th 2020, Mailchimp is adding VAT it’s bills for UK business customers… read about it here and what to do if you are/are not VAT registered.
Speed Counts
If you’re not automating an immediate response to a form completion on your website, you are losing business. Don’t agree? Here are 6 reasons why speed matters
Should You Pay For Mailchimp?
A very common question asked about Mailchimp is “Should I upgrade and pay for Mailchimp?” Well… there are some reasons to upgrade… and some reasons not to
MailChimp Forms – Do They or Don’t They Suck?
MailChimp forms are a great part of the “free” support that MailChimp provides… but when you want to do more, could they be more a hinderance than a help?
Capturing Leads at Live Events: Part 1 – Planning
Live Events, Exhibitions and Expo’s are fantastic places to generate new leads… but if you don’t put some thought into them, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity to impress.
Capturing Leads at Live Events: Part 2 – Tools
Live Events, Exhibitions and Expo’s are fantastic places to generate new leads… and here are some of the tools you need to be using…
Who Knows Your Customer Best?
Who knows your customer best?… Unfortunately, many business owners fall into a trap and it can cause untold problems with their marketing if not addressed.
Taking Care Of You
What’s your Kryptonite when it comes to work?… and are you letting it guilt you into ignoring it because you think you need to ‘push through’?… think again
Tracking Link Clicks in Emails
Can you track links in emails and update people’s information? Why would you want to?… This article will set the record straight and make it clear to see what options are available
Subscriber Alert Emails Not Being Sent?
Mailchimp new subscriber alerts not sending? – it could be because you’re not using a Mailchimp form – here’s why it happens and a workaround
Learning SEO
I recently went on an SEO conference and i picked up some useful search tips. Here’s the things I learnt – including the no click search.
Mailchimp News: September 2019
Struggling to understand who your customer actually is?...and what motivates them?Use this FREE Customer Avatar Worksheet to develop your marketing activities with a specific person in mind and ensure you know what to say and where to say it.Download it now!...
Creating Multi-Step Automations in a Free MailChimp Account
From June 15th 2019, all new Free Mailchimp accounts will have some limitations regarding their usage... and one of them is the ability to create multi-step automations. ...but there is a workaround, and in this video I'll show you exactly how you can still create...
Mailchimp Update May 2019
UPDATED Monday 20th May 10am (London BST) On Monday December 9th, Chimp Answers is running a live, one day training event on how to build an email marketing system using Mailchimp. The training will be recorded and made available to all attendees. If you're struggling...
Mailchimp and Shopify
Not Kissing in a Tree Anymore?
There was a time, not long ago, where Mailchimp and Shopify were all happy and in love…
…but then something changed… and now Mailchimp users who have Shopify e-commerce sites are thinking that it’s curtains.
…but is it?
Audiences are the new lists
Struggling to understand who your customer actually is?...and what motivates them? Use this FREE Customer Avatar Worksheet to develop your marketing activities with a specific person in mind and ensure you know what to say and where to say it. Download it now!...
Authentication – Done For You
Hey guys, if you're interested in getting your main email domain authenticated, which will massively improve your chances of getting an email into an inbox (and not the spam/promo folder), then we might be able to help each other. I'm looking to record some videos...
MailChimp Website Forms – A Request to All Web Designers
An open message to all web designers (please note, I don't mean to tarnish all web designers out there with the same brush, I know several web designers who are really good and take much of this post into account... it's just there are lots of others out there who...
MailChimp Unsubscribes – They Are Actually A Good Thing
Nobody likes to be rejected. I remember the first time I got dumped it hurt like hell... I didn't think I'd done anything wrong and so to be told that I wasn't wanted was not a nice feeling. ...but as we grow older and we get used to rejection, we kinda know when it's...
MailChimp Planning – Concluding Thoughts
This is the last of a 5 part series on MailChimp planning. You can read the first post here, and then about sending, storage and capture. Alternatively, you can get a download of all 5 posts as a easily readable pdf by clicking Here. The Cheshire Cat had it right......
MailChimp Planning: Capture – How to get the data…
This is the 4th of a 5 part series on MailChimp planning. You can read the first post here, and then about sending, storage and the conclusion. Alternatively, you can get a download of all 5 posts as a easily readable pdf by clicking Here. Capture Hopefully,...
MailChimp Planning: Storage – Where to put everything
This is the 3rd of a 5 part series on MailChimp planning. You can read the first post here, and then about sending, capture and the conclusion. Alternatively, you can get a download of all 5 posts as a easily readable pdf by clicking Here. Any good system needs fuel...
MailChimp Planning: Sending – The Emails Drive the Process
This is the 2nd of a 5 part series on MailChimp planning. You can read the first post here, and then about storage, capture and the conclusion. Alternatively, you can get a download of all 5 posts as a easily readable pdf by clicking Here. Start with the end in mind...
MailChimp Planning: Introduction – Where to Start?
This is the first of a 5 part series on MailChimp planning. You can also read the other posts about sending, storage and capture and the conclusion. Alternatively, you can get a download of all 5 posts as a easily readable pdf by clicking Here. When you start with...
MailChimp Tags – Do They Serve a Purpose?
On 31st July 2018, my heart skipped a beat... MailChimp "finally" was introducing tags to their system! Hallelujah!... Tags are something I've been hoping for pretty much since I started using MailChimp... The ability to easily "tag" someone, and communicate with...
MailChimp & Book Like A Boss
Being Slick... I recently decided I needed to be a bit slicker with my diary and started looking around for a tool that would allow people to book time with me, whether a short free session to discuss MailChimp related stuff, or a longer session where they could "buy"...
Form Software: The Hunt for Perfection – MailMunch
One of the first things you realise once you start pushing MailChimp harder is that although their form solutions are great from a starting point and (mostly) easy to get your head around... once you start stepping things up they struggle. The biggest issue is that...
Who are YOU racing?
Recently, on Facebook (where I seem to be spending lots of time!), someone I know was feeling a bit in the dumps. His business wasn't progressing as fast as some of his contemporaries and he was struggling to understand why he was, in his eyes, failing. Now, more than...
Live Events and MailChimp Subscribe (Video)
We live in an online world... and using MailChimp and forms which you can embed in a website is all well and good when we focus on online... ...but what about when you meet someone in person? Networking and events are a core part of all business and just because...
Unsubscribes, Deletes and GDPR in MailChimp
Struggling to understand your customer's path? Use this FREE customer path tracker to develop your marketing activities and ensure no-one gets lost on the way. Download it here!Every day you are throwing money away..."Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted;...
A Post GDPR Email Marketing Rally Cry…
That picture above... That's my inbox at the moment. I was so popular yesterday. So many people telling me how valued I am and that I really needed to be on their list... and how they've got a shiny new privacy policy to show me. Today... nada... my inbox...
Adding Hidden Groups to a MailChimp Embedded Form (Video)
Running the world's biggest MailChimp group on Facebook leads to lots of questions being asked. Whether it's about list structure, email formatting or automation, there's a wide variety of subjects. One question that seems to come out more than most is about using...
Lists, Unsubscribes and GDPR
GPDR is affecting us all... and we might need to change how we do things... If you’re in the UK/EU, no matter where you look, GDPR is likely to be something thats discussed - and unless you’ve been under a rock, you understand that it’s going to lead to a massive...
When an existing subscriber completes a form…
The Double Edge of FormsDespite outward appearances, MailChimp is actually a very powerful system that can form the backbone of many businesses marketing activity. The right combination of forms and an appropriately structured account can help drive your...
MailChimp Landing Pages: Update
The main man behind chimpanswers.com and the MailChimp Answers Facebook Group. What this man doesn't know about MailChimp... Proficient in all things MailChimp, Marketing and Systems
You’ve Got to Have a Process
A 70's board game can be an inspiration... Growing up in the UK in the '80s was a great experience for me. I was lucky, I lived in a quiet cul-de-sac, meaning I and my friends in the area were regularly out and about playing on the streets. Whether...
Training Fail
How buying an online course could be hurting your business... A Tick In the Box A couple of months ago, I was excited and looking forward to attending a 2 day entrepreneur event up in London. ...a trip up to 'the smoke'... catch up with old...
Be Somebody Else
Every wanted to be somebody else? If you're an agency or a VA, running from someone else's account can be a challenge at times - especially when a campaign generates a load of "replies" to the address used to send it. That's why I use a false...
Event Feedback Matters
Each quarter I attend a national meet up for Entrepreneurs in the UK. It’s for an organisation I’ve been part of for over 4 years and is something I always look forward to. It’s an opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues in similar situations (running...
Learn to Love MailChimp
When I was 13 years old, ...I started watching American Football on Channel 4 in the UK. It was on Sunday evenings and it was either that or religious programming, and being a teenage boy, the choice wasn’t hard. Apart from my Grandparents living in Long...
MailChimp Training – Dates
I'll be running two 1 day MailChimp training courses in the last 2 weeks of October close to Woking in Surrey. Kickstart MailChimp - Tuesday 17th Oct Stop wasting time and energy trying to teach yourself something. Spend a concentrated day SuperCharge...
Walkthrough – Missing First Name (Video)
When I was a kid... I loved watching Cheers. Norm, Sam, Cliff, Carla... it was the place where everybody knew your name. ...but sometimes, you don't know their name... and when it comes to email personalisation... how do you manage that? Well, it's a...
Walkthrough – MailChimp Beginners Guide: Part 2 (Video)
This is the second video in a two part series. This covers how to use the MailChimp hosted forms and send a campaign. The previous video (which can be seen here) covers account set up and data. The first part of this two part series can be seen here....
Video Walkthrough – MailChimp Beginners Guide: Part 1
This is the first video in a two part series. This covers how to set up the account and structure your data. The next video (which can be seen here) covers forms and campaigns. The second part of this two part series can be seen here. Recent...
Video – Lists, Groups, Fields & Segments
Looking for the key? One thing that always come up when i'm running training courses is the data management side of things. ...which is why I recorded a video on the keys to data management in MailChimp, i.e. when to use Lists, Groups, Fields and Segments....
The Ultimate Guide to the Double Opt In – When Yes doesn’t mean Yes…
I had a lovely dinner last night with my wife. We cooked seafood tacos and they were extremely tasty… and also a bit on the spicy side. Half way though, she asked me if I wanted some extra spicy salsa… (it was hot!), and I said yes… She then said… are you sure… to...
Happy Birthday to us!
On Sunday February 28th 2016, I was almost "bullied" into creating the MailChimp Answers Facebook group. I was at an event close to Heathrow Airport and James Nicholson, who was running it, kept pushing me to do it, but I wasn't convinced. I was a marketing...
Resend a MailChimp Campaign to Non-opens
One question that I get asked an awful lot when it comes to MailChimp is my open rates are so low - how do I resend a campaign to those who haven't opened it? MailChimp makes it very easy to target those people, and here's a short video I recorded which...
Removing unwanted styles from your email design
When you set up a template, or even use one that someone else supplies, you probably want to do some tweaking to it - and then start messing with code - which causes other issues. That's why whenever I start messing around with a template, I stop. I then...
Resending an existing MailChimp campaign to new additions to your list
Using the “Personalise To” to improve deliverability
A recent question in my MailChimp support Facebook group caused me to do a bit more investigation as it was an area that I'd not really looked into massively - the "personalise to" option. I knew it had some impact on deliverability, but wasn't sure how much... but...
How to send a campaign to just yourself
Changing the background colour on your MailChimp forms
Why Not to Use MailChimp Video Blocks…
We all know how important video is nowadays with our marketing, whether it's YouTube, Facebook live or just some videos in your website. Using MailChimp to distribute your video is great as people LOVE clicking on videos in emails. Here's a few things to remember if...
The Big Red Button… Don’t give in to temptation!
Sometimes, being able to do things 'right this second' isn't always the right thing to do. We live in a world were instant gratification is the norm. It used to be that if you wanted to watch a TV programme, you had to make sure you were in. 'Appointment viewing'...
MailChimp Forms… Suck
There is no doubt in our minds, MailChimp is a fantastic tool for small businesses. It lets you organise and send marketing emails, allows you to be clever and produce nice looking emails... and gives you the ability to track who's opened them. It's also got a very...
Does Email Design Matter?
Just a quick note... the file I mention in the video is only available via the Facebook group and is just for MailChimp... so if you use MailChimp, visit the group...
Choosing the right MailChimp Training Course for you…
Choice can be challenging at times... Sometimes, you just want to have the choice made for you, so you can concentrate on just driving through. Other times, you might want to spend hours selecting exactly the right thing for you... Either way, there's always the...
When does MailChimp decide who to send a scheduled future campaign to?
I've been playing around with some of my client accounts recently in MailChimp and setting up some future campaigns for them. These are campaigns that when you get to the final "send" page, you don't press send (I'd argue you should never press send!), but rather...
Why Are Most Small Businesses Useless At Using Email For Marketing?
I got my first email account in 1996... and I've been in love with email ever since. Who knows exactly how many emails I received over the last almost 20 years... 500,000... a million... more... however much it is, I still love getting them. I'm an emailaholic.......