MailChimp Review & Guide

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MailChimp is undoubtedly one of the big players in the arena of email marketing services for online business owners?  But there’s been a lot of coffee shop talk among solopreneurs about some of its features and whether it’s worth the price (it’s a lot pricier than other email marketing services).

So, I decided we’d take a look at MailChimp and figure out whether this email marketing service is the best one for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to keep in touch with their readers and manage their mailing list subscribers.

But first, there’s absolutely no denying the fact that if you wish to be highly profitable online, you MUST build an email list. Selling to warm leads and existing customers is far easier than trying to convert cold visitors (prospects).

This is why you see marketers constantly parroting the quote, “The money is in the list!” That’s definitely true. However, let’s not forget a crucial component in all of this. The money may be in the list – but where you keep the list matters greatly too.

The best way to build your list will be to use a reputable autoresponder. Since this is a very profitable online business model, there are many large companies offering email marketing services.

So, which will you choose?

They’re all not made equal. Some are infinitely better than others. So, you have to pick an autoresponder carefully.

What is MailChimp?

Why You Need a Proven Email Autoresponder System

Running and operating an online business isn’t easy. We’re all struggling with burnout these days.

In fact, 52% of Americans say they burned out in 2021. Pushing yourself to grow for growth’s sake in 2022 just might overwhelm you with the possibility of burning out again.

Here’s the thing.

When it comes to scaling your business, you have to grow in a way that works best for YOU rather than allowing that burnout to sneak back in.

In general, there are three ways you can accomplish this:

• Automate routine or mindless tasks with software
• Delegate or outsource tasks to new hires, agencies, or virtual assistants
• Eliminate to-dos that don’t matter to the bottom line

Sound like a lot to figure out?

Luckily, you can do all three of these really well with email marketing. However, an ESP is the most important piece of technology to support your email marketing strategy.

Email marketing is one of the most powerful methods to build relationships and market your products and services to your audience.

Ditch Self-Hosted Autoresponders

Avoid using self-hosted autoresponders! They’re usually created by ‘smaller’ marketers and lack the features and automation that the managed services provide.

Very often, the self-hosted autoresponders only have one thing going for them – a low one-time fee. But you always get what you pay for. If you have deliverability issues, etc. you’ll have to sort them out yourself.

Not to mention, most self-hosted autoresponders do not have as many integrations and customization features as the ‘big guns’. So, it’s best to pick a managed solution even if it means forking out a monthly or yearly fee.

Mention autoresponders and you’ll always see a few big names being mentioned.

Very often, the name MailChimp will make an appearance and you’ll see marketers raving about it. Boasting many features and integrations, as well as quick and friendly support, they do sound like a powerhouse email marketing tool. But does it live up to the hype?

Let’s look at the pros and cons of MailChimp …

Benefits of MailChimp  

Free Account

One of MailChimp ’s best features is its free account that allows you up to 2000 subscribers. This is a very generous freemium that many marketers will benefit from, especially if they’re on a tight budget.

• Up to 2,000 email contacts
• Up to 10,000 email sends a month. That means that if you have those 2,000 contacts, you can send them an email 5 times a month.
• You can have 1 audience with the free plan–so 1 list, basically.
• You can employ tagging and basic segmentation.
• You can use behavioral targeting–this basically means that you can tailor your emails to specific people (e.g., those who open your emails or engage with your website in a certain way).
• You have access to surveys.
• You also have access to an audience dashboard and contact profiles for each of your contacts.
• Basic templates are included with your free account when creating emails.
• You can build and publish a website with analytics, as well as having access to a free MailChimp domain. You also have the option to buy a domain name through MailChimp and connect an existing domain name.
• Automations are available. They’re single-step, however. So, you don’t have access to the ‘customer journey builder’ as it’s called or more complicated automation with multiple starting points.
• You get access to landing pages, social posts, and Facebook and Instagram ads.
• You get basic reports and support.

In-depth Knowledgebase

The truth is that MailChimp is NOT as easy to use as other email marketing tools such as AWeber, ConvertKit or GetResponse. There’s a learning curve with MailChimp.

However, if you go through the extensive tutorials, you’ll be able to use it proficiently in no time at all.

Attractive Email Templates

The email templates in MailChimp are truly beautiful and very visually appealing. This is a far cry from ConvertKit’s almost dull text-based emails.

If appearances are important to you (especially if you’re into e-commerce), MailChimp is the autoresponder you need.

Wide Selection

Not only are the email templates attractive, but there’s a large selection of them for you to choose from. With more than 100+ templates, you’re spoiled for choice here.

Email Deliverability Reporting

MailChimp provides excellent data and reporting that’s very thorough. It beats many of the other autoresponders in this area. So, if you’re looking for an email marketing tool that has detailed analytics, MailChimp is the answer.

A/B Split-testing

You can do split testing of your emails, subject lines, etc. However, MailChimp doesn’t have Infusionsoft’s level of sophistication. The A/B testing is basic but still good enough for most beginner/intermediate marketers.

Integrations

MailChimp integrates with several 3rd party tools/apps so that you can take your email marketing to the next level. Some of the most popular integrations it has are: Shopify, Zapier, Magento, Google Analytics, Canva, Stripe, Square, EventBrite, PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, and much more!

Extras/Important Details

Besides the ones listed above, MailChimp has many of the usual features the other autoresponder tools have such as list segmentation, automation, scheduling, and so on.

It’s just as competitive as any popular email marketing tool on the marketplace. Their support desk is excellent too.

Drawbacks of MailChimp  

The biggest negative when it comes to MailChimp is that the pricing is quite steep once you get past the free plan. The amount you pay will depend on your list size and the features you want.

But it’s definitely more expensive than other email marketing software like AWeber and GetResponse.

Besides that, another huge downside is that MailChimp does not allow affiliate marketing. If you’re promoting affiliate products, you’ll be better off with another email marketing tool.

Pricing Package

Of course, we can not leave out pricing in this Mailchimp review. How much does it cost to use Mailchimp?  Jam-packed with all those features to consider, let’s take a look at what MailChimp really costs. While MailChimp provides great value in its features, its costs are significantly higher than the competition. But you wouldn’t see that just from a quick glance at the pricing page.

Below you can find the prices based on the number of contacts you need to manage.

Is MailChimp Right for You?

Since MailChimp allows you to enjoy a free plan of up to 2000 subscribers, you may want to give it a try and see if it’s for you. Ultimately, what matters when it comes to using email marketing software is that you feel comfortable using it and it should have the features you need.

Nonetheless, while MailChimp has cool reporting and you can tag your subscribers (unlike with MailerLite for instance), it’s not nearly as versatile with segmenting as ConvertKit.

It’s for this reason that I strongly suggest you check out MailerLite instead. You can do everything you can with MailChimp but for free. If you’d like to learn more about MailerLite, check out my MailerLite review here and Email Funnels 101, a powerful video course by Angie Gensler

Yet, if you’re still sold on MailChimp and think that it just might be what you’re looking for in an autoresponder, you can sign up for a paid subscription below:

>>> Click Here to Get MailChimp <<<

Further Reading:

How Do I Create a New List in MailChimp?

How Do I Create Groups in MailChimp?

MailChimp User Reviews

Please leave your own MailChimp review below. We are always looking for users to give their two cents on this software.

1) What do you like about this software?
2) What do you dislike about this software?
3) Who would you recommend it to? Who is it best for?
4) How did this software contribute to your business?
5) What are your experiences with email marketing services? Is there a particular service you’d like to see reviewed?

Let me know in the comments section below.