1.  Introduction

MailChimp is an easy-to-use tool for use in your email marketing efforts.  MailChimp provides a list management functionality called an Audience. The Audience starts off empty but then ends up holding a collection of email addresses and names which you can then use for the ongoing offering of additional products and services through campaigns.

You will need to create an account and then create an Application Programming Interface (API) Key. The API key is used by software tools to communicate with each other. So, once you have the API key you can go back over to your WordPress site and you will use a subscription form and supply the API key, and now WordPress and MailChimp will communicate with each other.

Specifically, the communication that occurs is having people sign up on your website and then they are placed on your Audience in WordPress. Visitors provide their email addresses and which is passed to MailChimp and stored on the Audience List.

2.  Reading

This reading gives you an overview of MailChimp.
MailChimp 2021 V2

This reading covers integrating MailChimp with BizLaunch Builder.

MailChimp and BizLaunch Builder Integration BLU v1.0 optimized

3. Assignment

 

1. To kick off this assignment you first complete the connection between MailChimp and your WordPress site.
2. Next, you decide on what sort of campaign you want to run. You will build a Lead Magnet to offer up to site visitors who sign up on your registration form.
3. Advertise the Lead Magnet on your site along with the Registration form.
4. Using your business email, send out an email to an initial group of people. Clarify with your instructor how many you should send this to, 5-20 is a good number. In this email you will construct an offer to those on the mailing list and tell them can receive the offer by signing up on your site. Provide the link to your site and the Registration form on your site, in the email.
5. As people sign up you will see them appear in your MailChimp audience. Check this frequently.  Now you can send them the lead magnet, whatever that might be, using your business email. Welcome them to your business, provide the lead magnet you promised, and give them a hint about the next campaign you are planning to run.
6. Once you have fulfilled this for all those who signed up, congratulations you have completed your first basic campaign and are now working on your list for your business.
7. Optional, if you want to go further, you can create a Campaign in Mailchimp, based on your current Audience List, and you can target this Audience for a subsequent campaign.

 

 

4.  Summary

 

• • MailChimp provides a list management functionality called an Audience. The Audience starts off empty but then ends up holding a collection of email addresses and names which you can then use for the ongoing offering of additional products and services through campaigns.

• • Through your MailChimp account, you create an (API) Key.

• • On your website, you have placed a subscription form and added the API key to it so now MailChimp and WordPress are talking with each other.

• • Site visitors sign up on your website and then they are placed on your Audience in WordPress. Visitors provide their email addresses and that is passed to MailChimp and stored on the Audience List.