This checklist covers most or all of the steps needed to create and send a newsletter campaign using the MailChimp email marketing service.
Let us know if you need help!
Getting started
1. Have a plan
- Who are your readers?
- What content will you send?
- How frequently will you send?
- What are your goals?
- Make a schedule, put it on the calendar
2. Create a MailChimp account
- Read Terms of Use
- Read Acceptable Use Policy
- Read Privacy Policy
- Learn about Pricing
- Set up account
3. Create your contact list
- Import email addresses if applicable
- Create segments, groups, and tags as needed
- Create a sign-up form
- Publish sign-up form on your website(s)
- Invite people to sign up in person and on social media
4. Set up a reusable email template
- Edit the base template OIT has shared
- Create a e-newsletter header graphic in Canva and use it to replace the default header graphic in the template
- Edit standard sections of text that will be included in each email, like “Contact our office at:”
- Finalize design in campaign editor
Sending some emails!
5. Create your first campaign
- Determine who the email will be sent to.
- Choose a template
- Add, edit, and format content
- Preview online
- Proof content one more time
- Send!
6. Create additional campaigns
- Again, invite people to sign up in person and on social media.
- Replicate previous campaign if desired
- Update subject for Twitter/Facebook
- Send!
- Create an archive folder
- Add archives to website
7. Evaluate success
- Monitor open and click rates
- Monitor bounces, unsubscribes and complaints
- Evaluate times of day opened
- Evaluate patterns over time
- Adjust campaigns as necessary
