Being able to create editable templates for our clients. Once we uploaded the custom template they can then use it every month without worrying about the code, they just change the content and images. I also like the action based responses that you can set up for contacts. It allows scheduling of funnel messages based on particular action and time that has passed.
I've been creating email newsletter campaigns for over 10 years. With MailChimp I can set up an entire account with custom templates and rules in place for the client. From there they can change the content on their own. When they want another version of the email that is easy as well. Having dynamic fields built in to populate data from the contact database is great personalization that we can't do at scale.
Right now there are more features and functionality then most clients ever need or request. MailChimp is always innovating, adding new features, and functionality. I also like their lab projects which have created several very cool apps, especially the one for promoting events.
Over 9 years
No serious issues that we couldn't find a solution to.
Nope
No, even when we've had clients sending over a million emails a month we never saw a difference in delivery rates, bounce rates, etc. It scales without an issue.
I can't recall ever having to contact customer service in my 9+ years. The online guides and forums are pretty good at providing information for almost any scenario.
Technical Support:Top notch
Over the years we've used most of the popular platforms like Constant Contact, Vertical Response, and SilverPop. If you count the marketing automation tools as a ESP then we've also used HubSpot, Marketo, and Act-On. MailChimp is solid and easy to use for clients, but has all the power we need to build great campaigns, A/B test them, get them delivered, tracked, and report.
We usually set up complex accounts for clients, but the system is easy enough to use so while the capabilities of the account is complex and powerful...using it isn't.
In house.
That depends on clients and how much mail they send. Most clients are sending less then 250k with standard pricing while the big senders (million +) require custom pricing. When compared to other solutions the costs are competitive and the satisfaction I hear from my own clients is well worth it. I don't get calls about how to do this or that, errors, or problems. Email is usually time sensitive so I don't want anyone to have a problem at the 11th hour. With MailChimp we never ran into those issues.
Sure, from stand alone bulk email systems through the more commercial products like Constant Contact and Vertical Response. Each has their pros and I recommend all three, but I tend to recommend and use MailChimp more due to the ease of use for the client. When it's so easy for anyone in the office to use it makes managing and running campaigns that much easier.
Try it out with the free trial, here's the link for MailChimps free trial http://bit.ly/1dQHoak and also try out the other competitors. Most have free trials, so use that time to get familiar with the user interface, features, and functionality that you are looking for. A lot of times a feature on paper looks great, but when you go to use it you find that it doesn't work like you need it to. Take it for a test drive and find out for yourself.
The analytics are great for me because it helps me see who is interacting with the email and how many clicks I’m getting per edition. The templates are also very easy drag-n-drop setups that allow for quite a bit of customization.
As an author, I was going to a lot of effort to interact with fans and MailChimp has enabled me to make it easy for everyone to catch up on blogs they missed, see exclusive videos before it hits my YouTube channel, and catch up with the projects I’m working on. I feel it gives my monthly content longer life while helping me work smarter, not harder.
There are some YouTube elements that could be simplified. I’m unable to see the linked video render until I send myself a campaign (a test template doesn’t show the actual video) and that’s one thing that causes me to take extra steps before I send out the campaign.
The video embedding doesn’t render until you send a campaign, which makes it hard to see the layout. If I could test a template and see the total finished product, I’d rate this up to a 10. Also, from template to campaign, the sizing of the text changes so that certain elements look great in the template, but then skew in size when sent as a campaign. Not a huge problem, but it does throw off the look of the email. Otherwise, it does everything I need.
I’ve been sending out newsletters since December of 2014. I’m doing a monthly email to subscribers on my list and finding that is a good period of time, so right now I’m using the free plan as my newsletter is just a few months into production.
I was able to test send initial campaigns to myself before the first email went to subscribers, so deployment was smooth. The process gets faster and faster the more I use the MailChimp system.
I’ve not encountered any stability issues. Login is always fast and secure, and my account has never had any issues. All the campaigns have gone out at the exact day/time they were scheduled.
I was pleased to not have any issues. In fact, after a month, I found that a customized tab can be added to my Facebook author page to help me get more exposure. It has helped me gain traction and was very easy to link.
Emails are answered timely and follow-up is always good. They have a great site and a blog where you're connected with great content to help your knowledge build as you go.
Technical Support:MailChimp tech support is prompt and thorough. They helped me better understand their video element while being very patient. They have always followed up with me and don’t talk down to me, even when I have an obvious question.
I never used an email service such as MailChimp before – many others like Aweber. However, Aweber seems to have a cost to do what MailChimp’s free service matches.
Setup was easy as I just needed to login with Facebook. Understanding the creation of a template was easy as it is a drag-n-drop system. The implementation of a video element to the template was the most complex as I didn’t understand that the template doesn’t show *all* of what the campaign will look like.
I did it all myself.
I break even so far. In using the free version of this program, I have not made sales based on a buyer receiving a newsletter, and I haven’t had anyone unsubscribe. My YouTube channel has increased by at least 10 subscribers, and I consider that a decent ROI so far.
For those starting out, this free version gives you a very professional look. I feel that if you have a couple hundred subscribers on your list, you’d benefit more from upgrading to a paid program as the options really open up when you pay. I feel MailChimp offers competitive rates for the level of tech support they provide, and that the more extensive analytics would be of tremendous benefit.
I spoke with other authors who use Aweber programs and found out they were paying for elements that MailChimp already offered for free. I did not evaluate it personally and I have only ever sent out campaigns with MailChimp.
Don’t just write another blog to send out to subscribers. Really take in the options MailChimp offers and create something eye-catching and unique. Most authors I know simply write letters to fans. I have found I can offer freebie links, videos, image elements that link to past blogs, etc, and I like to keep it short and sweet. So far, this is working when competing with the valuable time of fans, and if click rates are low, don’t give up – change it up!
I forgot to mention that the testing tool and subject line tool are very useful. One of the most asked questions is "what should my subject line be". With the subject tool I can show a predictive score for certain subject lines. I hope they update it more often though.