mailchimp for e-newsletters · mailchimp provides a way for you to send out e-communications to a...
TRANSCRIPT
Newsletter Editors Workshop
June 2, 2014
MailChimp for E-Newsletters
Presenters:
Ann Cotter
Jeanne Nugent
Thank-you for assistance:
Susannah Maxcy - Administrative Asst., Communications and Planning
Kim Brathwaite - Communications Associate
Laurie Fountain - Chair of the Communications Committee
Table of Contents
Pages 3 – 4 Email Blasting with MailChimp
Pages 5 – 7 Accessing MailChimp Support
Pages 8 – 16 Setting Up a MailChimp Account
Pages 17 – 23 Creating and Sending a Campaign
Pages 24 – 29 Creating an Email List
Pages 30 – 33 Using a Sign Up Form on the District Website
Page 34 Conclusion
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Email Blasting with MailChimp
MailChimp is an online email blasting program. An email blast, called a Campaign in
MailChimp, sends identical messages (e-newsletters) by email to a defined list of
subscribers.
MailChimp can be used on a computer or mobile device. There is nothing to download.
Setup a MailChimp account at:
http://mailchimp.com
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Uses of MailChimp
● Database, i.e. a list of the email for your members
● Generated Sign Up form to post on your website
● Unsubscribe form at the bottom of each email
● Update Your Preference form in each email
● System for grouping your members for targeted communications
● Newsletter editor with templates or auto design
● Newsletter testing
● Email campaigns
● Statistics on each email sent out
● Autoresponder
Pick and choose the uses that meet your needs! MailChimp apps are available
for iPad and Android, with limited functionalities.
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Accessing MailChimp Support
To access support, click on your account name.
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MailChimp Tutorials
Click on Video Index
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When you click Video Index, this list will appear.
Click on a title to view
the video.
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Setting Up a MailChimp Account
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MailChimp System Requirements
● Compatible browsers - Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer
(8 and above), Google Chrome. (The MailChimp Editor seems
to work best for us when using Mozilla Firefox.)
● Browser settings: enable cookies, pop-ups and JavaScript
● Latest version of Flash
● Minimum computer screen resolution of 1024 x 768
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• There is various pricing listed on the website.
• We use Entrepreneur which is free and you can send at one time to up to
2,000 subscribers.
Pricing
Remember you can sign up for free on MailChimp website,
http://mailchimp.com
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1. any valid private or public domain email address that you access
2. some information about yourself and the organization the MailChimp
account will be used for. All fields are required.
3. a website for your organization. E.g. http://district7.rto-ero.org/
You may also use a social media account, such as Facebook, Pinterest,
Twitter or a blog.
eg. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtoero-district7/
http://www.facebook.com/ann.cotter
Information Needed to Create an Account
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Signing up for MailChimp is very easy.
To sign up, click the Sign Up Free tab.
This screen will come up.
You will have to check the email that you signed up with in order to
activate your MailChimp account.
I used my District email
address to sign up with.
I chose my username as
‘lanark rto’.
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Once you have activated your account, filled in the code to show you are a human, and logged in,
you will be asked to fill in your profile. This page, and the following pages, contain information
you will be asked to fill in. You will need to enter your district’s website to use MailChimp.
I used my District email
address.
For first name I used
‘RTO Lanark’
Last Name - ‘District 29’
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District Name example::
Retired Teachers of
Lanark District 29
District website address.
example:
http://district29.rto-ero.org/
Address that will be
shown at the bottom of
your email.
I have used my own,
but you may have a
district contact address
you would prefer, such
as the President’s
address or if you are
fortunate to have a
District office, you could
use that.
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Profile Photo is
optional. I
uploaded an
RTO Logo.
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Video Review:
http://kb.mailchimp.com/article/whats-the-best-way-to-get-started-with-
mailchimp/#signup
Need help: Watch this video support to help you setup your account.
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Creating and Sending a Campaign
Campaigns are emails sent to a list of subscribers.
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Support found on MailChimp:
How can I create a campaign using the Campaign Builder?
http://kb.mailchimp.com/article/how-do-i-create-a-new-campaign/
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Most common campaign
When Regular ol” Champaign is chosen, you will have three template
choices to choose from.
Design experience not required.
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Example of using a
template with columns
for a campaign
You can choose from ready
made templates or create your
own.
Use the overall design bar.
Unlimited possibilities
Includes photo editor
User-friendly word processor
Shortcut function enabled
e.g. CTRL+X, CTRL+C,
CTRL+V.
Show Video on Creating a Campaign.
http://kb.mailchimp.com/video-index/
Click Working with Templates
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Considerations for an effective e-communication:
Remember: your reader is looking at a computer screen
or a mobile device screen
● Have an identifiable logo
● Include Contact information
● Keep information brief, concise and relevant.
● Format entries for easy reading
● Use visuals: pictures, graphics or video
● Make effective use of colour
● Use a white background, two columns, text font size a minimum 13 point and titles of 18
points
● Include a link to your website and to your District social media, such as Facebook, Twitter,
etc.
● Use white space effectively. Let the eyes rest!
● Suggest subscribers share the e-communications with others.
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Creating an Email List
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A Fast Way of Getting a List of Emails to Import…..
You can obtain a CSV file of all your District members from your District Membership Chair or
President. (Support is available for District Membership Chair or President to show them how to
download the membership list.)
You can provide a sign up sheet at District events for members to give you their name and email
address. This is especially helpful if members have changed their email and not notified the RTO
Provincial Office. Through this e-communication, website and hard copy newsletter, you can encourage
members to contact RTO Provincial Office of any changes.
* Under Add Subscriber select Import Subscribers. You can upload from a CSV or TXT file or
Copy/Paste from Excel.
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Imported list example
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Subscribers can
be added
manually, one at a
time under
heading Add
subscriber.
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MailChimp provides a way for you to send out e-communications to a segment of your subscribers.
This is referred to as targeted communication.
In order to send a campaign (email) to a segment of your subscribers, you will need to create groups and
segments. MailChimp provides instructional videos with examples of grouping and of segmenting.
What are Groups & How to Add Them to Your List: http://kb.mailchimp.com/category/getting-started/
Working with Segments: http://kb.mailchimp.com/category/getting-started/
Example of Segments
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Campaign statistics example
Beside your campaign, click on ‘View Report”.
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Using a Signup Form on the District Website
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Signup form choices
These forms can be added to your District websites so members are
able to sign up to your e-communications.
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District Webmasters can create a signup link
to your e-communications.
Example of a members’ signup link, created
on District 29 for MailChimp District 29
subscriber list. A link is provided when you
create a signup form in ‘General forms’.
* Support is available to help District
Webmasters link the Subscribe page on the
website.
Clicking on Subscribe to list leads to this form,
created in General forms. Subscribe to list was
linked to this signup form.
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Alternately, your District Webmaster
create a signup page on the District
website.
After creating a form in General
Forms, click Embedded forms,
choose the fields you want filled in,
copy and paste the code into your
webpage source code. Presto, when
someone clicks on my sign up link the
Subscribe to our mail list appears.
*Support is available to help District
Webmasters link the Subscribe page
on the website.
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There is lots to learn, which we are still discovering.
We encourage you to explore with MailChimp - try things, look at the support section
and tutorial videos.
A copy of this presentation can be found in RE-Net2 under the Newsletter Editors’
Conference in the MailChimp folder. Here you are invited to share your ideas and ask
questions.
If you have any questions or need some help, we can supply support through email,
TeamViewer or by Skyping.
Contact:
Laurie Fountain - [email protected] (Chair)
Jeanne Nugent - [email protected]
Ann Cotter - [email protected]
Conclusion
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