The How and Why of Mailchimp Integration
Email integration – the most powerful tool you’re not using.
In this post we are going to break down for you one of ShopKeep’s premier integration features that can help supercharge your business: Mailchimp integration.
So, let’s get started…
What is Mailchimp and how can it help?
Plain and simple, Mailchimp is an email marketing platform. Beyond that however, Mailchimp is a powerful tool that allows ShopKeep merchants to engage with their most loyal customers. Using insights from purchasing behaviors, merchants can customize emails and run robust campaigns aimed at engaging customers and encouraging repeat visits.
But is it worth my time?
Well, that depends on a few factors. But in our opinion: yes. Email marketing can be crucial to your business. It builds your brand, grows word of mouth, drives repeat business, and is affordable. It’s also measurable, which is a huge plus for small business owners trying to optimize their time.
Put bluntly: If you aren’t email marketing, you’re losing out on an enormous opportunity to create relationships with customers that extend beyond your store’s four walls. Still need more convincing? Businesses on average see a nearly $40 return for every $1 spent on email marketing. That’s huge! So why wouldn’t you take email marketing out for a spin?
SEE ALSO: Email Marketing Matters: 5 Tips for Success
Sounds great! Now how do I get started?
Awesome, you’ve made a solid decision. The process of integrating your ShopKeep POS system with Mailchimp will only take a few minutes. Before you begin your integration process, however, there are a few things you need to do.
1. Sign up for a Mailchimp account.
It’s easy to create an account, not to mention free.
2. Create a list or import subscribers to a list in Mailchimp.
This is an important step to complete before you begin the integration process. This way, you’ll have a list that your ShopKeep customers will be added to once you complete your setup of the integration.
Now that you have a few logistics out of the way, our support staff has put together an easy-to-follow Mailchimp Integration Tutorial to get you going. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions and you’ll be up and running in no time.
Ok, so what features of Mailchimp should I use first?
The world is your email-marketing oyster with Mailchimp. But there are a few things you should do first after integrating your ShopKeep POS system with Mailchimp.
Build Campaigns
Now that you have your lists built, you’re ready to start creating campaigns and sending out emails. Composing emails in Mailchimp is simple using their drag-and-drop feature. We recommend you use your first email as a template for future campaigns. The next time you go to send out an email you simply duplicate the previous email and substitute new content for old. Trust us, this drastically cuts down the time you spend on your email marketing efforts.
View Reports
Just because you’ve sent out a few emails doesn’t mean your job is done. Email marketing is an ongoing process. Data you collect via Mailchimp’s campaign reports needs to be analyzed to determine how you can increase future engagement. A few things to look at while viewing reports are your open and click-through rates.
But what if I need additional help using Mailchimp?
The thing we love so much about Mailchimp, is that they’re not only a powerful platform, but also have quality support and educational videos. You can also browse the ShopKeep Mailchimp and Integration page for help on troubleshooting your integration and to read our Mailchimp FAQs.
Ready to send…
Your Mailchimp integration is complete. Congrats! Like most aspects of running a small business, however, maintaining your email marketing campaign takes time and patiences. No one becomes an email marketing whiz overnight. But to get you started down that path, here’s an additional Mailchimp tutorial to check out. And as always, we’re here to help. Have questions? Comments? Leave them in the comment section below or tweet us @ShopKeep.
Want to try ShopKeep for yourself?
Just answer a few easy questions.
Need help finding the right point of sale?
Just complete the form. We’ll call you right back to explain how ShopKeep can work for you.
Hit the ground running.Sprinting, in fact!
Read our free, comprehensive guide, Small Business 101, to learn all you need to know about starting a thriving business.