This post has been sponsored by MailChimp. All opinions are my own.
It seems like everyone is talking about either side hustles or start-ups these days. We're living in a "follow your dreams" era and I absolutely love it! Technology is allowing us to pursue our passions in a way previous generations never could have imagined. Just as important as ideas are the business tools that bring them to fruition. Today I'm going to show you how to take your side hustle (or full time small business) to the next level with MailChimp. MailChimp's email automation and order notifications streamline your shop, help you communicate with your customers better and enables you to build a stronger brand.
As you guys know, my side hustle is designing and selling my original knitting patterns. I already use MailChimp for my blog's newsletter and I've been pleased with all the features and insights it offers. Naturally, I wanted to utilize MailChimp for my shop. The holidays are coming up, bringing with them the biggest shopping days of the year (Black Friday/Cyber Monday). I'm going to show you how I'm preparing for the holiday rush (and freeing up some much-needed time!) with MailChimp.
My online store: www.ShopGinaMichele.com
I use Shopify for my store which seamlessly integrates with MailChimp. Shopify has an app store which allows you to connect your shop to MailChimp by simply pressing a button.
Why use MailChimp?
MailChimp is an excellent resource for all small business owners. They've been around since 2001 and are used by more than 16 million people and businesses. In addition to email lists and automation, you can create Facebook and Instagram ads through MailChimp. The dashboard displays analytics that show you how much income your ads and automation generate.
What is email automation & why is it so important?
Email automation allows you to communicate with your customers without creating and sending manual emails. You can tailor the automatic emails to fit your brand and your voice. Think of email automation as an extra pair of hands that focus on administrative tasks which frees up time for you to create and grow your business.
What are the types of email notifications?
Abandoned Cart Email- Abandoned Cart Email- Abandoned carts occur when potential buyer put a product in their shopping cart and don't finish checkout. MailChimp offers a personalized email template that encourages customers to complete their purchase.
For my abandoned cart emails I made sure my contact info was clearly listed. If a question is preventing a customer from completing checkout, I want them to know that I'm available (and happy!) to help.
Product Retargeting Email- These are emails that are sent to customers 24 hours after they've viewed one of you best selling products and didn't make a purchase. These emails serve as a gentle reminder for customers to come back and take a second look.
Order Notifications- allows you to send receipts and invoices. They also inform your customers of shipping, returns and cancellations.
Increase sales & strengthen your brand with Order notifications
After connecting your Shopify store, MailChimp gives you the option to create personalized Order Notifications. Instead of sending out a plain, generic "Thanks for your order email", MailChimp allows you to create one with your logo and aesthetic. This allows the Order Notifications to be an extension of your brand.
Best of all, the Order Notifications include product recommendations like these:
These product recommendations can be included at the end of Order Confirmations, Shipping Confirmations and Order Invoices. Product recommendations are a great way to gain repeat business! They're also helpful to customers because they show them products they may have overlooked when visiting your store.
How to set up Order Notifications
Setting up Order Notifications through MailChimp is fast and straightforward. On the dashboard you will find the following page after click on the "Add" button in page shown above.
From here, you can choose each email, choose the recipients and edit the design to fit your brand's aesthetic. You also have the option of choosing which Order Notifications to send (you don't have to send every type)
Below is an example of an abandoned cart email created using MailChimp. The design and messages are customizable and you can choose to send the email 1 hour, 6 hours, or 24 hours after customers abandon their cart.
FYI- MailChimp also offers a short tutorial that shows you how to disable Shopify's generic, automatic messages so your customers are not receiving duplicate emails.
What does Email Automation with MailChimp cost?
I saved the best for last...Email Automation with MailChimp is FREE! This is a biggie because most other companies charge for Automation.
I can't recommend Email Automation enough! It's an invaluable resource that frees up time and allows us to serve our customers better.
Try Email Automation with MailChimp out for yourself Here!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of MailChimp.
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