Email Marketing for Beginners: Launch Your First Mailchimp Campaign (Free & Simple)

 


Email Marketing for Beginners: Launch Your First Mailchimp Campaign (Free & Simple)





Email might sound old-school, but it still works.



Better than social media in many cases. 



People check their inbox daily, and with the right message, it's easy to build trust, grow a business, or keep an audience engaged. 



And the best part? Getting started doesn’t cost a thing.






Step 1: Sign Up for Mailchimp

Head over to mailchimp.com and click the “Sign Up Free” button. 



The free plan allows up to 500 contacts and includes basic email automation,  perfect for beginners.




During sign-up, you’ll be asked to:


  • Confirm your email address

  • Provide some details about your business (can be personal if you’re just starting)

  • Choose an account name and industry

  • Add a physical mailing address (required by law — a P.O. Box works too)



A professional-looking email like you@yourdomain.com builds trust and helps your emails avoid spam folders.






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Step 2: Set Up Your Audience (Email List)

Every Mailchimp account starts with one audience. 




This is the list where all subscriber emails are stored.




To create or review the default audience:



  • Go to Audience in the dashboard.

  • Click Audience Settings → Audience Name and Defaults

  • Fill out sender details — your name, email, and company (if any).

  • Set a reminder for how people joined the list (e.g., “Signed up on website for free guide”).



These details appear in every email footer. 



It’s required by email laws and builds transparency with subscribers.





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Step 3: Build a Signup Form (So People Can Join Your List)

Now that the audience is set, it’s time to invite people to join.



In Mailchimp:


1.  Go to Audience → Signup forms


Choose:
    • Embedded Form (if you have a website)

    • Pop-Up Form (grabs attention)

    • Landing Page (great if you don’t have a site yet)



2.  Customize the fields: stick to name and email for now — fewer fields = more signups.



3.  Change button text to something clear like “Join the List” or “Get Free Tips.”



4.  Copy the embed code or form link and place it where your audience will see it.



Offer a freebie. Like a downloadable checklist, guide, or discount. It gives people a reason to hand over their email.





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Step 4: Create and Send Your First Campaign

Now for the fun part: sending an actual email.




Here’s how:

  • Click Campaigns → Create Campaign → Email

  • Choose Regular for a standard one-time email

  • Name the campaign (this is for your reference only)




Then, set up:



  • To: Select your audience list

  • From: Confirm your name and email

  • Subject Line: Use something eye-catching but clear

  • Preview Text: Add a little teaser that shows up next to the subject



Next, choose your email design:


  • Use a pre-made template or build a basic layout

  • Add a headline, paragraph, image, and a CTA button

  • Keep it mobile-friendly. Short paragraphs and large buttons



 Don’t overthink the content. A short, clear message works best:



  • State what the email is about

  • Give value (tip, update, offer)

  • Tell them what to do next (click, reply, download)



Once done, click Send Now or Schedule for later.





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Step 5: Automate a Welcome Email (Even on the Free Plan)

People expect a confirmation or welcome message when they sign up. 



Mailchimp lets you automate this even without paying.




To do it:


  • Go to Automations → Customer Journeys

  • Create a new journey

  • Set the trigger as “Contact signs up for audience”

  • Add an action → Send Email

  • Design the welcome email (thank them, introduce your brand, explain what’s next)



Now, every new subscriber gets this email instantly. No extra work needed.






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Tips to Grow Your List Faster

Building a list takes time, but here are a few proven tactics:



  • Add signup links to bios on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn

  • Embed the form in blog posts or sidebar

  • Offer free value (ebook, video, cheat sheet)

  • Use social proof: “Join 500+ others” works well

  • Ask directly: “Want tips like this every week? Sign up here”



Avoid buying email lists. They’re low quality, violate terms, and harm delivery rates.






READ ALSO: 

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Mistakes to Avoid

  • Writing subject lines that sound spammy or clickbait

  • Sending emails too often (once a week is fine to start)

  • Forgetting to test how the email looks on mobile

  • Ignoring your audience’s interests. Give value, not noise

  • Using “no-reply” sender emails. It feels cold


The key is to build trust, not just traffic.





Recap Checklist

Here’s everything to get started:



  • Create a free Mailchimp account

  • Set up your audience (email list)

  • Design a simple signup form

  • Publish the form on a site or social platform

  • Write and send your first campaign

  • Automate a welcome email

  • Start growing your list daily










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