MailChimp vs. iContact: Comparing Costs and User Experience

[PamperedK]

I need to reduce my costs and am very interested in Mailchimp...anyone have experience with both companies? I am very very happy with iContact I'm just not happy with the price, and MailChimp is much more wallet-friendly.

Would love feedback!

 

[alidafrizzell]

I need to reduce my costs and am very interested in Mailchimp...anyone have experience with both companies? I am very very happy with iContact I'm just not happy with the price, and MailChimp is much more wallet-friendly.

Would love feedback!

I too have been considering the same! Looking forward to the feedback!

 

[NooraK]

I use MC, and used to use iContact. It's been a while thoug. Check out the links at the bottom of the page for previous discussions.

 

[PamperedK]

Thanks! I tried searching but the search on this forum is strange...That really helps - I think I'm going to make the switch! $25 / month is a LOT of money if there's a free version available.

 

[PampChefJoy]

iContact has a free version for under 500 now too... how many contacts do you have?

 

[PamperedK]

I have over 1500 not including my team.

The only thing I'm not sure about with mail chimp is uploading contacts. I like that I can copy and paste into icontact. It looks like I either have to go one at a time or upload a cvs file in MC.

When I was talking to their tech support yesterday they told me I have to keep records of customers opting into my newsletters. I tell people when I'm at my shows that if they put their email address down they will be included in my mailing list but theres no opt in or out option. Do you think that's an issue??

 

[PampChefJoy]

I always figured them putting their email address down on my order form or drawing slip was an implied "opt-in". On my order form, I had "for newsletters and specials" in small print under the line for email address so they knew what it was for.

I think you do have to import a CSV file but it's only one step more to create the excel file and save.

 

[PamperedK]

I always figured them putting their email address down on my order form or drawing slip was an implied "opt-in". On my order form, I had "for newsletters and specials" in small print under the line for email address so they knew what it was for.

I think you do have to import a CSV file but it's only one step more to create the excel file and save.

Ok thanks.

Yeah I'm just lazy. The way I do things now, I send a Thank You email the day after a show, so I just copy the emails from the "Bcc" line of my email, so they're not all in list form, which makes it harder to paste to excel...but not a big deal, just one tiny step...I think that's worth saving $25 / month!

 

[PamperedK]

Ok I transferred all my contacts and sent my July specials through MC. I'm going to test it out over the next couple of days but I think I'm going to make the switch!

 

[heather223]

I want to try MC and have signed up for it, but seriously don't get how I am supposed to get my newsletter in the right format to send.

 

[NooraK]

I have over 1500 not including my team.

The only thing I'm not sure about with mail chimp is uploading contacts. I like that I can copy and paste into icontact. It looks like I either have to go one at a time or upload a cvs file in MC.

When I was talking to their tech support yesterday they told me I have to keep records of customers opting into my newsletters. I tell people when I'm at my shows that if they put their email address down they will be included in my mailing list but theres no opt in or out option. Do you think that's an issue??

MC considers a paper sign-up as opt-in. They do not consider a phone conversation (Customer Care Call) an opt-in. They do this because they keep their good white list status by minimizing spamming as much as they can.

 

[NooraK]

I want to try MC and have signed up for it, but seriously don't get how I am supposed to get my newsletter in the right format to send.

Which newsletter are you using? Do you have a particular issue that's coming up?

 

[PamperedK]

MC considers a paper sign-up as opt-in. They do not consider a phone conversation (Customer Care Call) an opt-in. They do this because they keep their good white list status by minimizing spamming as much as they can.

Ok great, thanks!!

 

[heather223]

Which newsletter are you using? Do you have a particular issue that's coming up?

I use Erika Soelberg which is emailed to me. I don't have a particular issue, just have no idea where to start now that registered on their site. Thank you for your help! I am usually pretty good at computers, but this baffles me!

 

[lt1jane]

Heather, I'm in the same boat. I don't know how to take what she e-mails to me and put it into MC either. Right now, I just send it out in groups from my e-mail.

 

[heather223]

Right now I use a private Yahoo Group, but would like to be able to track it. I don't like the HO newsletter.

 

[NooraK]

Do you have Outlook on your computer? You could open the email in Outlook, then click "View Source" in the options, then copy the HTML from there, which you can then paste into MC. I have personally done this successfully with HO Customer Contact emails.

I use an online HTML editor to tweak my mailings, since MC doesn't have a WYSIWYG editor: Online-HTML-Editor.org - The free online WYSIWYG Editor!

I have not tried it this way, but you could copy the information from the newsletter, then paste it into the editor, then use the editor to obtain the HTML code to paste into MC. There is a button next to the Paste icon in the editor (looks like <>) for accessing HTML. If I have HTML to paste, I click that button, then paste my data there. After editing, I click it again to get the edited HTML.

In case you're wondering, WYSIWYG stands for What You See Is What You Get