Is it possible to use Mailchimp for Cold Outreach?
Mailchimp stands out as a top-tier email marketing platform. Indeed, it's arguably the most recognised company in the email marketing sphere, offering a comprehensive toolkit for businesses to develop and connect with their subscriber and customer base.
A common query we receive is whether Mailchimp is suitable for cold email campaigns, and whilst it is designed for customer based email activity, it is not fit for purpose for cold email outreach.
Here are the key reasons why Mailchimp and cold emailing don't align.
1. Cold emails contravene their Terms of Service
Whilst you might technically be able to send cold emails, it will not be long before you encounter issues. When Mailchimp detects that you are acting in violation of their terms of use, they will swiftly prohibit you from using the platform.
This is understandable, as Mailchimp was primarily intended for the creation and management of email newsletter campaigns. One bad actor utilising data in an irresponsible manner, such as spamming or phishing, can quickly result in deliverability problems for other legitimate Mailchimp users owing to their shared IP sending structure.
To protect its own IP reputation, Mailchimp only authorises its clients to send emails to subscribers who have expressly opted in as this then reduces the chance of spam or junk reports being made. You are unable to upload any prospects to your Mailchimp account if they have not granted you permission to do so.
2. Emails are delivered through shared email servers
Mailchimp has a substantial customer base, and millions of emails are delivered through the platform each month. Therefore, Mailchimp delivers emails through its own servers to guarantee they arrive in subscribers' inboxes.
Mailchimp has a vested interest in guaranteeing that recipients do not receive unsolicited emails via their system, because if Mailchimp campaigns receive a high volume of spam complaints, it can have a ripple effect, negatively impacting the deliverability for other Mailchimp subscribers using the same sending IP.
3. There are no features to enhance or monitor email deliverability
Whilst Mailchimp is really good at email deliverability for opted in prospects as emails are sent out via Mailchimp’s own servers – for a cold email campaign it is necessary to keep a close eye on deliverability ensuring mailboxes are suitably warmed ahead of any campaign. Mailchimp does not offer any of these features.
In Conclusion...
Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and others like Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, and ConvertKit are built for sending emails to your current subscriber base who are opted in to receive your communications.
Platforms like these will stop you from sending unsolicited emails to potential customers who haven’t previously opted-in to receiving emails from you.
If you want to send cold emails, you’ll need to use software specifically designed to do so.
Reach out to us today to find out which services we would recommend.
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