FrenoCorp/plans/FRE-650-mailchimp-quickstart.md

Mailchimp Account Setup Checklist - FRE-650

Quick Start Guide - Complete in 30 minutes

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Step 1: Create Account (5 min)

• Go to mailchimp.com
• Click "Sign Up Free"
• Enter email: hello@scripter.app (or founder email)
• Create username and password
• Verify email address (check inbox)

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Step 2: Complete Profile (5 min)

Company Information:

• Company name: FrenoCorp
• Company size: 1-10
• Industry: Software/Technology

Sender Information:

• From name: Scripter Team
• From email: hello@scripter.app
• Reply-to: hello@scripter.app
• Physical address: [Company address or registered agent]

Note: Physical address is required by CAN-SPAM law. Can use:

• Home address (if comfortable)
• Registered agent address
• PO Box

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Step 3: Add Domain for Authentication (10 min)

• In Mailchimp: Click account name → Settings → Domains
• Click "Add Domain"
• Enter: scripter.app
• Follow prompts to add DNS records

DNS Records to Add (in your domain registrar):

1. SPF Record:

   Type: TXT
   Name: @
   Value: v=spf1 include:spf.mailchimp.com ~all
   

2. DKIM Record: (Mailchimp will provide unique key)

   Type: TXT
   Name: k1._domainkey
   Value: v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=[MAILCHIMP-PROVIDED-KEY]
   

3. DMARC Record: (recommended)

   Type: TXT
   Name: _dmarc
   Value: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@scripter.app
   

Full DNS instructions: /plans/FRE-650-dns-records.md

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Step 4: Verify Domain (5 min)

• Wait 15-30 minutes for DNS propagation
• In Mailchimp → Settings → Domains, click "Verify"
• Confirm all checks show green ✓
• If failed, wait longer and retry (can take up to 48 hours)

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Step 5: Create First Audience (5 min)

• Click Audience → Audience dashboard
• Click "Add Contacts" → "Import contacts"
• Choose CSV upload
• Upload waitlist export (if available)
• Map fields:
  • Email Address → Email Address
  • First Name → First Name
  • Last Name → Last Name
  • Signup Date → Signup Date (if available)
• Tag as: WAITLIST_ORIGINAL
• Complete import

If no waitlist yet:

• Create manual segment for testing
• Add 5-10 test emails (team members)

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Step 6: Send Test Email (5 min)

• Click Create → Email → Regular
• Choose simple template (start with "Basic")
• Subject: Test from Scripter team
• Body: Testing email setup!
• To: Send to yourself first
• Click Send
• Check inbox - verify it arrived (not spam)

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Done! Next Steps

After completing this checklist:

1. Build email templates (see /marketing/email-marketing-strategy.md)
2. Create email sequences (waitlist, onboarding, etc.)
3. Set up UTM tracking for analytics
4. Test with seed data before launching campaigns

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Resources

• Main Plan: /plans/FRE-650-email-platform-setup.md
• DNS Records: /plans/FRE-650-dns-records.md
• Email Strategy: /marketing/email-marketing-strategy.md
• Mailchimp Docs: https://mailchimp.com/help/

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Troubleshooting

Email went to spam:

• Verify DNS records are correct
• Wait 24-48 hours for domain reputation to build
• Avoid spam trigger words ("free", "guarantee", etc.)

DNS verification failed:

• Double-check record values (no typos)
• Ensure TXT records are not proxied by Cloudflare (grey cloud, not orange)
• Wait longer - DNS can take 48 hours (usually 15-30 min)

Can't import contacts:

• Ensure CSV has headers: Email Address, First Name, Last Name
• Remove duplicates before import
• Start with small test batch (10 contacts)

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Time Estimate: 30 minutes
Prerequisites: Domain admin access, waitlist CSV (optional)
Owner: CMO