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Mailchimp Integration

Sync your Readybuild contacts with Mailchimp to power your email marketing campaigns. When you add or update contacts in Readybuild, they automatically sync to your selected Mailchimp audience.

Overview​

The Mailchimp integration provides:

  • Automatic contact sync from Readybuild to Mailchimp
  • Audience selection to choose where contacts are added
  • One-way synchronization that keeps your email lists current
  • Subscriber management without manual exports

Prerequisites​

Before setting up the integration, ensure you have:

  • An active Mailchimp account (any plan)
  • At least one audience (list) created in Mailchimp
  • Administrator access in Readybuild

Setup Instructions​

Step 1: Navigate to Integration Settings​

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations in Readybuild
  2. Find Mailchimp in the list
  3. Click Configure

Step 2: Connect Your Mailchimp Account​

  1. Click the Connect Mailchimp button
  2. You'll be redirected to Mailchimp's login page
  3. Sign in to your Mailchimp account
  4. Review the permissions requested
  5. Click Allow to authorize Readybuild

After authorization, you'll be redirected back to Readybuild with a "Connected" status.

Step 3: Select Your Audience​

Once connected, choose which Mailchimp audience receives your contacts:

  1. The Select Audience dropdown shows all your Mailchimp audiences
  2. Each audience displays its name and subscriber count
  3. Select the appropriate audience
  4. Click Save Settings

What Gets Synced​

Contact Information​

Readybuild FieldMailchimp FieldSync Direction
Email AddressEmailReadybuild → Mailchimp
First NameFNAMEReadybuild → Mailchimp
Last NameLNAMEReadybuild → Mailchimp
PhonePHONEReadybuild → Mailchimp
AddressADDRESSReadybuild → Mailchimp

When Contacts Sync​

Contacts are synced to Mailchimp when:

  • A new contact is created in Readybuild
  • An existing contact's information is updated
  • A contact is marked for marketing communications

What Doesn't Sync​

  • Contacts marked as "Do Not Contact" or unsubscribed
  • Contacts without valid email addresses
  • Deletion of contacts (they remain in Mailchimp)
  • Changes made in Mailchimp (one-way sync only)

How Sync Works​

Automatic Synchronization​

Once configured, synchronization is automatic:

  1. Create or update a contact in Readybuild
  2. The contact is queued for sync
  3. Within minutes, the contact appears in your Mailchimp audience
  4. Existing subscribers are updated rather than duplicated

Subscriber Status​

When contacts are synced:

  • New contacts are added as subscribed members
  • Updates modify existing subscriber information
  • Duplicate emails are matched and updated, not duplicated

Configuration Options​

Changing Audiences​

To switch to a different Mailchimp audience:

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Mailchimp
  2. Select a different audience from the dropdown
  3. Click Save Settings

Note: Changing audiences only affects future syncs. Contacts already in the previous audience remain there.

Testing the Connection​

To verify your integration is working:

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Mailchimp
  2. Click Test Connection
  3. A success message confirms the connection is active

Managing Contacts in Mailchimp​

Viewing Synced Contacts​

  1. Log into Mailchimp
  2. Go to Audience > All Contacts
  3. Contacts synced from Readybuild appear with their information

Tags and Segments​

While Readybuild syncs basic contact information, you can:

  • Add tags to contacts in Mailchimp
  • Create segments based on synced data
  • Use merge fields in your email campaigns

Troubleshooting​

Connection Failed​

Problem: Can't connect to Mailchimp

Solution:

  1. Ensure you're signing into the correct Mailchimp account
  2. Check that your Mailchimp account is active
  3. Clear browser cookies and try again
  4. Disable browser extensions that might block pop-ups

Contacts Not Syncing​

Problem: New contacts don't appear in Mailchimp

Solution:

  1. Verify the contact has a valid email address
  2. Check that an audience is selected in settings
  3. Click Test Connection to verify the integration
  4. Wait a few minutes—sync isn't instant

Wrong Audience Selected​

Problem: Contacts going to the wrong list

Solution:

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Mailchimp
  2. Verify the correct audience is selected
  3. If changed, only future contacts will go to the new audience

Duplicate Subscribers​

Problem: Same contact appears multiple times

Solution: Mailchimp identifies subscribers by email address. Duplicates typically occur when:

  • The same email exists with different casing
  • The contact was manually added to Mailchimp before sync

To fix:

  1. Merge duplicates in Mailchimp's audience management
  2. Ensure consistent email formatting in Readybuild

Authorization Expired​

Problem: Sync stopped and shows "Disconnected"

Solution:

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Mailchimp
  2. Click Connect Mailchimp to re-authorize
  3. Complete the sign-in process
  4. Select your audience again

Disconnecting the Integration​

To disconnect Mailchimp:

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Mailchimp
  2. Click Disconnect
  3. Confirm when prompted

What happens after disconnecting:

  • Contacts already in Mailchimp remain there
  • No future contacts will sync
  • You can reconnect at any time

Best Practices​

Before Connecting​

  • Create a dedicated audience for Readybuild contacts if needed
  • Set up appropriate welcome emails in Mailchimp
  • Review your contact data quality

After Connecting​

  • Monitor your first few syncs to verify data accuracy
  • Set up Mailchimp automations to engage new contacts
  • Regularly clean your Readybuild contact data

Email Compliance​

  • Ensure contacts have opted in to marketing communications
  • Honor unsubscribe requests in both systems
  • Comply with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: Can I sync to multiple Mailchimp audiences?

A: No, contacts sync to one audience at a time. Choose your primary marketing list.

Q: Will existing contacts sync when I first connect?

A: Only new or updated contacts sync. Export existing contacts manually if needed.

Q: What happens if someone unsubscribes in Mailchimp?

A: The unsubscribe is not synced back to Readybuild. Update the contact's marketing preferences manually.

Q: Can I sync custom fields?

A: Standard fields are mapped automatically. Custom field sync is not currently supported.

Q: How often do contacts sync?

A: Contacts sync within minutes of being created or updated in Readybuild.

Q: Does deleting a contact remove them from Mailchimp?

A: No, deletes are not synced. Remove contacts from Mailchimp manually if needed.