Do you have trouble sending personalized certificates with Mailchimp? Getting around Mailchimp can definitely be a challenge for anyone who isn’t familiar with similar tools.
A number of clients have come to me with the same issue, so I have decided to turn it into a five-step guide that anyone can follow.
Let’s dive right in!
Step 1: Prepare your certificate template:
Designing your certificate
You can design your certificate using a program like Adobe Photoshop or InDesign. Make sure to include placeholder text for the recipient’s name, date, and any other relevant information that is unique to each certificate.
If you are looking for free options, you can also design your certificate in Microsoft Word. There are a ton of great tutorials on YouTube for doing that.
Saving your design
Once you have created the design, you can save it as a PDF. Make sure to insert the proper merge tags (e.g., “[First Name],” “[Last Name]”).
Step 2: Set up Mailchimp audience fields:
Now that you have prepared the certificate, you can set up the audience fields. In your Mailchimp audience settings, ensure you have fields for all the information you want to personalize on the certificate (e.g., first name, last name, completion date).
Step 3: Upload the certificate template to Mailchimp:
To upload your certificate template to Mailchimp, Go to “Content” > “My Files” in your Mailchimp account and upload your PDF certificate template.
Step 4: Create your email campaign:
To create an email campaign on Mailchimp, log in to your account, click “Create” > “Email,” and then choose your certificate template. Now, you can design your email with whatever content, images, and CTA’s you want to be included with your personalized certificate. You can then set the subject line and move on to the merge tags.
Insert merge tags in the email content:
In the email body, where you want the personalized information along with any content you added, you can insert the corresponding merge tags (e.g., “[First Name],” “[Last Name]”) that you created earlier in this guide.
Step 5: Add the certificate download link:
Use a merge tag to link the download button or text to the uploaded certificate PDF, ensuring that each recipient gets their own personalized version.
Now, you can preview and click send. You have now successfully sent your first certificate with Mailchimp. If you have any questions that aren’t answered below, feel free to reach out to us.
Frequently asked questions
What are personalized certificates, and why should I send them via email?
A personalized certificate is a digital document that includes specific details about an individual, like their name, achievements, and date, making it unique to them. Sending these certificates via email is ideal because it’s a fast, convenient, and cost-effective way to deliver them electronically. Recipients can easily access and store their recognition digitally. Another great pro of sending certificates by email is that it is also environmentally friendly, eliminating unnecessary printing and mailing.
What file formats are best for digital certificates?
The most commonly used file format for digital certificates is X.509, which is often encoded in the PEM (Privacy Enhanced Mail) format. This text-based format uses Base64 encoding, making it easily transferable between systems. Other options include DER (Distinguished Encoding Rules) for binary representation and PKCS#12 (Public Key Cryptography Standards #12) for storing a certificate and its associated private key in a password-protected container.
If the digital certificate doesn’t have to be protected/encoded, you can always save it as a PDF, as mentioned in the guide.
What do you write in an email when sending a certificate?
When sending a certificate via email, you should include a subject line clearly stating that the certificate is attached, a brief introduction congratulating the recipient on their achievement, and a polite closing reminding them to download the attached certificate. Personalize the email with the recipient’s name and specific details about the certificate.
How do I track the delivery and engagement of my Mailchimp email certificates?
Use Mailchimp Pro’s Delivery Insights to monitor delivery progress in near real-time. If you spot a mistake, you can even stop delivery.
Mailchimp offers a pro plan with “Pro Delivery Insights.” This allows you to track the delivery and engagement of emails sent through Mailchimp. If you notice a mistake, you can even stop the delivery altogether.
