Klaviyo and
Mailchimp setup

Choosing between Klaviyo, Mailchimp and the rest

Klaviyo and Mailchimp setup is where most small businesses start, because those two names come up first. Both are solid. The right choice depends less on features than on what data your emails need and how your list will grow.

There are other good options for specific needs: tools with built-in texting, tools favored by course creators, and the email features inside HubSpot if you already run your sales there. I compare the two or three that fit, using current pricing pages, and recommend one in writing. Nobody pays me a commission for any of them.

What I set up in the first week

The first job is the technical foundation. I add SPF, DKIM and DMARC records to your domain so mailbox providers can verify that emails really come from you. Then the account structure: fields for source and consent, tags for customer types, a suppression list for anyone who unsubscribed or bounced. Sign-up forms go onto your website with wording that tells people what they will get and how often.

Integrations come next. A store sends orders and products, a booking tool sends appointments, website forms send new leads, and the CRM syncs contact details in one direction or both. Once this is in place, email automation can react to real customer actions.

Migrating without losing ground

Switching platforms is a good moment to clean up, and a risky moment for deliverability. A brand-new sending setup has no reputation, so blasting the whole list on day one can land you in spam. I start with recent buyers and active readers, add the rest in waves, and watch bounce and complaint rates as I go. Automated flows are rebuilt and tested before the old ones are switched off, so customers do not get two welcome emails or none.

Privacy and data location

Most email platforms store data in the US, which is usually simple for an American business. The questions that matter more are what your privacy policy says about email, whether a state privacy law applies to you and how you handle requests to delete data. California's law and similar ones in Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Oregon and other states have thresholds that many small businesses do not meet, but if you do, deletion requests must reach every tool holding the contact. My article on state privacy laws for websites explains the basics; for your specific case, check with your attorney.

Handing it over

When setup is done, you get a short video walkthrough, a one-page cheat sheet and admin access you already had from the start. If I continue sending your newsletters, I work in your account as an invited user. If you prefer to run it yourself, you can, with no lock-in and no minimum term.

When the platform is not the real problem

Sometimes owners want to switch because emails are not working, but the tool is not the reason. The cause is a cold list, no sign-up flow, or emails nobody would want to read. Moving platforms will not fix that. In those cases I say so and suggest starting with the list and the content, as described on my email marketing page, and keeping the tool you already pay for.