Klaviyo and Mailchimp
setup
Klaviyo and Mailchimp setup done properly takes a day or two of careful work that saves months of headaches: domain authentication, consent fields, clean imports, sign-up forms and integrations with your store or CRM. I pick the platform with you, set it up in your name and leave you a system you understand.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
What a proper
platform setup includes
Domain authentication
SPF, DKIM and DMARC records on your domain, so emails come from you and not 'via' the platform.
Clean import
Duplicates, bounced addresses and contacts without valid consent removed before the first send.
Consent fields
Consent type, date and source stored per contact, so CASL questions have an answer.
Sign-up forms
Embedded or pop-up forms on your site with an unticked checkbox.
Integrations
Store, booking system, website forms and CRM connected, so contacts and orders sync without copying.
Users and access
You as the owner, with separate logins for staff or for me, removable at any time.
An email series
that works for you
After signing up, customers get the next messages at the right moment, and you see what they opened and clicked.
- Welcome and tips
- An offer on the right day
- Reminder about the next appointment
Moving to a new
email platform in 4 steps
Compare and choose
Your volume, store, budget and skills against what each platform does well.
Prepare the account
Created in your name, domain authenticated, brand settings and footer details filled in.
Migrate
Contacts, tags, consent data and active flows moved over, with the old tool kept until the new one is tested.
Warm up and switch
First sends go to the most engaged subscribers, then the rest of the list, to protect your sender reputation.
Platform setup
pricing
Setup and migration are quoted individually after a short call. The platform's own subscription is paid by you directly. Prices are in Canadian dollars.
Fixed price and deadline in the agreement.
- Platform recommendation
- Authentication and import
- Forms and integrations
- Handover call
One hour to compare options for your business and get a clear recommendation.
- Shared screen on Zoom
- Written summary
Choosing between Klaviyo, Mailchimp and the rest
Klaviyo and Mailchimp setup is what most people search for, because those are the two names everyone has heard. They're both solid tools, but they were built for different businesses, and there are good alternatives that cost less for small lists. Picking the wrong one isn't a disaster; it just means paying for features you don't use or fighting the tool every month.
Here's how I usually think about it:
| Platform | Often a good fit for | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Online stores, especially on Shopify | Deep use of order and browsing data, strong flows, SMS in the same tool | Cost grows with list size; more than a small service business needs |
| Mailchimp | Service businesses, simple newsletters | Familiar, easy editor, many integrations | Advanced automation sits in higher plans |
| Brevo | Budget-conscious businesses with larger lists | Pricing based on sends rather than contacts, email and SMS together | Editor and reporting feel simpler |
| MailerLite | Small lists, creators, simple sites | Clean editor, landing pages, low cost to start | Fewer e-commerce features |
Plans and prices change often, so I check the current terms on the call rather than quoting numbers here. The right answer depends on your volume, your store or booking software and how much automation you plan.
What I set up in the first week
Regardless of the platform, the first week covers the same groundwork. The account is created in your name. Your domain gets SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, which major inbox providers now expect from bulk senders. Contacts are imported only after cleaning: duplicates merged, hard bounces removed, and every contact tagged with how and when they agreed to receive email, which is your evidence under CASL. Then come the sign-up forms on your site, the footer with your business name and mailing address, and integrations with your store, booking tool or CRM setup.
Only after that do I write anything. A well-configured platform makes email automation and newsletters easier; a messy one makes every send a small adventure.
Migrating without losing ground
Switching platforms is common when a business outgrows a free plan or moves its store. The risky parts are consent data, unsubscribes and sender reputation. Unsubscribed contacts must move over as suppressed. Consent fields must survive the export. And a brand-new sending domain or IP shouldn't blast 20,000 people on day one, because inbox providers get suspicious of sudden volume from an unknown sender.
I keep the old platform active until the new one is tested, rebuild the important flows, and send the first campaigns to your most engaged subscribers before widening the audience.
Privacy and data location
Most email platforms store data outside Canada, usually in the United States or Europe. PIPEDA doesn't forbid that, but it expects you to tell people their information may be processed abroad. Quebec's Law 25 goes further and asks businesses to assess the protection offered before sending personal information outside the province. I add the right wording to your privacy policy notes and keep the data you collect to what you actually need. More on this in my article on a website privacy policy in Canada.
Handing it over
At the end you get a short recorded tour of the account: where contacts live, how to see who unsubscribed, how to build an email from the template and where the reports are. Staff logins are separate from yours, so access can be removed when someone leaves without touching the owner account.
When the platform isn't the real problem
Sometimes owners want to switch tools when the real issue is that nobody sends anything. A new platform won't fix that. If that sounds familiar, the newsletter service or the wider email marketing plan is the better place to start, and the platform question can wait until there's a rhythm.
After the platform
is ready
Email platform
questions
Is Klaviyo or Mailchimp better?
Neither is better in general. Klaviyo is built around online stores and shines when it can read order data, for example from Shopify. Mailchimp is easier for simple newsletters and service businesses. Brevo and MailerLite are often good value for smaller lists. I recommend based on what you sell and how you plan to use email, not on a favourite.
Will I lose subscribers when I switch platforms?
Not if the migration is planned. Contacts, tags and consent records can be exported and imported, and unsubscribed contacts are carried over as suppressed so they never get emailed by mistake. Automated flows usually have to be rebuilt, which is also a good moment to improve them.
Why do my emails show 'via' another domain?
Because your domain isn't authenticated with the platform. Gmail and other providers then show the platform's sending domain next to your name, which looks less trustworthy and can hurt delivery. Adding SPF, DKIM and DMARC records fixes it. I do this as part of every setup.
Can the platform connect to my CRM?
Most popular platforms have direct integrations with HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho and store systems, and others connect through Zapier, Make or an API. For a custom CRM I build the connection myself. The goal is that a contact's status in the CRM decides which emails they receive.
Who owns the account and the list?
You do. I create the account in your name with your payment method, and add myself as a user. If we stop working together, you remove my access and keep everything: the list, the templates, the flows and the sending history.
Let's pick one
in 30 minutes
Tell me what you sell, how many contacts you have and what you use now. On a free call I'll recommend a platform and explain why.