EM-01: Export, clean and import the Mailchimp audience into Kit

  • Source document: .agents/email-migration-and-sequence-plan.md (§2 “Phase 1: Pre-Migration List Hygiene”; §6 checklist Step 2)
  • Owner: 👤 User only
  • Priority: High
  • Status: Unverified. The checklist box is still unticked, and the agent can’t check either Mailchimp or Kit.
  • Depends on: None (Kit was chosen as the provider; form ID 10138357 is already embedded on the site)
  • Blocks: EM-08 (pausing Mailchimp billing)

[!IMPORTANT] User-only task: Reece needs to do this. It needs logins for the Mailchimp and Kit accounts.

Task

Move the roughly 2,085 subscribers from Mailchimp into Kit, without carrying over dead or unsubscribed contacts.

Context / steps

  1. In Mailchimp, go to Audience → All contacts → Export Audience and download the ZIP (Subscribed, Unsubscribed and Cleaned CSVs).
  2. Optional but recommended: prune cold contacts, e.g. 6+ months on the list with a 0% open rate, or Member Rating == 1. Either send a final “Still working on your bowls game?” re-engagement email from Mailchimp first, or archive the dead contacts. Expect roughly 1,500–1,800 active contacts.
  3. Never import the Unsubscribed or Cleaned CSVs into the active list. Import them only into Kit’s suppression list, if at all.
  4. Import the active contacts into Kit. Make sure imports don’t trigger the new welcome sequence (EM-04) unless you want existing subscribers to get it.
    • Kit’s free Newsletter plan allows up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, one visual automation and one sequence.

Completion criteria

  • Mailchimp export ZIP saved somewhere safe as a backup.
  • Active subscribers imported into Kit; unsubscribed and cleaned contacts excluded (or suppressed).
  • Existing subscribers aren’t accidentally enrolled in the welcome sequence.
  • Imported subscriber count noted here: __