The Importance of STRATEGY in Social Media (Or, Why I’m Mad About My Mailchimp Bill)

Listen, I love a good content plan. I love a well-executed strategy. But do you know what I do not love? Paying for a bloated Mailchimp audience full of people who will never hire me.

Let me explain.

Q4 of last year was a blur. I was in the trenches, cranking out social media magic for my clients—writing, strategizing, making them look good. But in the process, I completely neglected my own business. My content was still going out (yay, consistency), but I wasn’t thinking critically about how that content served me.

Instead of being intentional about lead generation, I was dropping LinkedIn gems FOR FREE, casually tacking on a CTA to my Mailchimp subscription. And wow, did people subscribe! Over 1,200 new sign-ups in a quarter. Sounds amazing, right? WRONG.

Here’s the kicker: most of these new subscribers were fellow marketers, designers, and writers. Talented people? Yes. Potential clients? Absolutely not. I had built an audience of people who love my content but will never pay for my services. Ouch.

And now, thanks to my reckless enthusiasm, I’m paying Mailchimp for an upgraded audience tier full of people who are here for the vibes, not the invoices.

The lesson? Strategy matters. Posting consistently is great, but posting with purpose is what actually moves the needle. Your email list isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the right numbers. Engagement is nice, but conversions pay the bills.

So, if you take anything away from my mistake, let it be this: Get clear on who you’re attracting before you end up paying for an audience that just thinks you’re neat.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some unsubscribing to do.

P.S. Need help making sure your social media actually works for your business? Let’s chat (and I promise I won’t just send you a Mailchimp link).