Automate welcome emails with discount codes via Mailchimp and Gmail

Created by

Abideen Bello

Last update

Last update a month ago

Who's it for

Perfect for e-commerce businesses, SaaS companies, course creators, and service providers who want to automatically nurture new subscribers with personalized welcome emails and discount codes. If you're looking to boost conversions from your website signup forms and create a professional onboarding experience, this workflow is your solution.

How it works

This workflow creates a seamless subscriber onboarding process:

Webhook receives signup data from your website form (name, email, timestamp, source)
Mailchimp integration automatically adds the subscriber to your email list with their name
Gmail sends personalized welcome email with a discount code and branded content
Error handling ensures the welcome email sends even if Mailchimp fails

The workflow is triggered instantly when someone submits your website signup form, creating a professional first impression that can significantly improve customer engagement and conversion rates.

How to set up

Requirements

Mailchimp account with an active audience/list
Gmail account with OAuth2 access
Website or landing page with a signup form
Basic HTML/CSS knowledge for email customization (optional)

Step-by-step setup

1. Configure Mailchimp Integration

Create or identify your Mailchimp audience
Replace YOUR_MAILCHIMP_LIST_ID with your actual list ID
Add your Mailchimp API credentials in n8n
Set up any custom merge fields you need (FNAME is included by default)

2. Set Up Gmail Credentials

Add your Gmail OAuth2 credentials in n8n
Ensure the sending email account has appropriate permissions
Test email delivery to avoid spam folder issues

3. Customize the Welcome Email

Replace [Your Business Name] with your actual business name
Update the discount code (WELCOME15) with your preferred offer
Modify the shop URL (https://your-website.com/shop) to your store.
Update social media links with your actual profiles
Customize colors, fonts, and branding to match your business.

4. Deploy Your Webhook

Copy the webhook URL from the n8n workflow
Add this URL to your website signup form as the POST endpoint
Ensure your form sends JSON data with name and email fields

5. Test the Complete Flow

Submit a test signup through your website form
Verify the contact appears in Mailchimp
Check that the welcome email arrives with proper personalization

How to customize the workflow

Advanced Email Personalization

Dynamic content blocks: Add conditional sections based on signup source or user preferences
Custom merge fields: Capture additional data like company name, phone number, or interests in Mailchimp
Segmented messaging: Create different email templates for different subscriber types
Multi-language support: Detect user language from form data and send localized emails

Webhook Integration Examples

Google Forms Integration:

Use Google Apps Script to POST form responses to your n8n webhook
Map form fields to the expected JSON structure (name, email, source)

Typeform Integration:

Configure Typeform webhooks in Connect panel
Set payload to include question responses in the required format

Custom HTML Forms:

// Example form submission code
fetch('YOUR_N8N_WEBHOOK_URL', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: document.getElementById('name').value,
    email: document.getElementById('email').value,
    source: 'website'
  })
});

WordPress Contact Form 7:

Use CF7 hooks to send form data to your webhook endpoint
Install REST API plugins for seamless integration

Workflow Logic Enhancements

Data validation: Add If nodes to check email format and required fields before processing
Duplicate prevention: Query Mailchimp first to avoid adding existing subscribers
Source-based routing: Send different welcome emails based on signup source (blog, product page, etc.)
Lead scoring: Assign scores based on signup source and send to appropriate lists
Follow-up sequences: Add Wait nodes to create multi-step email campaigns

Advanced Integrations

CRM sync: Connect to Salesforce, HubSpot, or Pipedrive to create leads automatically
Analytics tracking: Log conversions to Google Sheets or send events to Google Analytics
Slack notifications: Alert your team about high-value signups or VIP customers
SMS follow-up: Add Twilio integration for multi-channel welcome sequences

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Emails going to spam folder:

Configure SPF and DKIM records for your sending domain
Use Gmail's "Send as" feature to authenticate your sending address
Start with low volume and gradually increase to build sender reputation
Include unsubscribe links and proper email headers

Mailchimp API errors:

Check your API key permissions and rate limits
Verify the list ID is correct (found in Audience settings)
Ensure required fields are properly mapped
Review Mailchimp's compliance requirements for your region

Webhook not triggering:

Test the webhook URL directly using tools like Postman
Check that your form sends POST requests with proper Content-Type headers
Verify JSON payload structure matches expected format
Review n8n execution logs for error details

Personalization not working:

Confirm form field names match the n8n node references
Check that data is properly passed between workflow nodes
Test with sample data to isolate mapping issues
Use n8n's data inspection tools to debug payload structure

Performance Optimization

High-volume handling:

Consider using Mailchimp's batch operations for multiple signups
Implement queue systems for processing during traffic spikes
Monitor workflow execution times and optimize slow nodes
Set up error notifications to catch issues quickly

Delivery improvements:

Use dedicated email services like SendGrid or Mailgun for better deliverability
Implement email warmup procedures for new sending domains
A/B test subject lines and send times for better engagement
Monitor bounce rates and remove invalid emails promptly.