A simple setup
- Upload the PDF, for example to Mailchimp’s file manager or your own site, and copy its link.
- Create a signup form or landing page connected to your audience.
- Edit the final welcome email, or create a welcome automation, and add the download link.
- Add a tag for this lead magnet so you know where each subscriber came from.
- Test it with your own email address.
Mailchimp changes its menus over time; check Mailchimp’s help center for current labels.
Double opt-in
Mailchimp lets you turn double opt-in on for an audience. When it is on, people get a confirmation email first and receive your welcome email after confirming.
Using an outside opt-in page
If your opt-in page is built elsewhere, it can add people to your Mailchimp audience through the Mailchimp Marketing API, with a tag that triggers your welcome automation.
Common follow-up questions
Can Mailchimp attach a PDF directly to an email?
Email attachments are generally not used for marketing emails; the common approach is a link to the hosted file.
Where should the PDF live?
Anywhere with a stable link: your email tool’s file storage, your website, or your lead magnet tool.
Updated 2026-11-15. General information; not legal, medical or financial advice.