Getting Authentication and Mailchimp workflow

Wondering if someone could recommend the Right Way™ to do this?

We have a free sign-up page which registers people to Level 0, and also subscribes them to a Mailchimp list – this then sends them an email saying ‘Welcome and your account is waiting for approval’. Once an admin approves them, they are transitioned to Level 1 (or higher), and a different Mailchimp list.

We also have 2 or 3 paid sign-up pages which take people directly to Level 1+, and the corresponding Mailchimp list which sends them a different initial email and then some periodic content.

When users accounts expire, they are transitioned back to Level 0, but of course get transitioned back to the associated Mailchimp List and are sent another ‘Your account is waiting for approval’ email. At best confusing, and at worst looking a bit unprofessional.

So, is there a best practice way to prevent this? I guess we could fudge something in the users’ profile to set a flag which MC could check? Is there a way to prevent expiring accounts going to Level 0 but instead going to a different level (which we’d reserve of expired accounts)? This would actually be quite useful, as it could display a ‘Do you want to renew?’ page. This is actually an online course, so most people wouldn’t want to (hence we don’t want to use recurring charges), but I guess some might.

Thanks.

If you are using Pro Forms you can add some extra levels in there. Specifically look at having the “Free” signup drop them in at Level 1 with the “Welcome” email and then that would not be sent to accounts that expire(Level 0).