The dreaded unsubscribe…
As email marketers and human beings with feelings we try very hard to be resilient and not let the fact that people will unsubscribe from our email newsletters affect us. We try not to take it personally. We try to have thick skin. The definition of thick skinned from www.yourdictionary.com is someone who is not easily upset or insulted and who can take criticism well. An example of thick skinned is a person who is insulted and simply says “whatever, I don’t care.” And while even the very best email marketers sometimes have readers unsubscribe from receiving their emails, a better approach than simply having thick skin is to address the issue and remember that each unsubscribe can give you valuable feedback that can improve all of your readers future experiences, decrease additional unsubscribes and improve the content and quality of upcoming email newsletters.
- Get Feedback
Be sure that when a contact does chose to opt-out you have the feature turned on to give them a chance to tell you why. The best way is to add an option to receive feedback by turning on the comments box included on your unsubscribe confirmation page to record the opt-out reason. - Review Feedback
Check your reports for comments from unsubscribes. You can also check the frequency an unsubscribed client opened past emails, and if there is a pattern to interest level on certain topics you can evaluate content patterns and changes. Keep in mind that some contacts will not leave a reason. Common reasons include irrelevant content, received too frequently, didn’t recall signing up, and privacy concerns.
- Make a Plan
Take action on those that give feedback that CAN be addressed and also know that occasionally having thick skin may be your only option as not every unsubscribe will state a reason that you can address. If the reason is your content did not relate to them, consider a more defined list segmentation so you can send more tailored messages to smaller groups of clients. If the reason is that they received emails too frequently experiment with a schedule and compare open rates sent on different days, times and frequencies. Be sure your content is helpful and relevant. Avoid fluffy or lengthy articles that are just too long to read.
At Vivid Image we are proud to partner with Constant Contact and are ready to help you find the right fit for your Email Marketing strategy. From Newsletters and Publications to Surveys and Social Campaigns we are here to help you get started, achieve better results and find the perfect fit. Contact your Account Director or (320) 587-8974 with your Email Marketing or Constant Contact questions or visit Constant Contact for a FREE Trial.
