Have you been emailing your subscriber list more frequently and are seeing a higher unsubscribe rate? This is not uncommon. More than 90% of consumers unsubscribe because of too frequent, irrelevant or boring communications.
But if people are unsubscribing from your list, you are not necessarily doomed. In fact it could be a good thing. But to establish whether you shouldn’t be entering into ‘panic zone’, it’s necessary to try and work out why your users are unsubscribing.
Why do people unsubscribe?
- Emails being too frequent – This is arguably the most common reason. Often related to people feeling overwhelmed, or not having enough time to keep on top of all your emails. Or perhaps you really are emailing them far too much.
- Emails too infrequent. They don’t know who you are and don’t recognise your name.
- They only subscribed to get the free gift, and quickly left afterwards.
- Subscribers disinterested in your niche offerings. Maybe, they didn’t understand exactly what they were signing up for, and later realised it wasn’t for them.
- Off-topic posting/ subscribers not getting what they signed up for.
- Too self-promotional. Hard selling doesn’t work anymore and can just damage the relationship you have with your subscriber.
- Emails poor quality/add no value.
- You’ve irritated, annoyed, or even offended your readers in previous emails.
- Your subscriber has changed their email.
If people are unsubscribing because you’re providing poor quality content or off-topic posting, you will really need to work on improving your emails. Think about hiring a copywriter who can write persuasive copy that subtly sells and gets your message out there whilst delivering value.
However, many of the reasons people unsubscribe are not related to any misdoing on your part.
Why it’s not so terrible if people unsubscribe
- Unsubscribers don’t want to hear from you anyway. There is little to be gained from emailing them. They are very unlikely to purchase your products/services.
- Consumers are diverse. So it’s impossible for your emails to appeal to everyone. Growing unsubscriptions are not necessarily a reflection of your list being of poor quality; more that they are not relevant to those that unsubscribed.
- It’s very difficult to please everyone with frequency of emails; there is no exact optimal frequency. Maybe the unsubscriber subscribed on a whim- They were never going to be long-term subscribers, unless you substantially changed your offer in which case you would not be meeting the needs of your true subscribers.
- You are communicating with a group of subscribers who want to hear from you, are interested in what you have to say, and are potential buyers of product/ services you offer. So it’s worthwhile investing in these relationships.
- With a smaller list you are managing a more targeted group, who are more likely to purchase from you.
But I’m not saying you should actively promote people leaving your list. The point is you should not waste too much energy panicking about it. Instead focus your goals on meeting the needs of your existing subscribers.
How to have happy subscribers that stay on your list
- Don’t irritate, annoy, or even offend your readers. Choose your content and choice of words carefully.
- Make an engaging email with high quality, valuable content, with something new to offer in every email. Inviting your reader’s feedback is an excellent way of checking your content really meets up to these standards.
- Offer something unique. Don’t write what your competitors are writing. Get insider information by subscribing to your competitors’ email lists to see what they are sending to their subscribers. Then you can differentiate your emails accordingly.
- Try to set your emails to flow out at an optimal frequency – not ridiculously low or high; 2-3 times a week is reasonable. Also prioritise quality over quantity – Don’t email to send minor updates or unimportant messages; ensure all your emails are valuable.
- Ensure you deliver what your readers signed up for. Don’t go off-topic. Keep it to your niche.
- Use your common sense – Consider what would irritate you/ what does irritate you. Your subscribers probably think the same way.
Overall, it’s important not to get too concerned over a reduction in subscription numbers. Instead stay focused on your target audience and delivering value to them and your list will be glowing.
What makes you unsubscribe from a list? What would keep you a happy subscriber?
Lilach
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49 Responses to How to keep your subscribers
Lilach, while I agree with you that you shouldn’t be terribly concerned about unsubscribes as they simply make room for people who actually want to hear from you, I have to disagree with your advice.
First of all, the optimal email frequency depends a great deal on what you told your subscribers they were signing up for – if you called it a monthly newsletter and are now sending 2x a week, people will be angry and leave. While the reverse is also likely true in that if they signed up for weekly updates and you drop to once a month, you’ll also have people leave. Better advice is to tell them upfront what to expect from you and then deliver that.
And second, you shouldn’t be afraid to publish controversial topics to your subscribers. Make them think, push them outside their comfort zone, even offend them once in a while …. that’s actually what they want from you. But when you do push them — or potentially annoy them — do it with their best interests at heart. Don’t do it accidentally or unconsciously.
And, one more point, about going off topic, One of the big names that I subscribe to in the Internet Marketing niche has shared that the email offer that he received the highest response on was actually for dating advice! So it is more important to KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE and let that determine what you send to them. They may really appreciate a subject that is on the surface completely off topic.
Thanks for the reminder that unsubscribes aren’t the end of the world.
Thanks Lesa, appreciate your comments and tips:)
I actually do send an email out to my list as soon as they’ve opted in not only thanking them but also explaining what they can expect from me – I too agree with you, it’s so much better to be transparent with them upfront. I left that off the list and am pleased you pointed it out:)
Interesting point about controversial topics. I do write occasionally controversial blogs and the comments certainly go up when I do:) But what I find works best for me is a short email directing my subscribers to my blog, this then gives them the opportunity to comment and of course drives them back to my website. I’ve noticed that this method works really well.
Your last point is so important, you really do need to know your audience and what they want. I often ask what people would like me to write about – a good blogger writes for their audience not necessarily what they want to write about:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
As an internet marketer myself, I subscribe because I like the content. If the quality starts to go down or the content I get is spammy–unsubscribe.
Kevin K Lau recently posted..Alternatives To Social Media Blogs: Top 3 Social Marketing Books
Thanks Kevin appreciate your comment:) I too agree, I’m looking for good quality that provides me value. I appreciate from time to time I will be “sold” to but it’s when the balance changes and the majority of emails are selling when it starts to become spammy and I unsubscribe.
Twitter: lilachbullock
I seldom subscribe to news letters. I find that almost all the information they send are in their website anyway.
jim syyap recently posted..How Skype Fumbled With This Promotion
Thanks Jim, interesting point. I actually try to reward my subscribers by sending them additional things and giving them discounts and freebies:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
Great post, Lilach! I notice that I unsubscribe from email lists if there’s no value and all sales. I like it when people email me of their latest blog post, so I’ve decided to start implementing that in my email marketing. Keep up the great work!
Christy Itamoto recently posted..How To Add A Hyperlink To Your Facebook Note
Thanks Christy, appreciate your comment. I recently started emailing my list when I’ve written a blog post that I think will not only be of interest to them but they will really see value from it (I don’t email them every time I write a blog post as I write blogs daily). This small tweak is having great results. It’s a great way to encourage more comments but also to drive them back to your website so they can see all your other blogs/news/offers etc.
Twitter: lilachbullock
Lilach, that is a great post. Pointing your finger on why people unsubscribe! I really enjoyed reading this and a good refresher when we have a lot going on! Thanks
John Moussan recently posted..How To Generate 50 Leads/Week In 4 Hours Or Less…
Twitter: johnmoussan
Thanks John, my pleasure:) People really do get hang up on those that unsubscribe but it’s not the end of the world (although it does mean you have to be working on continually getting subscribers) the more targeted and loyal your list the better. You will always get people unsubscribe even if you hardly sell, they just want the free gift:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
These are great lists. Another thing to remember is sometimes when people subscribe it’s just because they are getting your content elsewhere. I often unsubscribe from people’s emails once I start following them on Twitter or Liking them on Facebook. For this reason I guess it’s a good strategy to offer something 100% unique in your newsletters but also maybe it’s a good thing that they prefer to get your information in their networks at a time when they are looking around for something to read.
Dan recently posted..Forget focus
Thanks Dan, appreciate your comment. I agree you need to offer your readers something different/special, I find that this really helps for me.
Twitter: lilachbullock
For me the number one reason that people unsubscribe from a list is over promotion especially if the products that are promoted are of low quality and not relevant. The best way to keep subscribers is to send something of value every time you send them an email, in that way they will not only stay but you will get a better open rate…
Kostas recently posted..The 3 Easiest Ways to Get Started Guest Blogging
Thanks Kostas, I agree. There are so many products about that under-deliver which makes people much more sceptical when you promote a product. I guess it’s about finding the balance between offering great value but at the same time being able to sell occasionally too. At the end of the day we are in business to make money:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
all been said above, I view it as you dont want 1000s of people if none of them want to listen, better to have 10 that actually want to hear what you have to say
Paul Ricketts recently posted..Branded Polythene Carrier Bags
Twitter: sifu33
Thanks Paul, appreciate your comment. I agree, it’s much better to have a small list that is responsive, loyal and happy to buy from you from time to time than a huge list where nobody opens let alone clicks on your links.
Twitter: lilachbullock
I am currently subscribed to a handful of lists only, the quickest way to get me to unsubscribe is to keep selling me poor quality stuff or even the latest ‘big launch’. I expect to learn from these lists and don’t mind being sold to if the product is good.
David Sharp recently posted..More Tips For Success In Network Marketing
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Thanks David:) Yes that makes me hit the unsubscribe button too. Also daily emails, I can’t stand them and think it’s too much.
Twitter: lilachbullock
It’s important to remember too that just because someone unsubscribes doesn’t mean they won’t resubscribe later. I’ve often dropped off a list when things in my inbox were getting too hectic, and then signed back up again when I got them under control. The last thing you want to do is send a nasty email (received one once when I unsubscribed) asking why they did it. You have to realize most of us are on dozens of lists at any given time, and many of us are also busy building an online business of our own which keeps us busy.
Personally I love being subscribed to my peers/competition etc. It shows me what works, what I dislike, and keeps me up to date on what is happening in our industry.
Twitter: plrnetmarketing
Thanks Warren, appreciate your comment and tips. That’s a valid point, just because some unsubscibes doesn’t mean that they’re come back later and re-subscribe.
I too subscribe to those in a similar niche – great to learn tips and like you say what I like/dislike about their approach:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
The number one reason I unsubscribe is because of the frequency. I do like to be told upfront and I appreciate when the emails provide content that I cannot find or are new to the site. Otherwise it is unnecessary clutter in my inbox. I don’t mind being reminded that they are in the business to sell, but find it kinda insulting if that is all that is provided.
Rebecca Reddy recently posted..Is Fast Food Bad For You?
Thanks Rebecca, I’m the same. That’s why I find by being transparent when you first email them about not only the frequency of your emails but also what sort of things you will write to them about.
Twitter: lilachbullock
We often forget the ‘postives’ of people unsubscribing from a list. Thanks for pointing that out and reminding us.
Monyelle recently posted..15 Benefits Of Participating In A Blog Challegne
Thanks Monyelle:) I agree, we’re all obsessed with getting subscribers and go into panic mode when they unsubscribe. But this naturally happens and we need to turn this into a positive thing, much better to have a list that will ultimately buy from you than is just after your freebies, after all we are in business to make money:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
I myself like to stay subscribed to list that I love and hate. This way I can determine what I like and dislike myself, and in return convey the same positives in my emails.
Preston Schumacher recently posted..Work from Home Home Business… An Honest Breakdown
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Thanks Preston. I too actually stay subscribed to lists I’m not keen on but use them like you, purely for a marketing perspective. It’s useful to learn from their titles – what makes me open/click etc. I have a handful of lists I subscribe too for that purpose:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi Lilach,
Once again, you write an amazing post. I actually need to nurture my list a bit more and have been thinking of hiring a copywriter. I really resonate with managing a smaller niche list. Thank you so kindly for the wonderful insights.
A. Leigh Edwards recently posted..What Happens to Our Pets After They Die?
Thanks (what’s your first name by the way?). I agree you need to nurture your list. Hiring a copywriter is a good idea but make sure they understand your tone and style of who you are as well as your writing so that it looks as authentic as possible:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
Just be yourself. If they don’t like you for who you are then they aren’t going to buy from you anyways, and if you are pretending to take actions that you don’t believe in but you are just doing it for results then people will it in your copy and you will get less sales. Be yourself, be unique, and just remember whatever happens was how it was suppose to happen.
Duke Romkey recently posted..Catapult Your Home Business To The Top
Twitter: dukeromkey
Thanks Duke, very true:) I have always tried to be myself in business and be as honest and frank as I can be and it’s worked really well. At the end of the day the old saying people buy from those they like and trust is very true and you need to be consistent with everything you do, both in terms of your website and also your emails.
I think you have to accept as well that you can’t please everyone – it’s taken me a long time to accept that as I can be a “people pleaser” but as long as the majority of people are happy then I’m happy
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi Lilach
I agree with you and with everyone else’s comments above – unsubscribes are good as they leave your list more targeted. There’s no point getting upset with unsubscribers as you don’t really know what’s happening in their world at that point in time. That said, we must be doing something right as our unsubscribes are very low.
Ciao
Fiona
Fiona Scott recently posted..What would having an Online Home Business mean to you?
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Thanks Fiona I agree. I also have a low unsubscribe rate and don’t get too upset if someone does unsubscribe – I would much prefer to have a list of targeted people who look forward to my emails than those who don’t
Twitter: lilachbullock
Was very enlightening Lilach. We have always said to our students not to worry about “unsubscribes” – we certainly don’t. It’s better that you know they are no longer interested in what you have to offer . Better to build a relationship with those who do know, like and trust you. Actually we have very few unsubscribes so we must be doing something right. Chris & Susan
Susan recently posted..What Do Successful Businesses Have in Common?
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Thanks Susan, well said:) I can’t stress enough that it’s not about the size of your list, it’s about the opens/clicks and feedback/response you receive from your readers. That’s so much more important than having a huge list that just sits there and doesn’t buy/respond to you.
I’ve actually had emails from my readers thanking me and saying they look forward to my emails, which means the world to me and like you – is what it’s all about:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi Lilach,
I started my list pretty late after my blog was going so this is one area that I am still testing the waters on. My one major flaw is my lack of consistency. Luckily in my opt-in page I said that the email frequency would vary, with no more than a couple a week at the most. I really haven’t had very many unsubscribes so I must be doing something right!
Thanks for the tips!
Stacy
Stacy recently posted..Why I Will Only Use Your Search Engine if You Pay Me
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Thanks Stacy. I would really recommend that you try and be consistent in your emails in terms of frequency. I would email them once a week so they start to recognise you and anticipate look forward to your emails. If you send them out sporadically it’s harder to build up a relationship with them.
And don’t worry too much about when you started your list, we all have to start somewhere
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi Lilach,
Email list is the lifelood of any online business. It’s like a list of client. It’s important. And that’s why you should do everything with in your power to keep as many people as possible on your list.
I. for one hates it when people fill my inbox, except you are delivering values all the time.
When I subscribe, I expect you to deliver what we agreed. if you falter, I’m gone.
Thanks for the great content, as usual.
Tosin
Tosin recently posted..7 Modern Day Lies That Will Kill Your MLM Business Fast
Twitter: thowsyne
Thanks Tosin, my pleasure
Appreciate your comment – I agree, there’s nothing worse than signing up for something and receiving something that wasn’t outlined. However if you have built a good relationship with your readers and send out the odd email (for example you could send an email out asking your readers a favour to do something for you) that doesn’t fit in with what you would normally do then they should be OK.
I must admit sometimes it’s quicker for me just to hit the delete button than the unsubscribe one but I’m trying to unsubscribe more so that at least the owner of the list has a more targeted list:)
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi LIlach,
I don’t have many subscribers, so email marketing isn’t anything feasible for me at this point. But, it stands to reason that email marketing is a great opportunity to build relationships with people. You give good advice for people who are involved with this type of marketing.
Lou
Lou Barba recently posted..The requested and long awaited Kindle Book…THE VILLAGE ON THE EDGE OF THE SEA
Twitter: planlablprecher
Thanks Lou, I appreciate your comment:) Email marketing is a fantastic way to build relationships with your list. I would urge you to work on your email marketing, not just in terms of getting more subscribers but also focusing on providing them with value too
Twitter: lilachbullock
Great stuff as usual Lilach. My problem is that I have several email address designated for different things, and I found myself subscribed to the same person or business on several of them, so was getting duplicate emails. I had to unsubscribe on three of them.
Val Heisey recently posted..3 Simple Steps to Re-Launch Your Business in 2012
Twitter: valheisey
Thanks Val, I know what you mean, I have several email accounts but I must admit I tend to only look at my main account. Emails that go to my Gmail/Hotmail are not something I check regularly. In fact it’s quite common for people to give these email addresses to help them combat spam and manage their emails better. So if you have a list of subscribers that the majority have Gmail/Hotmail that could be a reason why your open/click rate is low.
Twitter: lilachbullock
Hi Lilach great post as always. I’ve also noticed that I am learning so much by reading the comments too. I tend to unsubscribe to mailing list if they email me everyday. I definitely think that is over kill. I’ve also found that some people email you from different accounts and if you unsubscribe from one they continue to email you from another. These people are spoiling it for people who send good content as I feel a lot of people, me included are very weary about subscribing to anything.
Tycoonwoman recently posted..Creating your wealth narrative
Twitter: tycoonwoman
Thanks, yes I’m not a fan of the daily emails and always unsubscribe to them. I had a “debate” with a very successful internet marketer who emails daily and actually teaches this strategy. He says it works, well I’m sure it does but for me it’s on the verge of spamming…
Some email management systems allow you to unsubscribe from all the accounts but I don’t think Aweber has this feature.
Twitter: lilachbullock
Lilach, this post came at just the right time for me because I just received my first ‘unsubscribe’ this week. I appreciated the fact that this person was generous enough to let me know that she ‘didn’t have enough time’ to read my emails. Of course, I was curious enough to learn more about what this person was so ‘busy’ doing, so I looked her up on Facebook and discovered she is in my primary company and must’ve opted into my list out of curiosity. It was an eye opener, to say the least, and has challenged me to improve my email campaign. Thanks again for this timely post. Juli
Juli Becker recently posted..Network Marketing And Our Youth (Part 1)
Twitter: Juli_Becker_
Thanks Juli:) You will always get people who are either competitors or in your opportunity etc. subscribing so it’s only natural in time they will unsubscribe. It’s nice when people take the time to say why they’ve unsubscribed.
Twitter: lilachbullock
Lilach,
You make some compelling points about unsubscribe rates and provide some great depth of understanding as to why some will and some won’t.
I have been working under the concept that I’d rather them OFF my list sooner than later. So I have kinda been flying fast and loose in that and just sending what I feel led to share with them.
I’m not sure it’s the best tact, but it’s what I’ve done so far. I think I probably need to try some testing on different lists to see what’s working best. Building a larger list is important to me. Right now I don’t have a huge one, but they are “tight” with me…that’s kind of cool and I like it that way, but certainly do not want to be stunting my own growth over it either! So I’m looking forward to gleaning more from your listbuilding strategies!
Cat Alexandra
Cat Alexandra recently posted..Write content that captivates: 5 keys to kill them softly | Killer Articles.
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I think the biggest reason why I unsubscribe is because the emails are way too frequent. I can’t deal with having emails come to me every day because most of them don’t pertain to me. If I received an email a month with valuable information that I can put into practice, one that gives me encouragement to do what I need to do each month, it would be much more useful to me and I wouldn’t unsubscribe. I also don’t enjoy the sales emails. I would rather have someone genuinely want to help me than to just try to sell me a service or product. Just a few things to keep in mind when sending to email lists that I thought I would add.
Thanks for the great read!
Marcelina Hardy recently posted..3 Simple Steps to Page Ranking Success
Twitter: MarcelinaWrites
Great read.
I guess for me it would have to be due to frequency. Nothing annoys me more when I am suddenly bombarded by numerous emails!
I currently email once a month to my subscribers. I have an excellent open rate and click thru rate; however, still feel that once a month is too infrequent so will be trying twice a month in the near future.
Txs Ian.
Ian Said recently posted..How Much Does it Cost to Start a Restaurant?
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