It’s hard to let your subscribers go. We get it. But as consumers are inundated with emails everyday, it’s imperative to respect their choice to unsubscribe. Otherwise, you could pay the consequence.
With most popular inbox providers such as iOS Mail, Outlook.com, and Gmail supporting list-unsubscribe functions, you must accept that not all subscribers are meant to be. You might be wary as your subscriber lists ebb and flow, but making the “unsubscribe” option easily accessible and available for readers will ultimately help your campaign in the long run.
Still having trouble letting go? Think of “unsubscribing” as a cheap, hassle-free list cleaner. Subscribers that leave your distribution actually help make your lists smarter and more targeted. In clearing these outliers, you avoid excess spam complaints from people that are no longer right for your offers and communications.
Studies have found that consumers who have difficulty finding the unsubscribe button often go to the second most obvious option to clear their inbox: mark the message as spam. This makeshift solution will hurt your brand reputation AND ability to deliver your emails to your remaining eager audience.
It’s also important to consider how your campaign’s unsubscribe option affects your brand outside of the inbox. Because of the scope of email, it’s often one of the most impressionable channels of communication to your target audience. For those no longer interested in your content, let them leave without reason for complaint. Many negative experiences with email – especially those considered junk mail or spam– might later appear on social media or in chatter.
NOTE: One strategy to strongly consider is offering subscribers the ability to opt-out of specific types of campaigns or customize their frequency of receiving them vs. a general opt-out of ALL future correspondence. When using this strategy, you must make your opt-out language very clear, but if executed correctly, it can be an effective way to give your targets exactly what they desire.
Remember, when building out your next campaign, think strategically about your opt-out messaging. Confirm your emails have an effective unsubscribe that ensures your subscribers (and ex-subscribers) can happily manage their experience with your brand!
Let ResponseGenius help take your email marketing to the next level – hello@responsegenius.com
