3 Reasons To Celebrate When People Unsubscribe From Your List
Recently, I was doing some training with a business coach, and she shared an interesting stat with me. No matter what you do, no matter how you pussyfoot around it, people are going to unsubscribe from your list.
In fact, there’s data around this, to give you a benchmark of what you can expect.
When you send out a broadcast email - sharing helpful content, connecting with your email list - it’s perfectly normal for about 1% of people to unsubscribe.
Which can feel especially demoralising when you feel a little sleazy about hard selling to your list in the first place.
But you plucked up the courage anyway, hit the send button…..only for a bunch of people to unsubscribe.
Ugh!
So you retreat back into your shell, convinced everyone hates you, and that you’re not cut out for this online business game.
But, here’s the truth.
Those people unsubscribing from your list are doing you a favour.
Here’s why you should be celebrating those email unsubscribes, and take it as validation that you’re on the right track.
1. You’ll end up with a more targeted list of email subscribers
If you’re taking your email marketing seriously, than you’re also going to be doing all sorts of other marketing tasks to support those efforts.You’ll be blogging, creating videos, making connections, writing Facebook posts.
Whatever it is that you’re doing to grow your list, you want to be sure that the people coming onto it are the right people for you.
You want them to read all your content. You want them to join your challenges. You want them to engage in your Facebook group.
Otherwise, who are you doing all this work for?
If what you’re creating isn’t resonating with someone on your list, and they unsubscribe – that’s great!
You know that the people who are left, are sticking around because they’re interested in what you’re doing.
Focus on them, and don’t waste your energy on people who move on.
It’s not personal. You’re not going to be awesome to everyone, and that’s absolutely fine. It’s more than fine – it’s necessary.
2. You'll save money if they unsubscribe
Housing your email list costs money. And the bigger the list, the more cash that’s coming out of your account.ConvertKit – for example – starts at $29/month. But as soon as you hit 1,000 subscribers, that jumps up to $49/month.
Over 3,000? Then you’re looking at $79/month.
You’re paying for those people to be on your list, so if you have 3,000 people on your email list who aren’t ever going to purchase a thing from you…well, that’s an expensive way to run a business.
YOU need to decide what sort of business you’re running - and how you strategise your email marketing is part of that decision-making process.
If your approach isn’t right for someone on your list, then it’s in both your interests that they unsubscribe. You’re clogging up their inbox with information they don’t really want, and in return, they’re costing you money.
3. You’ll be more profitable without those people on your list
Those people who unsubscribe when you try to sell? Guess what…they were never going to buy from you anyway.It’s no reflection on you and it’s no reflection on them either. It just might be that where they’re at, and what you’re offering, isn’t a good fit.
Or you’re not offering the right sort of products or services for what they need. No biggie. Remember, you can’t be everything to everyone, and you shouldn’t try!
And by clearing out the dead wood, you’re left with people who are more likely to be really into you. They might not buy from you today, or tomorrow, but there’s a good chance that at some point they’ll put their hand up for something you offer.
A smaller list full of people who are more likely to buy from you is WAY more valuable than a bigger list of people who are never going to open their wallet.
In conclusion
When you’re growing your list, it’s so easy to get caught up in the numbers.And of course there’s something particularly tangible and exciting about seeing those numbers increase over time.
If you’re scared to email your list because you’re worried they’re going to unsubscribe every time you send out an email, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Be confident that the people who stay, are there because they WANT to hear from you.
And if the thought of your numbers going down is something that worries you, then make sure you’re putting effort into getting new, engaged subscribers every day.
Need some help with growing your email list? Download this FREE 90 day roadmap to get your first 1,000 subscribers.
