This blog post is part of the new Blog.LogMyCalls.com series called The Friday Marketing RANT. The idea is simple: we’re going to rant about something marketing related every Friday morning. To receive this post in your inbox every Friday morning, please subscribe in the top right hand corner of the blog.
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Several weeks ago I had a very frustrating conversation with a marketer about email marketing that baffled me. I’ll explain the situation. Then, I need your comments to let me know if I am crazy or not.
It is possible that I am totally and utterly wrong.
We were scheduled to conduct a webinar with this marketer. Part of the dealio when we do a webinar with someone is that we both have to email our respective email lists about the webinar. This marketer told me that that would be challenging.
Why?
Because, he said, he only dared to send his email list one email a month. This month’s email had already been sent, and the next two months were already planned. Thus, he could not send an email about the webinar for 4 MONTHS!!
I asked him if he could consider sending a special email about this webinar.
He refused. He feared that sending any more emails than 1 per month would produce a bunch of unsubscribes. He feared his list would get mad a him. This fear of unsubscribes was so paralyzing for this marketer, apparently, that he wouldn’t even consider sending another email out about a this special joint webinar.
Sending two emails in one month would apparently violate this sacred one email a month rule by which this marketer apparently abided. Sending this ‘extra’ email would cause his list to unsubscribe en masse and take to the streets with flaming torches of rage. Sending this extra email would cause his email list to rise up and revolt. It would cause them to march on his home, kidnap his pets, and set fire to his car.
Obviously this marketer can do with his email list whatever he wishes. However, I have a few general thoughts on this whole exchange.
1) You obviously think your email list sucks.
What are you implicitly saying about your email list if you’re concerned that one extra email in a 30 day period is going to cause mass unsubscribes?
You’re saying your email list sucks. That’s what you’re saying.
You’re saying that they aren’t interested in your product, in your content, and in your company. The only reason marketers fear unsubscribes is because they truly fear that someone is not interested in their business, or the content produced by their busines.
If you think someone will be offended by more than 1 email a month, you obviously think that person sucks.
Have some faith in your email list people!
These prospects are on your email list for a reason. They must have downloaded something, or indicated they were interested in some way. Ideally they’ve specifically opted-in to receive emails from you. Why don’t you have more faith in these people?
Holy crap.
2) You think your content sucks.
If you’re sending useful content, links to useful webinars, interesting stories, information about your business, or vital research data to your email list, what are you afraid of?
If the content is good, what do you have to be scared of?
If you won’t send an email to your list when you participate in a webinar, or speak at an event, you must think your content sucks. There is no other rational explanation. Why else would fear of unsubscribes permeate your entire soul and drive you to a life of hard liquor consumption?
3) If your content is so bad, so terrible, so offensive, that it will generate unsubscribes, why are you producing it?
Honestly, if you don’t think anyone will want to read your articles, watch your webinars, or hear about your speaking engagements, why are you producing all this content? If you don’t think the content you create is worth sharing with your list–people who have OPTED-IN to receive content from you–why are you producing said content?
Your email list is your fan club. That’s why they’re your email list!!! (Note the triple exclamation point).
4) If someone wants to unsubscribe from your email list they’re either a cranky person, or not interested in your business.
If someone unsubscribes because you sent them an email about a webinar at which you are speaking, they are obviously either a cranky person who hates life, puppies, and soldiers, or THEY AREN’T INTERESTED in your company! Either way, who cares if they leave?!?
Seriously, do you want cranky, awful people on your email list?
No.
Do you want people who aren’t interested in your company on your email list?
No.
Follow my logical chain here: Unsubscribe = Not Interested = Who Cares If They Unsubscribe.
People are on your email list for a reason:
1) They are interested in what you’re selling, and/or 2) They are interested in your content. So don’t be afraid to send them information on what you’re selling and/or your content.
Stop being such a freaking wuss with your email list. Put your big boy pants on. Send your list an email every now and then.
