Email Marketing: How to Minimise Unsubscribes
People unsubscribe for various reasons, and many of these reasons are well beyond the control of the email marketer’s side. However, it is each brand’s responsibility to uphold the highest standards and best practices when it comes to their email in campaigns, since doing so is itself a way to minimise your unsubscribes. Losing subscribers is a sign that something is not right, so take a look at your email strategy and if necessary, make some positive changes.
Deliver what you promise
People signed-up to receive your brand’s emails for a reason – whether it was to receive the latest via your newsletter or to receive promotions and the chance to enter special competitions – it’s important to keep delivering what you guaranteed. This is why it is imperative to communicate with your subscribers before or during the very beginning stages of subscription. Be clear from the outset on what exactly your communication with them will entail. Stipulate what they can expect from you and how often you will be emailing them, and if you change any of these things notify your subscribers of such changes.
Make use of frequency capping
Studies have shown that the majority of people unsubscribe because of companies emailing them too often. If you communicated a predetermined schedule (for example a fortnightly newsletter) with your subscribers beforehand – stick to it. By sending out more emails than your subscribers expect, your brand will seem intrusive and worst of all – spammy. Do some research to determine the best sending times and hours and make sure that you only send at those times. Frequency capping is especially important if you are in control of a very large database that is kept in continual use. Make sure that data is segmented and that the same subscribers are not bombarded with campaigns week after week.
Fresh, interesting content
It’s quite simple: if the content that you are sharing with an audience is boring, weak or stale, you are going to lose that audience. Marketers and publishers often say it and it’s true; content is king and it’s a big reason why people subscribe to brands in the first place. Any content shared through your promotional mails or email newsletters should be gripping, interesting and totally relevant to the subscriber it reaches. Work hard to produce a variety of content, from articles to multimedia and make sure every email shows the subscriber something different. Remember: premium content will not only keep your subscribers at your side, it also inspires sharing – whether via social networks or by forwarding your emails.
Personalise as far as possible
As a direct digital marketing form, email has the capacity to be highly personalised according to the needs of the subscriber. When email marketers neglect to do this, subscribers can be left feeling unimportant or undervalued, which could lead them to unsubscribe. By making use of a profiled, managed email database, marketers can tailor campaigns to suit the name, gender and interests of every subscriber – giving more relevant content and ultimately driving more sales. Remember: success in email marketing depends on subscribers that feel secure, valued and content.