Sometimes they're just not that into you

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I ran a small experiment in last month’s newsletter.I added nearly 200 new subscribers. For me, that's a lot. Their emails came from a conference list I was given. Many of you reading this are part of that group. At the top of that email, I explained how I got your address, why I was writing, and gave you an  unsubscribe link.

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Still, I was nervous about it.

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Up until now, I have only emailed people who visited our website and opted in directly. So how did it go? Pretty well. Almost everyone stayed.

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Two people opted out. One from the new group, one from the regular list. (Someone always opts out. That is just how life works. You cannot take it personally.) Honestly, I was surprised the number was not higher.

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Under U.S. CAN SPAM rules, marketers do not need prior consent to send you an email. As long as they follow the basics—accurate sender info, a physical mailing address, and a clear opt out link—they are legally fine.

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That is why cold email is everywhere. It’s the email equivalent of cold calling. I despise it. Every morning I delete a handful and mark them as spam. (“Hi Clyde,” they begin, even though my name is Tim. “What would you say if we could deliver 10 new leads a day?”)

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So how was what I did different? Inboxes didn’t block me. You didn’t report me. (Maybe you still will after reading this.) In my case, I trusted the conference that sent me a list of attendees who had agreed to receive “more information from sponsors.” I believed you’d be open to hearing from me, even if you hadn’t clicked “subscribe” yourself.

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It is a thin line.

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Our nonprofit clients do this all the time, adding contacts and prospective donors who they have met to their lists. It took me a while to get comfortable with it, and truthfully, I am still a little squeamish.

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If you ever do the same, here are a few things that can help create a positive relationship:

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• Be transparent. Tell people why they are hearing from you.
 
• Send a welcome. If they opted in, let them know what is ahead.
 
• Give context. If you added them because of a professional relationship, say so.

• Make unsubscribing painless. The link should be obvious, just one or two clicks. If they opt out, remove them immediately. Not just because it is the law. Keeping disengaged addresses actually hurts your deliverability.
 
• Consider feedback. It can help to ask, optionally, why someone is unsubscribing. Maybe too many emails, not relevant content, or poor timing. Maybe you annoy them.
 
• Offer choice. If you have the resources, a preference center can sometimes save a relationship by letting readers pick fewer emails or only certain topics.

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A couple last thoughts, especially for readers working at nonprofits. If a high-value donor opts out, your major donor officer will want to know so they can strategize. It's important to set up a reporting mechanism to ensure these opt-outs are shared with them.

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Also, it's worth analyzing your opt-out data on a regular basis. Twice a year is fine. In our reporting for clients, we look at average length of subscription, where and when they first made contact with you, and their donor or purchase status at the moment they unsubscribed (i.e., prospect, first-time donor, recurring donor, lapsed donor, etc.).

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While reporting metrics like these can take a bit of upfront planning, it will reveal a great deal about how prospects and donors engage with your organization.

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Thanks for reading. Have a great August everyone. Talk to you soon.

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- Tim Yeadon
Donor Journey Strategist & Principal