Today most every business has a website, writes blog posts, uses Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. in an effort to increase their exposure and get more business. And, most savvy online marketers also have those wonderful opt-in boxes to capture leads – myself included.
I wrote this post because it feels like some marketers out there are going overboard. You sign up for their free offer and before you know it, your inbox is flooded with messages from them. For instance (and I’m guessing you experience this as well), one day I attended a webinar. Before it ended I did sign up for their offer. It didn’t take long before the e-mail barrage began.
It started with a thank you confirmation, but each day after that, I received at least 4-5 e-mails. every one was promoting something new. It began to feel a bit too pushy with too much sales hype. Do you want my business or do you want to piss me off? I got ready to click that “unsubscribe” link.
Let’s face it, as business professionals, while passionate about what we do, we do it to make money. Each of us needs to put food on the table, pay our mortgage, take care of family, etc. So, we need to sell. Look, I’m a copywriter. It’s my job to write marketing content that sells products and services. However, there is a balance. #ditchthepitch
There is a company that made an offer I signed up for about a week and a half ago. Since then, about every 2 days, they e-mail me. I’m pleased to say that in that time, only one of those e-mails has been an up-sell to purchase a product. The rest of the e-mails have all been really informative messages providing me with great tips and pointers. It makes me feel like I did the right thing connecting with them. Isn’t that how you want your subscribers to feel?
When you opt-in to my e-mail list, you won’t receive multiple e-mails from me in a day. You won’t even receive one e-mail a day from me. I send an e-mail when I have something of value to share. Yes, on occasion, it may be a promotion, but on occasion. Perhaps I’m not bringing in as much money as some of my online marketing colleagues, but I feel better knowing that when I send an e-mail, my subscribers aren’t getting pissed off and opting out.
I’m also becoming more discriminating about opting-in and I think many others are doing the same. What say you?
