A new Silverpop study finds that few retailers manage the opt-out process in ways beneficial to both recipient and sender.
According to MarketingSherpa, retailers on average experience monthly list growth of 6.1 percent and attrition rates of 2.1 percent, yielding a net growth rate of 4 percent a month. And JupiterResearch reports that nearly four out of 10 email marketers say list turnover is their greatest challenge. Despite the fact that marketers hate to lose contact with potential customers, few work aggressively to hang on to those considering leaving the fold.
For example, 12 percent of companies gave customers the chance to change their preferences in addition to simply opting-out. Clicking the link to unsubscribe in a National Geographic email, for example, leads recipients to a preference page allowing them to select from among 17 different options in addition to simply unsubscribing.
A few companies give customers the chance to re-think their opt-out. Seven percent of the companies studied ask one last time whether the customer truly intended to unsubscribe, and then they conveniently include an easy link for opting back in. Such "think before you click" messages vary from Nordstrom's simple request to reconsider opting-out to Miller Brewing Company's reminders of the value of maintaining a relationship with the company.
Interestingly, few retailers try to uncover why customers want to leave. You should try to get as much information as you can before the customer is gone for good. Were they receiving too many email messages? Are they no longer interested in your product or service? Was the content not relevant enough? You can even provide an empty text box on the Web site in which they can add their own feedback.
