My Dear Subscriber,
I have a few confessions to make. Bear with me while I am telling you my best kept secrets – at the end we both will feel better.
First of all: I love you all who signed up to download my free stuff! I love you because by signing up to my list when I needed some assurance that my chosen path into the marketing world was right – you provided the feedback I needed. You made me think I was offering something of value: a report or some tutorials, sharing my knowledge and experience. At that point we all were happy: you got a free resource, I was watching my list growing.
But then, being a novice marketer, I didn’t know what to do with you. I mean what to do with your email that I had in my list. Somehow I felt uncomfortable blasting out indiscriminate affiliate offers to you; i.e. to suggest buying stuff in order to get commissions if you buy. So, I neglected you. Didn’t send out anything… because even in real life I firmly believe in the mantra: talk only if you have something to say. I now know it was a mistake — you completely forgot about me and that you signed up to my list(s).
Later, when I had a new report of mine to offer — I’ve sent out a cheerful message: look, what I made, I wrote another short book, get it free. Some people unsubscribed. Obviously, you didn’t, since you are reading this. Others, and I hope you were not among them, brainlessly clicked on the “spam” button. Spam? You put your name and email address in the form because you wanted my intellectual property for free and you even confirmed your intention to receive further notifications from me.
We were still cool. Then I sent you a call to participate in some charity drive, to raise funds for one or two noble causes. Some of you complained again. WTF is wrong with these people, I started to ask myself…
Finally, I put together a few excellent products, and all related to the topic of the list you have signed up. Let’s make it clear: you signed up because you wanted to pick my brain, knowing I am one of the best WordPress experts you ever met. So, I produced and released top notch WordPress related products: videos, e-books, guides. Most of the time I offered significant discount to you as my valued subscriber. Now I have to ask:
Was it YOU that reported my discount offer as spam? You can’t be that dumb. It must have been someone else…
Now I didn’t expect that all of you would run to purchase my bestseller. You may have other priorities and I understand that. Or, maybe, you feel entitled to never-ending freebies and get offended if a valuable resource is offered to you in exchange for your hard-earned money. (I won’t even mention that you could also earn some money as an affiliate, promoting the same product you were not interested in…)
Here comes the important part: if you are not interested in my offers (free or paid), please, please find the UNSUBSCRIBE link in my last email message and click on it. Unsubscribe! – I beg you. Do it now. Let’s say good bye to each other and go in peace. No hard feelings…
From now on everything will be the other way around: you will need to buy something first in order to get freebies. My paying customers will get my free reports, my free updates and all the discounted offers.
While I enjoyed having your “company” during your subscription period, I need to clean up my list(s) to get rid of those that complain about my messages. You are on a marketing list and you agreed to receive email from me. I don’t blame you for feeling abused by so many unwanted email offers. However, you specifically asked me to send you more information. And when I did, you reported it as spam. Honestly, I will not tolerate it. Would you?
Again, find the unsubscribe link in my last message and click. Do not click on the spam button! Have a nice day and good luck in all your endeavors.
P.S. A last chance… You can get all my WP related products and a few hundred more (over $4,000 in value). Watch the video to learn how!
19 Responses to “My Dear Subscriber,”
Leave a Reply
Lisa Gergets on August 24th, 2011
Nice post, Istvan. And nope, it wasn’t me who complained. LOL
Flickering Torches on August 24th, 2011
Istvan,
I hear ya buddy. It’s rough out there. People are so inundated with offers they forget who’s who. I’ve been in your exact position before, with a list who forgot about me. It’s painful. It can even be harmful if enough people (who should know better!) hit the spam button when it wasn’t spam. I’m gearing up to launch a new list campaign myself. Wish me luck, and I wish you luck with yours!
Sincerely,
Michael
Dz on August 24th, 2011
Holy crap Istvan, you are among the handful of trusted names in IM whose posts I try never to miss over at the WF, just yesterday I learned so much about .htaccess because something you said here/there set me researching, the day or so before it was encrypted links in WP footers and I have both bought and accepted free your knowledge in package form—fwiw—and always when I see a thread begun about WP there I perch and wait for you to come in and resolve the question/discussion with a definitive answer.
I had no idea what some of the other products you offer were/are having only recently discovered this blog, but also because I am one who does what he can to take your pointers as authoritative guides to go and try to learn and understand on my own rather than mindlessly seek out the next ‘push button’ passive “solution” to IM ‘overnight success.’
Just to say. I would never intentionally mark a message from you as Spam nor can I envision any way I would ever click ‘Unsubscribe.’
You can’t get rid of some of that *that* easily.
Eric Graudins on August 24th, 2011
Hi Istvan,
I too have been providing lots of info for free, and also refuse to get on the “send out some affiliate crap” bandwagon.
Mindlessly promoting everything that comes down the pipe is the fastest was to destroy your credibility.
I’ve proven many times that the majority of people will use and appreciate the information that they pay for, yet treat that same information as worthless when given to them for free.
There’s so much stuff out there now (free and paid) that’s totally worthless.
So I believe that making people pay for things is a step in the right direction.
I think you’re doing the right thing by culling the serial freebie seekers from your list
Eric G.
RB on August 24th, 2011
Reversing the freebie>paid into paid>discounted/special (list only)/free offers is probably a good one. Even if it’s only a $10 product … you will eliminate a big bulk of useless freebie seekers. Some may say it’s risky, but it’s better to have 100 committed customers/followers than a big list of 10,000 unresponsive freebie seekers.
On the other hand, people are used to receiving emails and sending out one every 6 months is probably not enough to keep your name in their minds. That is, of course, unless they all signed up to your emails on a platform like the WSO and know you from the WF already. Keep up the good work.
WD Mino on August 24th, 2011
Istvan:
It happens man, For whatever reason.
I hate to see you upset, you’re a good guy and I have never felt you delivered anything other than value. But if some feel differently,no big deal, it is best to part ways friends rather than continue on.
Be well my friend
-WD
Istvan Horvath on August 24th, 2011
Thanks for the support, guys!
After the t-storm knocked out the power and the computer, I came back to check the statistics and I couldn’t believe my eyes: there was 0.14% complaints about my last broadcast.
The only thing that came to my mind: In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man, it seems unfair that He did not also limit his stupidity…
Josbradley on August 24th, 2011
I don’t know if you remember me from Warrior Forum, but you’re the one the one guy that actually does know more than me about WP, and that’s saying something. Wasn’t me that complained, anything you send to me is cool, buddy.
John L. on August 24th, 2011
Will look forward to future materials from you which I can utilize in my endeavors. I am a subscriber $ customer who hopes to remain on your list!
Quick Guide for Finding and Selecting WordPress Themes – was a recent purchase & in which I found value.
See you on the forum fellow Warrior…
privacy.li on August 25th, 2011
Hello Istvan,
it’s a smart move. Get rid of the losers, and concentrate on the doers.
I am in the privacy business and know those over zealous penny pinchers too well.
So far I enjoyed your mails and postings and will continue to do so.
Adminus
Nigel Greaves on August 25th, 2011
A very sound and professional approach Istvan.
You deserve to be paid, and paid well, for the excellent work that you offer. By following your advice people are investing in their business and if they can’t appreciate that fact then it’s their loss.
I wish you every success.
Nigel
Linaz on August 25th, 2011
You should make anybody who subscribes watch this video: “A real person, a lot like you”, by Sivers – to learn manners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfwwHa-7Ux8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
eltel on August 25th, 2011
Hi Istvan
In WF you get a mail a day endorsed by the same old names in the never ending “scratch my back” routine.
When you’ve been tempted by some of these (as I have), you start to realise that over half will mark high on the copy but low on the product.
With you my friend, you deliver. I’ve bought two of your products and both were excellent.
To clear your list of the freebie hunters is a good move – leaves the good stuff for us guys who appreciate what you offer!
Regards
Terry
Ron Mahon on August 25th, 2011
Ivan I was new to WordPress when I bought your video series on WP 3.0. Thanks so that I was able is on and create a multisite without any hiccups.
I’ve always enjoyed the way you take technical details and simplify them so that anyone can understand them.
Now that you are a professional marketer engages do one important thing. Move everybody that purchases anything from you to a separate list.
Keep up the great work
Best Regards
Ron
schazz on August 25th, 2011
Hi Istvan,
Do you know any marketers in the IM niche that don’t get spam complaints from freebie lists? I like what you’re doing here and respect your honesty and how forthcoming you are about all this.
One of the key things though I think is to not take things like the spam reports personally.
You laid out above why you have this “problem”. You added people to a freebie list then didn’t contact them for a long period of time, then started to contact them more often after they had forgotten about you.
With your experience on the WF I’m sure you know that people often get freebies just to download them and have them, regardless of whether or not they actually need them or will use them. Therefore, just because they have your freebies doesnt necessarily mean they want to buy anything on those topics.
I’m curious how effective this tactic will be to get people to unsub. My initial thought is that the average person who would report you as spam won’t take the time to read this post…I hope I’m wrong!
Thanks for all of your great advice.
Will
TM on August 27th, 2011
Istvan,
I’m so sorry that hapened to you!
I loved your WP Dream Tool tutorials, and make sure to always read your posts on Warrior forum. Keep up the great work!
Tim on October 4th, 2011
“In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man, it seems unfair that He did not also limit his stupidity…”
Love it
Just added that quote to my facebook profile
Carlos on November 27th, 2011
Hi Istvan,
Someone else alluded to this I think but I thought I would add my two cents too for what it’s worth Istvan.
A big part of the problem in how people wrongly complained of spam from you, and I do hope you don’t take this personally Istvan, may have been self-imposed.
In the sense that you did not stay in regular contact with your list.
I myself, despite how organized and analytical I am, have been tempted to label something as spam when I keep getting email that I don’t recall signing up for (it can easily happen to the best of us if we subscribe to a lot of lists). If I am tempted to do that you can easily imagine people less organized and analytical as for sure wrongly labeling lists they themselves signed up for as spam.
The best thing you could have done and can do in my opinion is simply stay in consistent contact (as in once every couple of weeks at the least) with your list subscribers. That way they will be far less likely (likely never) to forget that they themselves signed up for your list such that spam complaints should all but disappear.
Carlos
Istvan Horvath on November 27th, 2011
Easier to say than to do it (consistently)