Is trying to make a bigger email list costing you money?

Issue #12

The money is in the list, they said.

Everybody talks about growing your email list as big as you possibly can.

What if it is bad advice? Or, put more accurately… incomplete advice?

The size of your email list really doesn’t matter. It is all about your relationship with that email list.

In fact, this is one of the major reasons I started this daily email. It is less email automation and more freakin’ work! But, it is fun. 🙂 And, I’m hoping that you and I will get a little closer. My hope  is that you’ll find these emails useful, get used to hearing from me every day, and we have a better online relationship even if you don’t know me personally.

But, if your main concern is size and not relationship, then it could lead to you pussy-footing around with your email list. And it could be costing you money.

When you try to send emails that cater to everybody, it can actually hurt your list.

When you try to send fairly infrequent emails so as to try to appease people who complain about how often you email them, it is actually hurting your list.

If you stress out because some person opted in for a free lead magnet and then simply left your list, you’re wasting your time and…. maybe hurting your email list.

Because…. it isn’t about the number of people. It is about the RIGHT people who actually pay attention.

Yesterday, I told you that I hosed 2,785 people off my list. Well, I randomly checked out the individual profiles of some of those people who unsubscribed before I actually did the deed. In almost every single case, the person had come in via a free lead magnet, stayed on for 2 or 3 emails…. then left.

Now, I am changing some things with how I am handling my email list. Obviously. 🙂 I mean here we are with a daily email. 😉

But, there’s also the fact that most of these people were likely not the right fit for my business. Most likely, they were here solely to get the free download and that’s it. The chances of elevating them to the status of customer were probably very low.

So, I don’t stress it when people unsubscribe.

It might be a mindset shift. Perhaps it isn’t. But, seriously…. quality is better than quantity.

I’d much rather have a potent email list – where the people look forward to hearing from me – than a bigger list of people who aren’t paying any attention.

Tomorrow, I’m going to talk more about what to do when you find people who are still subscribed, but not opening or clicking on anything.

Do you just delete ’em?

I’ll talk about that more tomorrow. 🙂

Until then…

– David


David Risley

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