Coping with YOUR "UN-Subscribers"

Coping with YOUR "UN-Subscribers"
by Laurie Rogers Copyright July 2002

As your list becomes larger, you will begin to notice a few
things that CAN and WILL happen at one point or another.
I do not care HOW nice you are or HOW professional you
come across as being, the fact is, there are a lot of very
RUDE people out there -just as there is in the "real world."
Take it from someone who knows from experience, I have
seen MORE publishers get cursed at, falsely accused and
abused - more than I can count.

The majority of the "rudeness" seems to peak when they
are trying to unsubscribe and although you can tell them
100 times in 100 different ways - they just do NOT care!
For some reason they feel it is THEIR given right to treat
you like GARBAGE and I am here to tell you, do NOT put
up with it! If it gets really out of control, REPORT them
to their ISP. Send a copy of their subscription request
(full headers included) with your complaint, so you have
covered the possiblity of the old, "it was spam" routine.

======= SIDE BAR ==========

In my experience as a publisher in over 3 years, I have
had this happen to me on two separate occasions and
both times I reported the abusers to their ISP. I always
suggest doing this, because there are some sick people
out there, who INTENTIONALLY do this to publishers for
the "FUN" of it. Remember NO person on this earth has
the right to abuse YOU verbally or otherwise, I do NOT
care WHO they are or WHO they "think" that they are.
Now that I've made my point, let's move on.

======= END SIDE BAR =======

The trick to "avoiding" the majority of the rudeness that
CAN arise from people trying to unsubscribe to your ezine,
is to make it as EASY as possible. And if possible, provide
an unsubscribe email address and "clickable" unsubscribe
link in EVERY single issue. This way if one doesn't function
there is ALWAYS an alternative that the person can use.

I also recommend that you use a "no-reply@yourdomain"
to send your ezine from, triggered by an automated msg,
so that way, you are less likely to have people using the
reply function to unsubscribe. Your automated message
should consist of "CLEAR instructions" on HOW they can
remove themselves from your list - that is all it needs in
order to be effective.

If your subscriber STILL does NOT get the hint on HOW
to remove themselves from your list and decides to cuss
you out - KILL them with KINDNESS. Although I do know
there will be times when they will just get your blood in
a "boiling mode" - be as POLITE as possible. Let them be
the one to make a "MORON" out of themselves. But for
some reason NOTHING gets under a RUDE persons skin,
MORE than YOU being nice.

My last bit of advice is for you NOT to get offended at
all when someone "unsubscribes" to your ezine. I have
seen some people get down right "emotional" over the
thought of this. Just keep in mind, there are PLENTY of
GREAT subscribers out there that are MORE than willing
to read YOUR ezine.

Article by Laurie Rogers Copyright 2002 All Rights Reserved