Goodbye, Good Luck

One of the key strategies for success with your business or practice is to have a sign-up form on every page of your website --- or at least a link to your sign-up page --- and there’s nothing much more thrilling than to have people start signing up for your stuff.

And nothing is quite as depressing as when they unsubscribe.

A few weeks ago I wrote to a friend and a colleague telling her that I had gotten on her list twice with two different emails and that I was going to unsubscribe from one of them. “When you see the notice that I’ve unsubscribed, not to worry,” I told her, “because I’m still staying on your list.” (I didn’t want her to think I was abandoning her.)

“You mean you actually look at those subscribe/unsubscribe notices?” she asked me. “I never look at those,” she said.

Well, yes I do. I do look at every one of them.

I get an email notice every time someone subscribes or unsubscribes to one of my lists and while it makes for a lot of extra emails to manage I like getting them because it allows me to make a brief connection with the people who are joining my list.

Whenever I get a notice of a new subscriber I always say “thank you.”

“Thank you, Linda.” “Thank you, Robert.” “Thank you, Moira.” A silent but heartfelt thanks to every single one.

I’d be fibbing to you if I told you that I’m absolutely, perfectly, 100% okay when someone decides to leave my list. It hurts a bit. People do that all the time for a variety of reasons. You’ll experience that too when you have your own list, perhaps you already have.
 
I understand this is just part of doing business online. Still, when it happens, I tend to wonder if maybe I did something they didn’t like, or if they just didn’t resonate with what I offer.

But for each one that unsubscribes, I also take just a moment to say “goodbye” to them and wish them well. “Goodbye, Steve, and good luck.” “Goodbye, Mary, and good luck to you, too.”

Maybe I’m nuts. (I’ve been called worse.) But I like my little ritual of greeting the new and saying goodbye to the old. It makes me feel good to do it.

As you build your online business and grow your list, just remember that each person that signs up is a real live human being who is reaching out to make a connection with you. It can certainly be the start of a beautiful relationship.

And also remember that not everyone will want to stick around.  Better to bless them and graciously send them on their way so they can connect with someone else who might be better able to serve their needs.

Hellos. Goodbyes. All just a part of life. And business.