During the weeks and days leading up to the holiday, promotions, discounts and offers were a welcome sight in my e-mail inbox. Today, however, getting over 75 e-mails promoting overstock, winter clearance, healthy new you and post-holiday dining out specials is a bit overwhelming (especially because everyone is back to work and also e-mailing me, too) – I finally have e-mail overload.
I did my best, taking a few needed days off (not 100% “off” but certainly doing a lot less than I usually do) but still found that I had to check in on e-mail every few days (on my laptop) to keep up with the e-mail. (I think one day I had 485 unread messages!!) That’s a bit too much. I had probably previewed most of them and responded to several, but the daily messages from retailers and online purveyors still need to be cleared.
Sure, I use IMAP for work, however, my personal email accounts are only POP server and thus need to be read or cleared on my phone, iPad and then of course, the master, my laptop.
I am certain that there is a better way to do it, you are crying out right now – “seriously Dawn, do you really do that?” but I have a very good reason. Certain things can be done mobile – others can not. If my e-mail provider had a way to use IMAP, I would pay extra… they don’t offer it for the “general lay person” so I can’t change that.
But, what I can do… is unsubscribe from the pushy retailers!!
Yes. I can and I will… what’s worse, so can everyone else if you push them too far.
The real issue is the frequency with which the retailers are STILL sending messages. Daily – after the holidays are over – is far too often, unless the offer is truly compelling. So, I did it…I finally gave up today and decided to unsubscribe. Here is the best part… My unsubscribe options varied by retailer and how savvy they are. No one really wants to lose someone from their customer database, but if you mishandle your customers, you will inevitably lose them. One highlight of my day was the unsubscribe screen that made me re-think my actions.
Use your customer data wisely. Does the customer buy from you only during the Christmas or Hanukkah holiday? Do they buy something from you each month? Do you have a good, compelling reason for them to shop from you more often?
Give them options. Do they want to hear from you monthly, weekly, daily or when you have a super terrific offer. Send news, but perhaps not every day unless they asked you to send this much. Share fabulous information, promotions and new product information with your customers and they will want to read it, look forward to it in their inbox and they won’t dare hit UNSUBSCRIBE.
~ Dawn aka Hat Girl