Image credit sxc.hu

I’m midway through the process of deleting over 3,500 subscribers from my email list.

And paused to share some thoughts about WHY I’m doing this.

1. “They May Buy Sometime” is a myth

We’ve all heard it. A silent subscriber turns into a multi-thousand dollar spender after years of receiving your valuable content and insight by being on your email list.

And if you’ve been running email lists for long, you’ll know it is a myth. One where exceptions prove the rule.

2. “Move the free line” is a joke

There is solid rationale behind giving away great content through your email list to convince hesitant prospects about your skill, experience, knowledge and expertise. To brand you as an authority.

But there’s a limit. Most subscribers know enough after getting some solid value from you. Beyond that, more free stuff doesn’t make a big impact. On the other hand, it nourishes the ‘freebie seeking leeches’ who’ll suck up anything that’s free - but never buy from you.

3. “Audience match” trumps list size - always

Give me a perfectly matched list that has interests which resonate with mine and I’ll take it every time over a huge (and I mean HUMUNGOUS) list that’s untargeted.

You could give away massive value about eye-glasses - but if your audience is exclusively blind people, you won’t make many sales. Or any.

An Email List Strategy To Go

In short, simple bullet points, here’s my list management strategy distilled into a series of action steps:

• Share samples of the great value you provide
• Hold subscribers responsible for acting on them (relationships are 2-way streets)
• Ask for the sale - confidently, frequently
• Segment your audience into responsives - and ‘others’
• Deal with ‘others’ any way you feel best
• Focus on ‘responsives’ - and get them to LOVE you and all that you do

The longer version is in a course I wrote many years back called “Ezine ANTI Marketing” - you may want to get it right away, it sure isn’t going to be available for much longer!