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What do you do with the unconfirmed subscribers?

by Sergiu FUNIERU
19 replies
Some people don't receive your confirmation eMail, or don't know what to do with it, or reply "I agree" instead of clicking on the confirmation link.

What do you do with the unconfirmed subscribers?

Sergiu FUNIERU
#subscribers #unconfirmed
  • Profile picture of the author donhx
    Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

    Some people don't receive your confirmation eMail, or don't know what to do with it, or reply "I agree" instead of clicking on the confirmation link.

    What do you do with the unconfirmed subscribers?

    Sergiu FUNIERU

    In the U.S., nothing. That would violate the CAN SPAM law.

    Also, trying to do something with them defeats the whole purpose of having a double opt in.

    The best thing you can do is take people to a page after they opt in. On that page you remind them that they need to go to their in box and confirm their subscription. You also remind them to check their spam filter to make sure your message did not end up there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rich Struck
    I have the same problem. Just over 2000 unconfirmed people. sigh.
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  • Profile picture of the author butch04
    I don't do anything.

    One thing you can do though is make your verify page better.

    Try adding a video to it telling people to confirm, or a video
    that shows exactly what to do next. Like you said some people
    just don't know what they need to do so you need to show them.

    These small changes can easily increase how many people verify.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
      Originally Posted by butch04 View Post

      Like you said some people
      just don't know what they need to do so you need to show them.
      I don't know how to tell them to read what's in that short eMail. More than once, I received blank eMails, with the words "I agree", as a reply to the confirmation eMail I sent automatically.

      Other times, people left the original links inside the message, when they replied with the words "I agree". In this case, I suppose nobody will get upset if I click the confirmation links for them, because they accepted my request, as stated by the words "I agree".

      Sergiu FUNIERU
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      • Profile picture of the author donhx
        Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

        I don't know how to tell them to read what's in that short eMail. More than once, I received blank eMails, with the words "I agree", as a reply to the confirmation eMail I sent automatically.

        Other times, people left the original links inside the message, when they replied with the words "I agree". In this case, I suppose nobody will get upset if I click the confirmation links for them, because they accepted my request, as stated by the words "I agree".

        Sergiu FUNIERU

        Bad idea to start clicking links for others. Just reply to the email they sent saying "I agree" and tell them they must click on the link themselves if they want what you offer. It is the professional way to handle it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
          Originally Posted by donhx View Post

          Bad idea to start clicking links for others. Just reply to the email they sent saying "I agree" and tell them they must click on the link themselves if they want what you offer. It is the professional way to handle it.
          I'm not sure I understand the difference. The purpose of them clcking on that link is to:
          - be sure they are the actual recepient of the eMail I sent
          - be sure they agree they want to receive information from me.

          If they replied with "I agree", what's the difference? What am I missing?

          Sergiu FUNIERU
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          • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
            Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

            I'm not sure I understand the difference. The purpose of them clcking on that link is to:
            - be sure they are the actual recepient of the eMail I sent
            - be sure they agree they want to receive information from me.

            If they replied with "I agree", what's the difference? What am I missing?
            I don't know how your funnel is set up... but in my case it would be useless if I click on the link because by clicking it the subscriber is supposed to be taken to the download page. Just saying.
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            • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
              Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

              I don't know how your funnel is set up... but in my case it would be useless if I click on the link because by clicking it the subscriber is supposed to be taken to the download page. Just saying.
              Good point. I was refering to the funnel with free offers only. The first follow up message contains the download link, and they'll receive that link imediatelly after I or them clicked.

              The reason I do this is because I received eMails asking me why they didn't receive the item after they told me they agreed to receive eMails from me. Some other times, they don't receive the eMail I send from my GMail address, but they receive the eMail from AWeber, which contains the download link.


              Originally Posted by myob View Post

              If you do click the link for them, you will need to keep records of their email of acceptance. It's just not worth the extra effort to protect yourself against possible later accusations of spam. Those "subscribers" would most likely be worthless anyway.
              Sadly, even if I use AWeber and there is the unsubscribe link in every eMail, people still use "Report Spam" even if they clicked themselves on the confirmation link.

              You made me thinking. Maybe you're right and those subscribers don't worth the effort.

              Sergiu FUNIERU
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          • Profile picture of the author myob
            If you do click the link for them, you will need to keep records of their email of acceptance. It's just not worth the extra effort to protect yourself against possible later accusations of spam. Those "subscribers" would most likely be worthless anyway.
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          • Profile picture of the author donhx
            Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

            I'm not sure I understand the difference. The purpose of them clcking on that link is to:
            - be sure they are the actual recepient of the eMail I sent
            - be sure they agree they want to receive information from me.

            If they replied with "I agree", what's the difference? What am I missing?

            Sergiu FUNIERU

            I guess my point is that you go to a lot of trouble to get them to confirm the link. When you do it yourself it's counter-productive. With your way, why bother with double opt-in at all? Just approve them all yourself.

            Also, I think you'll find that auto responder companies record the IP of the person doing the confirming. They will know you confirmed, not the other person, and your auto responder company may drop you.

            You seem to be happy confirming people yourself, so go ahead and see how it works out for you in the long run. I don't think it is a sound business practice, but it's up to you.
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            • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
              Originally Posted by donhx View Post

              I guess my point is that you go to a lot of trouble to get them to confirm the link. When you do it yourself it's counter-productive. With your way, why bother with double opt-in at all? Just approve them all yourself..
              I agree that is counter-productive. On some niches, though, I have people who barely know how to use the Internet, and are not familiar with the double opt-in process. I don't want to use single opt-in because many times my subscribers simply entered a invalid eMail address. With a double opt-in, I can be certain that they entered a valid eMail address.


              Originally Posted by donhx View Post

              Also, I think you'll find that auto responder companies record the IP of the person doing the confirming. They will know you confirmed, not the other person, and your auto responder company may drop you.
              You're right, they might.

              I am always looking for new/improved ways to do certain things. That's why I asked the question in the first place. Maybe what I do is not the best way and, as you pointed out earlier, it is not the professional way.

              Originally Posted by donhx View Post

              You seem to be happy confirming people yourself, so go ahead and see how it works out for you in the long run. I don't think it is a sound business practice, but it's up to you.
              Do I seem happy? No, it's just that I've been there and know the frustration of a beginner. Some people just want the information as quickly as possible and I was just trying the offer them a helping hand, that's all.

              Sergiu FUNIERU
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              • Profile picture of the author donhx
                Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

                Do I seem happy? No, it's just that I've been there and know the frustration of a beginner.
                Sergiu FUNIERU

                I appreciate that you are a newbie. You have received a lot of good advice here about not confirming emails yourself, but you seem to have special conditions that you think justify it, so what does it matter what the old timers say? It's not a good practice, and you are probably better off educating people about clicking on the link rather than just replying "I agree." But I don't mind. Do as you like! I am not the Poliţia.

                Do you seem happy? I wondered about that when I saw the "Sad Millionaire" offer in your sig. I didn't click on it since I stay away from sad millionaires. I prefer millionaires who are really happy!
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                • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
                  Originally Posted by donhx View Post

                  I appreciate that you are a newbie. You have received a lot of good advice here about not confirming emails yourself, but you seem to have special conditions that you think justify it, so what does it matter what the old timers say?
                  It matters a great deal to me what old timers say. I explained what I did because, sometimes, old timers encountered different conditions than I did.

                  Originally Posted by donhx View Post

                  It's not a good practice, and you are probably better off educating people about clicking on the link rather than just replying "I agree."
                  Believe it or not, I tried. My problem is that I always encounter people who don't know yet what to do or don't have the patience to read.

                  Originally Posted by donhx View Post

                  But I don't mind. Do as you like! I am not the Poliţia.
                  No? I feel relieved.

                  Originally Posted by donhx View Post

                  Do you seem happy? I wondered about that when I saw the "Sad Millionaire" offer in your sig. I didn't click on it since I stay away from sad millionaires. I prefer millionaires who are really happy!
                  So do I! I never said that I'm the sad millionaire. I wrote that report for those who want to learn how to avoid being sad after ... well, if you really want to know after what, it's easy enough.

                  I appreciate your explanations and I thank you for your time. I'm here to learn, but I have a hard time when I don't understand why some people do certain actions in a certain way. At the risk of upsetting them, I try to ask as many questions as I need in order to clarify their point of view.

                  Sergiu FUNIERU
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                  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
                    Originally Posted by Sergiu FUNIERU View Post

                    So do I! I never said that I'm the sad millionaire. I wrote that report for those who want to learn how to avoid being sad after ... well, if you really want to know after what, it's easy enough.
                    I think you missed the point. You need to change your signature line to create excitement about your "sad millionaire" report. Example: Don't Become a Sad Millionaire, Find Out How To Get Rich and Have an Exciting Life" might attract a few more clicks.... DonHX is actually giving you great advice, if you listen.

                    As far as your Autoresponder issue with unconfirmed opt-ins, that is GREAT NEWS! Now you have something to test, improve, and measure. You know your explanation of what they need to do after signing up is either non-existent, boring, or not in the right format. Try creating a quick video which displays after the initial opt-in explaining what they will get in their email and what they need to do, MAKE IT ENERGETIC AND ENGAGING.

                    There is no bad news, just test results....

                    Barry
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  • Profile picture of the author webpromotions
    Might be a bit off topic from what you are asking, but if you are using Aweber you need to manually remove these people from your list, because I think they charge you for them...

    (I could be wrong and that only applies to unsubscribes that they still charge you for, but I'm pretty sure it was also for people who signed up but never confirmed. Either way, they DO charge you for 'some' type of inactive subs unless you manually remove them)
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    • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
      Originally Posted by Doug English View Post

      Might be a bit off topic from what you are asking, but if you are using Aweber you need to manually remove these people from your list, because I think they charge you for them...

      (I could be wrong and that only applies to unsubscribes that they still charge you for, but I'm pretty sure it was also for people who signed up but never confirmed. Either way, they DO charge you for 'some' type of inactive subs unless you manually remove them)
      My problem is that I don't have in AWeber an "Erase" button for people who didn't confirm. Is true that I have an old-style AWeber account. Maybe they changed in the new versions.

      Sergiu FUNIERU
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeff Henshaw
        I agree that is counter-productive. On some niches, though, I have people who barely know how to use the Internet, and are not familiar with the double opt-in process.
        If you are targeting the 'main' niches such as Internet marketing, then keep using confirmed opt in if that is what you are more comfortable using.

        With regard to those niches that are less 'business to business' targeted, such as the leisure or hobby niches, then single opt in should be ok, as most people in those niches are less likely to sign up to 'everything under the sun' and are more likely to remember that they signed up to your offer, list or newsletter. Further, if they "barely know how to use the Internet", they will hardly be equiped with the knowledge to make a false spam complaint.

        Just my thoughts,

        Jeff.
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  • Profile picture of the author butch04
    This may sound mean but do you really want someone on your list that cannot follow simple instructions on how to confirm their email? I know the process can be confusing to some, but if you make it clear as can be and they still screw it up is this person really worth it?

    Can you see this person buying a product from you then having trouble using it or getting it to work etc... and wanting support?

    To me if the person doesn't follow through with the confirm process they did so for a reason.
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