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Freakishly genius or just plain stupid idea

by Jeremy Gatica
13 replies
so I just logged into my aweber account and decided to delete, yes I said delete all of my lists save for 1 list that has about 20 subscribers.

Total of subscribers in my lists- about 2500

The reason I am deleting these lists is because quite simply I have not used them and feel that if I was to start using them I may get a lot of complaints and just dont want to deal with that hassle as the last time I used those lists has been about 3 months.

I would rather start anew and get ready for the new year.

With several projects lined up scheduled for the next couple of months, I feel that this is the best option for me.

so am I crazy or just plain crazy?
#freakishly #genius #idea #plain #stupid
  • Profile picture of the author Ian Seth
    I can see why you would do that. People often forget to each lists they are subscribed to. Nevertheless, i imagine It takes guts to do such a thing. Good luck to your next year projects!
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
      I understand your motives here. I'd simply have recommended that you instead keep your list of 2500 and just send out an email apologising for having neglected them.

      Build up their trust again with a series of free advice and guides. Make them want to hear from you again. At least this way you aren't just throwing away a decent sized list. You're trying to salvage it instead.

      A cold list isn't necessarily a dead list. Re-ignite it by adding value to their subscription.

      It's entirely your decision. If you know you can build this number up again (and more) then go for it. Let me ask you a question though. How many of these 2500 were proven buyers of what you were selling to them?

      This might give you the answer to your problem (if you have already deleted your list then I probably wasn't much help to you at all there was I?! Sorry).

      Mark
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Gatica
        Originally Posted by Mark Brock View Post

        I understand your motives here. I'd simply have recommended that you instead keep your list of 2500 and just send out an email apologising for having neglected them.

        Build up their trust again with a series of free advice and guides. Make them want to hear from you again. At least this way you aren't just throwing away a decent sized list. You're trying to salvage it instead.

        A cold list isn't necessarily a dead list. Re-ignite it by adding value to their subscription.

        It's entirely your decision. If you know you can build this number up again (and more) then go for it. Let me ask you a question though. How many of these 2500 were proven buyers of what you were selling to them?

        This might give you the answer to your problem (if you have already deleted your list then I probably wasn't much help to you at all there was I?! Sorry).

        Mark
        I havent quite deleted everything yet, some of the smaller ones in the niches i no longer work in are gone.

        Jason,
        A swift kick in the nuts is what drove me to redefine what I am doing with my online presence to begin with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Russ
    Email them and let them know that although you've not been real active in the past (give some sort of reason why) you intent to start emailing them regularly. Again, give them a reason why.

    Provide a free link to a free product as a thank you for having been on your list in the past and invite them to download it AND unsubscribe if they don't want to receive your new frequently sent messages.

    This way they get something for being 'bothered' and you reinforce their receiving of your emails. It's a free way to get them to 'opt in' again.
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    • Profile picture of the author Abul-Hussain
      Originally Posted by Tim Russ View Post

      Email them and let them know that although you've not been real active in the past (give some sort of reason why) you intent to start emailing them regularly. Again, give them a reason why.

      Provide a free link to a free product as a thank you for having been on your list in the past and invite them to download it AND unsubscribe if they don't want to receive your new frequently sent messages.

      This way they get something for being 'bothered' and you reinforce their receiving of your emails. It's a free way to get them to 'opt in' again.
      I have to agree with Tim. Your list is one of the most valuable assets you have. To just delete 2500 subscribers is like putting a few 100 dollar bills on fire. The best approach would have been to send an email explaining why you haven't been in touch and to give them something of value to show that you care.

      For example, I didn't email my list for months at one stage. However, when I got back in touch with them, they were very keen to listen as I had given them a lot of value with my previous newsletters/frontend products before I stopped emailing them.
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    • Profile picture of the author jacstone193
      Originally Posted by Tim Russ View Post

      Email them and let them know that although you've not been real active in the past (give some sort of reason why) you intent to start emailing them regularly. Again, give them a reason why.

      Provide a free link to a free product as a thank you for having been on your list in the past and invite them to download it AND unsubscribe if they don't want to receive your new frequently sent messages.

      This way they get something for being 'bothered' and you reinforce their receiving of your emails. It's a free way to get them to 'opt in' again.
      Yes good points - I would do that too!
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  • Profile picture of the author Lance K
    What are the nature of the lists? And would the new lists you start serve the same of a different purpose?
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Gatica
      Originally Posted by Lance K View Post

      What are the nature of the lists? And would the new lists you start serve the same of a different purpose?
      The largest of the lists is derived of giveaway subscribers. It was never responsive to begin with, that had around 1500 subscribers, I got more complaints from that list, then any other.

      another list created from a giveaway had around 250 that was quite responsive but seemed to taper off in clickthroughs, it was in a niche I am no longer working, so no sense in keeping that one.

      My new lists are going to going with a redefined business model that I will be implementing in the coming weeks for my main graphics site.

      Email them and let them know that although you've not been real active in the past (give some sort of reason why) you intent to start emailing them regularly. Again, give them a reason why.

      Provide a free link to a free product as a thank you for having been on your list in the past and invite them to download it AND unsubscribe if they don't want to receive your new frequently sent messages.

      This way they get something for being 'bothered' and you reinforce their receiving of your emails. It's a free way to get them to 'opt in' again.
      I give away quite a bit to begin with, just follow me on twitter and you see that I give away custom minisite designs fairly regularly.

      I dont want a list of freebie seekers as I know what it is like to be one of them, eventually email accounts get flooded with emails, with many of the same emails coming from various newsletters/email lists.

      Although my plans for next year will involve a couple of giveaways those lists will be compiled better then i did in the past.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jason Moffatt
        Would you like a kick in the nuts to accompany that stupid idea?
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      • Profile picture of the author YellowDot Software
        Originally Posted by Jeremy Gatica View Post

        The largest of the lists is derived of giveaway subscribers. It was never responsive to begin with, that had around 1500 subscribers, I got more complaints from that list, then any other.
        I have a list of giveaway people, they have been totally useless, I've run giveaways on my blogs before and asked them to read a few paragraphs and leave a comment with what they think, and they don't even do that.

        This is traffic from giveaway directories I'm talking about. It's a good way to make a big legitimate number on your feedburner, but I have never been able to sell one product to any of them. Specially since a lot of them just use fake emails anyways.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kelly Verge
    I have a list of 1400 that was completely unresponsive through the autoresponder sequence related to the niche. I just couldn't get them to buy.

    After ignoring them for a few months, I've started sending them unrelated emails - just random Thanksgiving stuff started it. I followed up with a couple of emails with unrelated affiliate offers (unrelated to the niche) and have made a couple hundred in sales.

    They might not pay the bills, but deleting a list really is walking away from money.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
      Originally Posted by Kelly Verge View Post

      I have a list of 1400 that was completely unresponsive through the autoresponder sequence related to the niche. I just couldn't get them to buy.

      After ignoring them for a few months, I've started sending them unrelated emails - just random Thanksgiving stuff started it. I followed up with a couple of emails with unrelated affiliate offers (unrelated to the niche) and have made a couple hundred in sales.

      They might not pay the bills, but deleting a list really is walking away from money.
      That's great advice Kelly. Like I said before; stick with your list. They're always good to have around.

      I personally have never stuck with an unresponsive list before but I suppose with the right technique anythings possible right?!

      Maybe the best way to go with unresponsive lists is simply to send them a few emails about things unrelated to the niche you operate in (whilst also adding value - not just giving them links to product after product).

      It's definately something to think about. I'll try this myself with my unresponsive list. Build up the value again and then maybe tell them about certain products outside of the niche every now and then to see if it works out for me.

      Thanks for the advice Kelly.

      Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author graphicsgenie
    Originally Posted by Jeremy Gatica View Post

    so I just logged into my aweber account and decided to delete, yes I said delete all of my lists save for 1 list that has about 20 subscribers.

    Total of subscribers in my lists- about 2500

    The reason I am deleting these lists is because quite simply I have not used them and feel that if I was to start using them I may get a lot of complaints and just dont want to deal with that hassle as the last time I used those lists has been about 3 months.

    I would rather start anew and get ready for the new year.

    With several projects lined up scheduled for the next couple of months, I feel that this is the best option for me.

    so am I crazy or just plain crazy?
    Jeremy, done exactly the same last week mate

    Darren
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