Email Marketing Promotions: How to Be Annoying

It's a curious thing, email marketing promotions. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. I feel it's my part of my job to email people to tell them about good opportunities, but many times there's a price tag involved.

Some people don't like to buy anything, ever, no matter how good. And others only want things in their own particular niche and get mad when you promote anything that doesn't concern them and their needs.

I'm full of insecurities and nervous ticks every time I pull the trigger on an email broadcast.  Why? Because I know I'll get some unsubscribe notices and the occasional complaint from someone who feels email promotions to be annoying.

I hate to annoy people, especially since I feel as if I know my subscribers. 

This past week, I was particularly "annoying," according to one person. I really wanted people to sign up for the iFlashVideo membership service (and I still do, it's that good!).

Well, I did one final reminder email, and sure enough he unsubscribe AND sent me a negative email. I'm telling you this to sort of relieve my bad feelings and to explain myself. I know I shouldn't worry about one email, but I do.

This is why many small business professionals hate marketing: they don't like to "annoy" people with repeat email messages.

The truth is that email marketing does work, and you can't sell anything unless you ask people to buy and give them good reasons why this will make their lives better. Even when you try to be funny and cute, sometimes you catch people on a bad day and they tell you to go fly a kite, that you are really sad and pathetic.

What makes it worthwhile are the number of people who are glad to get a product or service and who's work lives are made easier because I took the time to "annoy" them with multiple email messages.

Here's why I care: I always read people's messages even when they are fed up and annoyed because maybe there's a solution. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. And then it hit me...

What Could Be Wrong with My Emails...

If someone is on my list but doesn't get my email updates to my blog posts, then they probably only get emails I send out that promote something. That's what I use my KickStartCart for, email promotions, some free teleseminars, some free ebooks, plus all the things I'm selling, either for myself or for an affiliate partner.

Therefore, some people (those who aren't subscribed to the blogs but who are on my list) might only be getting email promotions, and not interesting, helpful information. Therefore, after a few promotions, they might think that I'm not interested in teaching them something that's useful to their business.

See what I mean? This could be remedied by sending out a few email messages that only contain useful information, like updates or a weekly summary of blog posts. This is why people also send out email newsletters. I stopped sending out a newsletter two years ago, since it replicated the information available on the blogs.

Hmmm... I hate to create one more marketing task for myself, but I'm thinking that I should also use my Cart to send out information that isn't promotional. That way people on my lists won't perceive me as an annoying marketer who does nothing but promote and sell.

What do you think? What have been your experiences?

Maybe I'm making too much of this, but I don't blame people who get annoyed by too many promotional emails. And since that's not at all me, who I am, then perhaps it's up to me to show people on my list information of a non-promotional nature. Maybe it's time to go back to an email newsletter...

Your comments are welcome here!

Comments

[Kathleen Gage]

Outstanding article Patsi. The fact is, many people want to learn effective online marketing and sales strategies but don't realize part of the process is email marketing.

I am amused by those who complain about marketing methods (but they want to know how to make money online) and when you ask them "and how much are you making online?" the answer is usually "nothing".

The fact is, we can't please everyone. Although we don't go out of our way to annoy people, there are times when we do.

For every disgruntled unsubscriber there are dozens who are glad we are keeping them informed.

In the past I thought I needed to please all my subscribers. Today, I focus on those who are serious about learning how to build a successful (and sustainable) business.

[Patsi Krakoff aka The Blog Squad]

Thanks, Kathleen, for your supportive words. I'm thoroughly enjoying your VIP Club and plan on letting my readers know about how they can learn to make great online profits with your easy to digest learning guides. I'll just put a plug for it here, blog post coming: http://snipurl.com/kathleengagevip