Unsubscribe Alternatives Best Practices

Why Unsubscribe Doesn’t Have to Mean Goodbye - Unsubscribe Alternatives and Best Practices May 15, 2008 Loren McDonald VP, Industry Relations

Agenda
Why People Unsubscribe
Unsubscribe Process Checklist
Best (and not so good) Practices
Q & A

Why Goodbye is Good
Unsubscribes are a good thing….
If unsubscribing is not easy, you risk:
Increased spam complaints
ISP blocking
Annoyed customers/subscribers
Weakened brand reputation

Why Recipients Unsubscribe
Too Frequent
Irrelevant Content/Offers

So What are the Alternatives? Other Emails Channel Profile/ Preferences Change Email Format Frequency Alternatives

Best Practices Checklist

Unsubscribe Process Best Practices
Types of Emails to Include Opt Out:
All except transactional
Process Best Practices:
Web-based unsubscribe
One click to the unsubscribe page (CAN-SPAM requirement)
Do not require a password/login (CAN-SPAM requirement)
Pre-populate email address/other data on the form
List types of communications currently subscribed to
Thank and confirm unsubscribe or change in profile immediately after subscriber submits info
Do not send an email to confirm unsubscribe (unless using email reply-to unsubscribe process)

Preferences/Unsubscribe Page Checklist
Obvious Must
Unsubscribe
Options/Alternatives
Change email address
Change format (HTML, text, mobile)
Alternate channels (RSS, direct mail/catalog)
Update profile/preferences (snow board vs down hill skiing)
Frequency (e.g. weekly, monthly, etc)
Ask why? (comments box, menu, check boxes)
Provide a link/phone number to report problems
Timing statement if not immediate unsubscribe

Measure, Analyze and Test
Monitor unsubscribes by:
Domain
Source/offer
Demographic
Creative approach
Determine of there any patterns
Correlate with spam complaint rate
Test
Email/Unsubscribe page creative
And regularly test to make sure the unsubscribe process works

Best (and a few not so) Practices From Unsubscribe Link…to Thanks

Minimize Unsubscribes in the First Place
Manage expectations on sign-up
Adequately explain the content and value proposition
Explain frequency/give them a choice
Show a sample
Give format options
Provide preference/profile options
Don’t over promise – delivery against
Don’t over mail – particularly in key business periods (holidays)
Send targeted/personalized emails
Use trigger-based emails
Don’t send emails they wouldn’t expect
Don’t be too aggressive – watch the language
Design for rendering in multiple platforms

Email Unsubscribe – Location and Language

Spam Button Has Prime Real Estate

Does Unsubscribe Link Belong at the Top?
Preview Pane is valuable real estate
Use for call to action; key info.
Use unsub link at top if high spam complaint ratio
Within preview pane
But after key info

Make the Unsubscribe Link Obvious
Red text means hyperlink
Unsub feels secondary

Mr. Magoo Might Opt for the Spam Button
Font ratio is out of proportion with rest of the email
- Tiny, tiny and buried

Be Careful of Euphemisms Where’s the unsubscribe link?

Options Within the Email

RSS, Catalog, Preferences…+ Unsubscribe

Brand the Unsubscribe Page

Not a Good Experience

Paul Frederick

Mailing List/Newsletter Alternatives

Choice of Specific Email or All Little known fact – CAN-SPAM Requirement

Note on Transactional Messages

Opt-Out Time Frame – Manage Expectations

Note Timing to Minimize Spam Complaints

Frequency Alternatives

Clear & Simple + Flexibility for Sender
Frequency caps can impact:
Trigger- and behavior-based emails
Surveys
Specials

Neiman Marcus

Alternate Formats

HTML or Text
Text may be preferred by:
Mobile users
Certain demographics

Update Preferences & Change Address

Old Navy – Demographic Preferences

Crutchfield – Product Type + Location

Passwords Required – FTC Prohibits

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) - May 12, 2008
(1) Defined the term “person,” to mean individual, business, assoc., partnership, etc.;
(2) Modified the definition of “sender”:
Creates a “designated sender” that becomes the agreed upon responsible party in “multi-advertiser” emails
Honors opt-out requests made by recipients
Includes their physical postal mailing address
(3) Post Office boxes and private mailboxes constitute “valid physical postal addresses”
(4) Ten days remains the time a sender may take before honoring a recipient’s opt-out request – three days was being proposed
(5) Prohibits the imposition of any fee, any requirement to provide personally identifying information (beyond one’s email address), or any other obligation.
FTC CAN-SPAM Update – May 12, 2008

FTC Ruling: Passwords Have to Go
CAN-SPAM Ruling now prohibits passwords
Separate newsletter subscriptions
from membership/account emails

Thanks/Unsubscribe Confirmation

Saying goodbye doesn’t have to be ugly

Golfsmith – Branded and Helpful
Names specific list
Link to preferences
Web site wrapper

Alternate Channels

RSS & Catalog Options

Feedback – Why Are They Saying Adios?

Simple Comments Box

Uno – Drop-Down Menu; Staples – List

Bringing it All Together “ Best of Show”

Staples – Really Good, But Not Perfect
Missing:
Frequency Option
RSS or catalog option
Contact info.

And in the end… Make it easy… But help ‘em stay in the relationship.

Q & A
Follow Me
Twitter
@LorenMcDonald
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Media Post - Email Insider
MarketingProfs GetToThePoint
Many others…
Blogs
Silverpop – “Tales”
http://marketing-suite.silverpop.com/loren-mcdonald.html
Contact:
Loren McDonald
[email_address]
www.silverpop.com

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Unsubscribe Alternatives Best Practices

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Unsubscribe Alternatives Best Practices — Presentation Transcript