Flaming Emails

One of my favorite activities of the day (NOT!) is browsing through my emails when people unsubscribe from my list.  In most cases, the person just removes herself from the list without a reason.  However, a handful of people feel compelled to say why they're leaving the list.  The majority of them tell me that either my topic no longer fits their needs or they are overwhelmed with email and are unsubbing from lots of lists.  Occasionally, though, I get an email from a flamer, who is very irate at me and wants to make sure that I know it.  This happened a few days ago when a life coach unsubscribed from my list and let me have it about the fact that EVERYTHING in my newsletter is for members of my subscription website only.

Hmmm, did she even read my newsletter?  It appears not, as I have a full-featured, content-rich article available in every issue, along with a review of a business automation tool. Granted, I do note what's new on my membership website, as revenue from that site is an important part of my business plan.  Silly me, trying to sell things through my newsletter.  I must be insane — what was I thinking??? Believe it or not, I've gotten similarly irate emails from subcribers who chastise me for daring to try and sell them something.  Hmm, they must be trust fund babies and not have to work for a living.

Sarcasm aside, I don't bother to try and correct these misperceptions, as they have already left my list by the time I get this notification.  I don't really feel that chasing them down to have an intelligent conversation with them worth my time and energy, and they have already made up their minds about my publication, however erroneous they are in their perceptions, and would most likely never return.

So, how do you deal with these naysayers who feel compelled to lob flaming emails at you on their way out the door?  Bid them a happy good riddance, and take some comfort that their vacancy makes room for more of your ideal target market on your list.  Think of it as water bouncing off a duck's back.

You have to develop a tough hide to work online, which is something no one ever told me when I started my business.  Email is the perfect anonymous medium for cowards to spew out garbage that they would not normally say in a face-to-face encounter.  Kind of a sad commentary on the direction of our society, isn't it?