A fascinating article everyone should read is “1,000 True Fans”. It’s about how anyone can have a thriving business that meets all their needs – if only they had 1,000 true fans!
In my course on email list building and marketing, I group subscribers into 5 categories – and teach the importance of focusing attention on a very special segment of your list… your MOST RESPONSIVE subscribers.
(Side note: I’m giving away one copy of this $179.00 course daily to a lucky subscriber of my email list. Get details and sign up now – click here)
Your “most responsive subscribers” are the people who READ what you send them. Who take ACTION on whatever you suggest, be it clicking on a link to visit a website, download a PDF or watch a video. Who BUY on your recommendation.
These are the rare fans who will talk to others about you, spread your message and story far and wide, and keep your business growing constantly – without you having to do anything except provide great value.
And the importance of taking GREAT care of this passionately loyal section of your list (which is rarely bigger than 10% of the total) was brought home to me this morning with powerful impact.
I just unsubscribed from FIVE lists from the same person – that I had been subscribed to for over 5 years!
This is a person I’ve paid attention to for nearly 12 years. A man I’ve recommended to many others. And followed, studied and learned from.
But over the last 2 months, I have been COMPLETELY ignored by his team, and my 10 messages (most in response to requests for feedback and volunteer projects) didn’t even get the courtesy of a quick reply.
So I unsubscribed. And won’t be paying much attention to whatever comes from him in the future. Nor will I be an active evangelist for his work and business.
Your fans are not permanent. You cannot take them for granted. They won’t stick with you through thick and thin just because they once were impressed by you.
You’ve got to PROVE that you continue to be worthy of their attention. One way to do it is by constantly providing great value. But more important, another way to do it is by ACKNOWLEDGING them.
Seth Godin once mentioned, in a discussion about tribes, that a leader was privileged to be able to lead a tribe – for a while. It’s true. The attention your tribe pays to you is your privilege. One that should never be abused, or taken for granted.
Jay Abraham constantly advises imagining that our customers walk around carrying a big sign that says: “I’m IMPORTANT! Acknowledge Me”
And smart businesses do. They engage, interact, communicate and focus extra attention, shower greater value and take special care of their best clients, customers and subscribers.
For an email newsletter publisher, that group includes your MOST RESPONSIVE SUBSCRIBERS.
Do you know who they are?
Are you taking good care of them?
Do you have processes in place to handle communication with them?
Are you aware when things slip through cracks and disappoint them?
And are you watching to see if they are leaving you?
If they are, what are you doing about it?
Ezine ANTI Marketing has some answers that’ll help with these tricky questions.
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