Lessons From a Frustrated Subscriber

by Dr.Mani on April 27, 2008

RE-TWEET IT!

I use Aweber for most of my autoresponders. One of the lists has a bit over 1,800 subscribers. Today, I got an email from someone who tried to subscribe to it. Here’s what it says:

This Link  wont WORK. It comes up with. Error you are already registered  click confirm, which I have done at least 8 times ,but it wont work.

Reading it, I realized this was a wonderful opportunity to share with you some powerful and valuable lessons about working online.

This is NOT to poke fun at a potential subscriber who just might have disabilities that limit him from getting it right. My mother often forgets to dial in to her ISP – and then wonders why she cannot access her email! So… this isn’t a direct or veiled ‘attack’ on the hapless subscriber.

But at the same time, there are just so many things wrong with such an approach/attitude that if you see some parts of it in yourself, make an effort to change – because it could sabotage your level of success, influence and growth.

#1 – “Link wont WORK.”

This accusation/statement stems from placing blame OUTSIDE yourself.

Obviously the link works. 1,800 others have proved it. Maybe there was a temporary glitch, or more likely, maybe there’s something YOU were doing wrong.

Do not start off blaming others – try and figure out where YOU may have made a mistake, and fix it.

#2 – “It comes up with. Error you are already registered…”

And still he kept trying to register AGAIN. Probably because clicking on the link is a familar, easier task than to think about what else needs doing, what the next step should be.

If you’ve taken a step but haven’t reached your destination, check if you need to a) take more steps or b) take a different route/path

#3 – “…which I have done at least 8 times ,but it wont work”

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing – but expecting a different result!

If you want a different outcome, CHANGE what you are doing. Just repeating things over and over does NOT guarantee the outcome you desire.

Got any similar stories with a moral to share?

{ 1 comment }

1 Greg the Niche Blog Dude April 27, 2008 at 4:02 am

I hear where you are coming from, however the subscriber might be onto something here. With aweber you have the option when setting up your form to have a re-direct. But it also ask you for the re-direct page…ie thank you page, if the subscriber has already subscribed and if you haven’t indicated a page then they will gt that error.

Greg

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