There’s a simple reason why many consumers opt out of marketing emails: They never signed up for them in the first place, according to 7 Email Optimization Tips For Small Businesses, a study by The Manifest.
Of the consumers polled, 23% opt out when they haven’t subscribed. This means that almost a quarter of small businesses are emailing people who haven’t given their permission.
And this could be dangerous. “Sending marketing emails to individuals who have not ‘opted in’ through a past purchase or a specific form is not only poor customer service, it could also mean potential legal consequences for the business,” the study warns.
However, that’s not the main reason that people unsubscribe: 59% do so because of the sheer frequency of emails — they are overwhelmed by inbox clutter.
In fact, the study found that 44% of people receive more than 10 marketing emails per day, and 21% get 21 or more. And volume has been rising during the pandemic.
advertisement
advertisement
In addition, 36% opt out of emails that they perceive as spam or junk. And 38% drop out because the content is irrelevant.
It’s not clear whether small businesses are deliberately ignoring consumer needs, or if they simply lack the technology to send relevant emails in a more reasonable way.
But this is no small problem: Overall, a staggering 84% of consumers have opted out in the past.
No wonder 36% appreciate when it’s easy to unsubscribe.
Here’s one other thing: SMBs should note: 11% like brief emails.
And the seven optimization tips? They are:
Here’s one more tip: Customer journey mapping can help small brands send individualized emails.
The Manifest surveyed 501 U.S. consumers who receive marketing emails.
I prefer the "one-step unsubscribe button" at the bottom in a readable font. I can just click it and receive a short confirmation. Please don't insult me with a "Please allow 2-3 days for processing" message, because it's a lie. Unless it's a spam message, the coding should already have my email address to immediately delete from the database. On the other hand, I am amused by the photo of a sad puppy that some marketers put on their sorry-to-see-you-go screen (with a resubscribe link). Now if there was just a way to stop junk mail from USPS.