It happens: You outgrow your current mailing list manager, or you choose to switch providers for one reason or another. Most online publishers have experienced this at some point... and it can cause major stress.
My advice upfront is always to set up your lists at Aweber, as most publishers end up there in the end. Aweber is quite simply the #1 service provider for autoresponders and email lists. As much trouble as it can be to switch everything over, it just makes sense to set up your lists there to begin with (or without a doubt - before they grow any bigger).
Like most mailing list managers, Aweber will allow you to import your current list of subscribers into your account. However, with double opt-in requirements and anti-spam regulations, any address you import must be verified...
This means that each subscriber has to say "Yes, I want to receive email from this list" by clicking on a confirmation link in the verification email. Of course, your subscribers probably had to do that when they signed up for your list originally - but you still have to ask them to verify once again when you switch to a new Mailing List Manager.
These companies cant afford to take the risk that a publisher might have harvested this list of email addresses from around the web. Obviously, verification is a necessary step to keep them out of legal trouble.
The problem that most publishers run into is that they lose the majority of their subscribers when they make the switch. Only a very small percentage will verify/confirm their subscription and stay on the mailing list.
Most publishers experience around 1-10% subscriber retention, depending on the relationship you have with your readers...
Why is this, and what can you do about it?
First, dont sweat it. Its not worth it to stay with a provider that is blacklisted or that has a very poor delivery rate (or other issues) just to keep the current size of your list.
The one thing you have to keep in mind is that you are only going to lose the subscribers that either a) arent reading your emails anyway, or b) are no longer interested in what you are offering.
Consider it "list cleaning" - all you are dropping is dead weight. The loyal readers that actually read your emails and click on your links are the only ones you truly need to be concerned with.
Still, some of your readers might need a little encouraging. And you dont want to lose the percentage of readers that are on the fence so to speak, or are so new to your list that they still need a little incentive to stay with you.
Prepare Your Subscribers
The key is to incorporate this switch with other changes/updates that offer to your readers. For example, you may have a new product or serivce or come out with a really cool free report. Or maybe you are updating the website or adding new features.
Spend a few weeks (or at least a few emails) preparing your readers for the cool new updates or the getting them excited about what's coming up next. This will get the anticipation level up, which will in turn keep your rentention rate higher.
Its not necessary to tell them all about the technical aspect of your switch, or why it makes life easier for you. That's boring, and they could care less. They just need to know what's in it for them. You might say something along the lines of:
In order to bring you even more great features (get more specific!), we are upgrading to some new services. You will be getting an email from me during the upgrade - all you have to do is click the link in that email to verify that you want to stay involved...
Offer An Incentive
Put together a Free Report that your readers would LOVE to get their hands on! When your subscribers confirm their subscription through the verification email, you can set up a follow-up message that gives them the dowload link.
Once you have prepared your list to expect this message, that verification email might say something like:
As a loyal reader of the Whatever Ezine, you get access to my new Free Report titled "You absolutely have to have this!". Simply click the link below to verify your subscription to Whatever Ezine, and I will send you the download link right away...
Customize Each Step
Be sure to customize the verification email and create a custom follow-up message. The worst mistake you can make is to just send out the default verification email to your list and cross your fingers that your subscribers will click on it.
Shake it off and move on...
Once you have taken all of the measures to ensure that you your regular readers have every opportunity - and incentive! - to stay subscribed to your list... you simply have to take a deep breath and move forward. Nobody likes to lose a few thousand (or even a few hundred) from their readership numbers. But remember - those numbers were probably just the ones that were lowering your conversion rate anyway.
Keep your focus on the readers that open your emails, click on your links, and love to hear from you. And from this point forward... work towards building that same type of relationship with every reader that you possibly can!
Also See: Choosing an Autoresponder or Mailing List Manager
Best,
P.S. Take Aweber for a Test-Drive with their Free Trial
About Lynn Terry
Great tips Lynn. I need to do this now for a site I recently took over... originally I was worried but then realized it's just not worth it. If people really want to listen to what you have to say they'll stick around.
I'll be taking a deep breath and moving forwards soon!
Great posts i always like your posts too
very intriguing and challenging too
onlineblog
Hey Lynn,
Great tips.
One other great thing about Aweber is that they'll allow you to import your list without double opt-in if you can prove that your current list was acquired using double opt-in methods to begin with.
What they'll do is have someone sign up with a test e-mail account and quickly verify it. If all goes well, then you can import lickity split and not lose anyone. 🙂
~ Teli
I can vouch for this.
I'm doing a full switch BACK to aweber this month.
- Dave Navarro
Wonderful tips! This is something we did not long ago, and we did end up losing several hundred subscribers. It actually baffled us because our conversion was so high. We did exactly what was mentioned here - gave several notices ahead of time, then offered an incentive to move over (which acted as a sale and a move....the offer was a certain amount off any products that had to be used within a week or two.....thus making it an immediate reason to jump over to the new list).
Even as messy as it was, I couldn't be happier with Aweber. Well worth the move!
Yes, that's the part I hate, switching autoresponders, you can lose up to 50% of your list and that's not a good thing, great post.
My experience switching email list providers is that only a small percentage resubscribed even though I offered a free report. At first I was disappointed but then thought perhaps only the serious ones resubscribed and cleaned my list.
Read my Aweber Review – 33 Points To Consider Before Choosing An Email List Provider