Call it the great unsubscribe clear out, or just consumers getting fed up with cookie-cutter offers and newsletters! But, over a fifth of Brits now have a regular clean-up of their marketing communications.
Fair enough if it’s a newsletter by a firm they grabbed a bargain from many years ago. Or, a company that sends daily guff with abandon, but the figures will still alarm marketers.
The data from Capterra reveals alarming email unsubscribe rates among UK consumers. It should act as a wake-up call for SMBs thinking they have done the hard work in building up a marketing list.
And, if you think that 22% can’t get any worse, it is dwarfed by the 40% figure recently reported from the US. So, complacency is not an option.
Going into marketing mail battle
Capterra’s Advertising Preferences Survey emphasises the importance of segmentation, strategy, and personalisation in crafting successful email campaigns.
This trend underscores the need for SMBs to deliver value-driven content that resonates with subscribers. To combat attrition, businesses must focus on personalised campaigns, engaging subject lines, and exclusive offers tailored to individual preferences. SMBs can achieve this by personalising campaigns through robust data collection and segmentation. Prioritising customer value over company-centric narratives, and regularly auditing email databases to ensure active engagement.
Clear Value Proposition Essential for Sign-Ups: According to research conducted by Gartner, only 58% of brands effectively communicate the benefits of subscribing to their emails, with just 24% offering promotional incentives. This presents an opportunity for SMBs to refine their sign-up processes and differentiate themselves by clearly articulating the value of their email content. Offering discounts to incentivise sign-ups, showcasing the benefits and testimonials of email content, and providing exclusive content access in exchange for email subscriptions are effective strategies to enhance sign-up rates.
Ethical Practices Foster Consumer Trust: Ethical email marketing is increasingly vital for building consumer trust. Capterra’s survey indicates that 26% of UK consumers would report misleading subject lines. This underscores the importance of transparency and honesty in email communications. To maintain trust, SMBs should avoid sensationalist or misleading subject lines and respect privacy choices by communicating transparently about data usage.
“As consumer preferences change, it’s crucial for SMBs to adapt if they want to keep their audience engaged and achieve their desired results,” explains Capterra UK senior analyst, David Jani. “By tapping into these trends, UK SMBs can not only meet but exceed what their customers expect, setting themselves apart from the competition. Email marketing doesn’t have to be complicated; it’s about offering genuine value, like exclusive insights and offers, while staying true and ethical for lasting success.”
Whatever the approach, value your customers and their time with those email newsletters and marketing missives, otherwise it won’t be long before you wonder where all your subscribers went, especially with the ease of one-touch vanishing acts consumers can perform.