Latest / The Email Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Newsletters, Open Rates, and Subscriber Growth / How to Turn Unsubscribes into Valuable List Feedback
Transcript
- Lucas: There's this moment every email marketer dreads. You wake up, check your campaign report, and see that number in the unsubscribes column. Maybe it's ten, maybe it's a hundred. And for a split second, you feel that little pang of rejection. Luna: Right. It's personal. You put work into that email, and someone said, 'I don't want to hear from you anymore.' Lucas: Exactly. And the standard reaction is to look away fast, maybe blame the subject line or the send time, and move on. But I think we're sitting on a goldmine of data every time someone unsubscribes, and most marketers just throw it away. Luna: You mean the exit survey? The 'why are you leaving?' pop-up? Lucas: Exactly. But not just putting one up. Actually using that data to improve your list. A B2B SaaS company called UserVoice — they tracked this a few years back. After they implemented a simple one-question exit survey on their unsubscribe page, they saw a 17% reduction in future churn within a single quarter. Not because they stopped people from leaving, but because they stopped annoying the people who stayed. Luna: That's a huge number. So what was the one question? Lucas: They asked: 'What made you decide to unsubscribe?' With multiple choice answers like 'Too many emails,' 'Content not relevant,' 'No longer interested in the topic,' and 'Other.' Simple stuff. But they actually analyzed the results and found that the biggest reason by far was frequency — people felt overwhelmed. So they gave subscribers the option to choose a weekly digest instead of daily emails. And that cut future unsubscribes by nearly a fifth. Luna: So the exit survey became a list optimization tool, not just a goodbye formality. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the shift I want to talk about today. Instead of treating unsubscribes as a failure metric, treat them as a free focus group. Every person who leaves is telling you something about your list, your content, or your frequency. If you listen, you can fix the leak before it gets bigger. Luna: I love that. But I think a lot of marketers are afraid to ask because they don't want to hear the answer. It's easier to blame the algorithm or the time of year. Lucas: Totally. And that's understandable — nobody likes criticism. But the data is neutral. And if ten people say 'too many emails' and two say 'content not relevant,' you know where to focus. The hard part is not getting defensive. You have to be willing to change something. Luna: Let's talk about the mechanics. What does a good exit survey look like? I've seen some that are way too long — like five questions. No one's going to fill that out when they're already leaving. Lucas: Right. One question is ideal. Maybe two if the first is multiple choice and the second is optional open-ended. But keep it frictionless. The goal is to get a signal, not a dissertation. And place it on the unsubscribe confirmation page, not in the email itself. Once they click unsubscribe, you redirect them to a page that says, 'We're sorry to see you go. Could you tell us why?' And then a simple radio button list. Luna: And you have to be honest about what you'll do with that info. Some people worry it's a trap to keep them subscribed. Lucas: That's a good point. So you should add a line: 'Your feedback helps us improve our emails for everyone. You'll still be unsubscribed regardless of your response.' That builds trust. And then, actually use the data. Don't just collect it. Luna: So what do you do with the responses? Aggregate them, look for patterns, and then act. If a lot of people say 'not relevant,' maybe your segmentation is off. If they say 'too many,' offer a frequency preference. Lucas: Exactly. And you can even segment based on the reason. For example, if someone says 'content not relevant,' you could tag them as 'lost interest' and maybe try a re-engagement campaign in six months with a different angle. But if they say 'no longer interested in the topic,' that's a permanent loss — don't bug them again. Luna: Right. Respect the unsubscribe. Don't try to win them back immediately. That just annoys people. Lucas: Yeah. The data is for improving the list for the people who stay, not for re-marketing to the ones who left. That's a key distinction. Now, one thing I've seen work well is to also offer a 'pause' option on the unsubscribe page. Like, 'Would you prefer to take a break for 30 days instead?' Some people just want a breather, and that keeps them on your list. Luna: That's smart. It's a win-win. They feel heard, and you retain a subscriber who might have been lost forever. Lucas: Let me give you another example. There's a retailer called Betabrand — they sell weird pants, yoga pants that look like dress pants. They had a really high unsubscribe rate after their launch emails. So they added an exit survey and found that people were unsubscribing because the product photos didn't match the description. So they fixed their product photography, and unsubscribes dropped by 25% over the next quarter. Luna: That's a concrete fix. So the exit survey didn't just tell them about email — it told them about their product page. That's the kind of cross-functional insight you can get. Lucas: Exactly. The unsubscribe feedback loop can inform your entire marketing strategy, not just your email program. And it's free. You're already paying for the email service provider. The survey is just a few lines of code. Luna: Okay, but what about the psychological side? How do you keep from taking it personally when you see those responses? Lucas: That's a real challenge. I think the key is to depersonalize it. The person isn't rejecting you — they're rejecting an email at that moment. Maybe they're busy, or their interests changed. It's not about you. And if you can see it as data, it becomes much easier to handle. I actually keep a spreadsheet of common unsubscribe reasons and track them over time. When you see a trend, you feel empowered because you can fix it. Luna: That's a good practice. And it also helps to share the data with your team so everyone sees it as a learning tool, not a blame tool. Lucas: Right. Now, there's one more thing I want to cover: the unsubscribe page itself. The design matters. If it's just a sterile 'you have been unsubscribed' message, you've lost the opportunity for feedback. But if it's warm and says something like, 'We're sorry to see you go. If you change your mind, you're always welcome back,' that leaves a good impression. And it makes people more likely to fill out the survey. Luna: And you can also include a link to a preference center. Maybe they don't want to unsubscribe entirely, just change their frequency or topics. Lucas: Yes. That's a great idea. On the confirmation page, you could say, 'Before you go, would you like to update your preferences instead?' And link to a preference center. Some people will take that option. It's a last-chance save that feels respectful. Luna: So the overall philosophy is: treat unsubscribes as a conversation, not a door slamming shut. Lucas: Exactly. And that conversation can make your list healthier, your content better, and your subscribers happier. It's one of the lowest-effort, highest-impact things you can do in email marketing. Luna: And if these kinds of practical marketing insights help you in your work, we want to mention something. We deliberately keep this podcast ad-free — no sponsors, no commercials. That's a choice we made from day one because we think the content should be clean and focused. If that matters to you and you'd like to support that choice, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to say thanks and keep the episodes coming without any ad interruptions. Lucas: Yeah, we really appreciate that. It's listeners like you who make this possible. And now, back to unsubscribes — because there's one more angle I want to hit. What do you do when the data tells you something uncomfortable, like that your content just isn't resonating? Luna: That's the hardest. But I think the best response is to pivot. If a significant number of people say 'content not relevant,' you need to re-evaluate your content strategy. Maybe you're writing about topics that your audience has outgrown. Or you're not segmenting well enough. Lucas: Right. And sometimes the fix is as simple as changing your subject line style. I've seen cases where people unsubscribed because they felt tricked by clickbait subject lines. The exit survey revealed that, and the company switched to more straightforward subject lines. Unsubscribes dropped. Luna: So the survey acts as a honesty check for your entire email program. Lucas: Exactly. Let me give you one more concrete step. Once you've collected a few months of data, you can create a report that shows the top three reasons for unsubscribes each month. Share it with your team. Then set a goal to reduce the top reason by 10% next quarter. That's a measurable, actionable KPI. Luna: And if you see a sudden spike in one reason, you can investigate. Maybe a new campaign triggered it. That's a leading indicator. Lucas: Exactly. So to wrap up: don't fear the unsubscribe. Embrace it. Build a simple exit survey, analyze the data, and act on it. Your list will be healthier, your content sharper, and your subscribers happier. And you'll sleep better knowing you're not guessing anymore. Luna: And if you want to dig deeper, we'll link to some resources in the show notes. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.