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Along with all the others here, I also immediately unsubscribe and get rid of products that feel like they're a bit too close for comfort. My side project is no

Along with all the others here, I also immediately unsubscribe and get rid of products that feel like they're a bit too close for comfort. My side project is now making a lot of money, and people value tremendously not getting newsletters, or messages from John, the customer superhero. There is value in email, tremendous value, but I strongly believe that it's timing, wording and situation that will get you the most mileage here. I send one single email after about a week of no user pulse, all it says is: we still have your data, looks like you may haven't had a chance to try this yet, here's a coupon that expires today and it'll get you some extra credits (or whatever your product offers). If not interested, simply remove your account by clicking here. No point in storing dead accounts. I don't care about a falsely inflated user base. People love that. Also, I end the email by saying, "click reply to talk to our CEO directly and ask any questions you may have." The last one gets a lot of conversions, and helps tremendously in figuring out what their concerns are. This system is doing the magic for me.

dasboth 10y ago
I agree with this being a good way to do it. As a user a barrage of emails is a turn-off, especially the "I see you haven't used X yet" emails. I get why they need to be sent, but I still find them a bit too intrusive.
- mittermayr 10y ago
  I once received an email from a customer asking me if they maybe gave me the wrong email. I asked why, and they said, "I haven't gotten any newsletters, updates, nothing!" — it's become such a pattern now, every thing you sign up for will cause an immediate welcome mail, a regular newsletter, a "major changes", a "we're shutting down" or "exciting news!"—everyone is following the pattern (for a reason, sure, but it's just annoying, all that talk and no benefits to the user, typically).
gm-conspiracy 10y ago
Can you share what your side project is?
- mittermayr 10y ago
  Too afraid of people dissecting every bit of it again, but if you are curious, search for my name and Instagram.
falsestprophet 10y ago
In the spirit of forthrightness, wouldn't it be consistent to call yourself the owner or proprietor rather than "our Chief Executive Officer"?
- ChrisLTD 10y ago
  If there is a business entity behind the project, they could certainly be the CEO of a one-person company.
- jermaustin1 10y ago
  This all depends on the audience. Our tests have shown if you are a B2E company or you have a higher priced good, CEO/President/Some Official Sounding Title makes more sense. But if you are aiming toward the consumer market or small businesses, Owner typically sells better. We tested this out on the "Agency" vs "Basic" and "Pro" plans for Linklicious.
  - mittermayr 10y ago
    Very good point as I personally hate, hate, hate the term CEO in business smaller than 20 employees. Founder is also a bit pretentious, owner sounds like "I own this, you can use it, but I own it!" In the U.K. we use Managing Director, which is very uptight. I don't know. It's almost never beneficial (above a certain package price) to be overly open about something being a side-project, or small operation (one man especially)—but I also believe it's very wrong (and usually very telling) to act like there's six offices around the world. Tough line, I have a proper company, and under this entity, all side projects are run, so that keeps it mostly okay to say CEO. I happily open up a bit if people get curious though, usually in the many emails people send over the months.
    - dboreham 10y ago
      Perhaps "High Heid Yin"? http://www.thedialectdictionary.com/view/letter/General+Scotish/5348/ http://www.thedialectdictionary.com/view/letter/General+Scot...
    - 10y ago

dasboth 10y ago

I agree with this being a good way to do it. As a user a barrage of emails is a turn-off, especially the "I see you haven't used X yet" emails. I get why they need to be sent, but I still find them a bit too intrusive.

mittermayr 10y ago
I once received an email from a customer asking me if they maybe gave me the wrong email. I asked why, and they said, "I haven't gotten any newsletters, updates, nothing!" — it's become such a pattern now, every thing you sign up for will cause an immediate welcome mail, a regular newsletter, a "major changes", a "we're shutting down" or "exciting news!"—everyone is following the pattern (for a reason, sure, but it's just annoying, all that talk and no benefits to the user, typically).

gm-conspiracy 10y ago

Can you share what your side project is?

mittermayr 10y ago
Too afraid of people dissecting every bit of it again, but if you are curious, search for my name and Instagram.

falsestprophet 10y ago

In the spirit of forthrightness, wouldn't it be consistent to call yourself the owner or proprietor rather than "our Chief Executive Officer"?

ChrisLTD 10y ago
If there is a business entity behind the project, they could certainly be the CEO of a one-person company.
jermaustin1 10y ago
This all depends on the audience. Our tests have shown if you are a B2E company or you have a higher priced good, CEO/President/Some Official Sounding Title makes more sense. But if you are aiming toward the consumer market or small businesses, Owner typically sells better. We tested this out on the "Agency" vs "Basic" and "Pro" plans for Linklicious.
- mittermayr 10y ago
  Very good point as I personally hate, hate, hate the term CEO in business smaller than 20 employees. Founder is also a bit pretentious, owner sounds like "I own this, you can use it, but I own it!" In the U.K. we use Managing Director, which is very uptight. I don't know. It's almost never beneficial (above a certain package price) to be overly open about something being a side-project, or small operation (one man especially)—but I also believe it's very wrong (and usually very telling) to act like there's six offices around the world. Tough line, I have a proper company, and under this entity, all side projects are run, so that keeps it mostly okay to say CEO. I happily open up a bit if people get curious though, usually in the many emails people send over the months.
  - dboreham 10y ago
    Perhaps "High Heid Yin"? http://www.thedialectdictionary.com/view/letter/General+Scotish/5348/ http://www.thedialectdictionary.com/view/letter/General+Scot...
  - 10y ago