I am who I am, and the fact is, I'm not going to please everyone.

However - opt outs can be opportunities for learning - "teachable moments" that may lead you to make valuable changes in your products, services, or sales and marketing strategies.

Here are a few thoughts to ponder as your list grows, and opt-outs start to happen:

Are you overexposed? The first, most important thing to consider is that you may be sending out ezines and other messages too frequently. This is easy to do, especially when you are excited about a topic, or are promoting a new product, service, or event. If you see a particularly large number of opt-outs, you may need to revisit your strategy.

Not everyone is your target market: Some folks may have been interested in one topic you have covered in your ezine, and opted in to your list, but later realize that what you're offering and the value you're providing isn't of service to them. Again, if you see a LOT of opt outs surrounding a particular topic, service or promotion, it may be a signal that you need to make changes in some way.

You may not be a good personal match: One way in which you should not change is in your personal style. You have a unique style, and not everyone may appreciate your message, or how you say it. That's okay - you can't change who you are to please the masses. Stay true to your message, and your personality, and likeminded subscribers will come!

People are living in email "overwhelm": We all complain about the amount of email we receive. I've opted out of MANY ezines over the years because I don't have the time to sift through them all. Or I've saved them with good intentions to read later - yet later never comes. That's when I know it's time to simplify, and unsubscribe.

A quality list is better than a quantity list: A list of 100 targeted subscribers simply performs better than a list of 5000 people who may let your valuable information languish in their inbox -- or worse, their spam folder! Targeted subscribers may not only engage your services, but will likely forward your ezines to like-minded prospects. It's actually a good thing that they're weeding themselves out!

Don't take offense when someone removes him/herself from your list. Opt-outs may indicate that you may need to change things up a bit in your marketing and sales strategies. Or, it may simply be a matter of incompatibility. Perhaps it's a good idea to find out why they opt out, with a simple checkbox survey as part of the unsubscribe process. Either way, opt-outs are ultimately a positive thing -- "teachable moments" for your business!

Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine? No problem! But here's what you MUST include:-

Donna Toothaker is CEO and founder of 1st VA the highly sought-after online marketing and consulting company. 1st VA specializes in providing online marketing support and services to entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who wish to effectively build or improve their online presence. Visit http://www.1stva.com to sign up for our valuable weekly ezine and receive a free special report, The Top 5 Essential Tasks for the Ultimate Online Promotion of Your Business.