When your list starts to bleed

Look. Back when I started writing these emails, I would be OBSESSED with the metrics on my Beehiiv Dashboard.

Open rates.

CTRs.

How many subscribers I had.

And, more than anything else, the number of UNSUBSCRIBES I was getting.

After all…

When people suddenly unsub from your list, it’s super easy to get discouraged. To think you’ve done something “wrong”. To think your list is bleeding.

“Oh no! Did I say the wrong thing?!? Did I push an analogy so far?? How can I make sure that doesn’t happen again?!?”

Before you know it, you’re questioning everything you know about your email chops. Your confidence is shattered. And you find yourself hovering over that big blue “Send” button, desperately checking every itty bitty nuance of your email to make sure you don’t piss anyone off.

If you’ve got a list, you’ve probably experienced this yourself at some point.

Well, I haven’t worried about this for a long time now.

But I’ve never written on this subject before.

And I wanted to share my new (and, I can assure you, infinitely better) perspective whenever anyone unsubscribes from my list nowadays (which will not only pay big dividends for your bank account, but for your peace of mind).

Because when someone unsubs, I like to categorize them into one of three “buckets”:

Bucket #1: They simply… aren’t interested anymore

Pas de problem.

People move on. Goals change. Life gets in the way.

No point fighting it or getting upset.

That’s simply how things roll.

Next…

Bucket #2: Cheapskate

At the risk of placing myself in an Ivory Tower, I’d say it’s fair to say I give away more insights than most in these digital letters I send your way.

But I ain’t running a charity.

And if someone subscribed to my list in the expectation of “extracting” all my knowledge (which I’ve gone to great lengths, and had to endure a lot of headaches, pain and frustration to achieve) without contributing back… then there ain’t much point me including ‘em in the printing press list each morning (or afternoon, like I’m doing today).

And, now.

Finally.

The most important bucket…

Bucket #3: They are a certified LOSER

Few points here...

I quickly realised that there’s a whole bunch of people online that will seize every opportunity they get to take “issue” with the stuff you say.

And it’s pretty easy to identify them:

Simply run a linear regression against the number of online fights they get into each day, versus the number of parties they get invited to on a yearly basis.

You’ll be pleasantly subscribed that the answer your calculator spits back at you is disturbingly close to… negative one.

Secondly…

It’s become painstakingly apparent to me that if you’re someone with more than 2 brain cells, then catering to the “elbow-munchers” isn’t just bad for your bank account, but it also eats away at your soul.

After all…

The goal with writing is to expand your mind. Not compress it.

And if you’re constantly “watering down” your content and talking about subjects which are so basic and mundane they could quite literally put an anaesthetist out of business, you’re probably gonna end up hating sitting down to write sooner or later.

And, finally, and the point you absolutely MUST pay attention to…

By “appeasing” the mob, you inadvertently alienate the people who WOULD love you (if you only had the guts to cater solely to them, and ignore everyone else).

But now they just see you as “one of many”.

Rather than the genuinely unique individual, with your own interesting perspectives, attitude towards life, and curiosity-provoking set of beliefs you have within you!

All that is to say…

Here’s my challenge to you for the next 7 days (and indefinitely after that too, but it’s often easier to start with baby steps)…

Start talking about EXACTLY what you find interesting.

Write EXACTLY how you want to write.

Ignore that nagging voice in the back of your mind telling you what you “should” say.

And watch as the people who love your content become even more avid fans than they already are.

While the proverbial “blue-haired demons” banish themselves to the fiery pits of hell.

Talk soon,

Harry