Tips from the top-What to do when someone in your network unsubscribes

I just came across something that I’m sure you’ll come across in your direct sales business, if you haven’t already.  It can be a mood killer and suck the business right out of your day, but you have to learn how to let it go.  It has nothing to do with you.

So you love a company.  You've sent people to them, you use their services, you've sung their praises to everyone who might remotely want to know who they are.  Then you start a business, and you’re sure that you’ll get business from all of those great local companies you supported.  Besides, you put in all of that free time posting, tagging, spending your own money, and sending others to spend their money, right?

Then you send out a campaign.  Whether you send out a Facebook blast, emails, or a newsletter, and you’re waiting with anticipation to see what comes back, and one of the first thing that does is an unsubscribe from one of the businesses you've sent everyone to and used several times yourself.

You feel it.  It hurts.  You’re angry, and you want to find all of those posts and take them down and un hashtag everything you've ever done, right?  Wrong. 

There are a couple things to remember with a direct sales company.  Businesses get newsletters, junk mail, and inquiries at every turn.  Most companies get to a point where they hire an office manager that all inquiries have to go through, and one of the jobs of the office manager is to be the gate keeper.  No one gets through to the owner.  Why do you think so many telemarketers lie about personal business?  It’s to get past the gate keeper, who is specifically designed in the future and sent back to never let anyone get to the person it’s in charge of protecting.  After all, the future of mankind depends on them….

Well, if they are protecting John Connor.  But you get the idea.

Instead of getting mad, pick up the phone.  Set up a lunch date with them.  Build that relationship because it can’t be built through newsletters alone.  For everyone who unsubscribes, there are three people reading what you have to say, so make sure your content is good.

Another thing to remember is that business owners are busy.  Aren't you busy?  Maybe they haven’t make the connection that you are the person behind your business or newsletter.  Maybe they have ten emails from different people representing the same company sitting in their inbox.  Wouldn't you stand out a little bit if you sent them a card in the mail?

There are so many ways for you to stand out, don’t let one little unsubscribe get to you.  It doesn't mean the end of your relationship until they specifically say, “Take me off your list,” and if you've developed any sort of a relationship with them, they won’t do that to you.  Do you know how many people unsubscribe from newsletters every day?  It would blow you away!

So keep your chin up!  I see an unsubscribe as the face of Number 5 from Short Circuit saying, “Need more input.”

Take these steps to save the relationship:

• Make sure your newsletter or email is factual, well put together, and useful.
• Send a nice handwritten card in the mail
• Set up a lunch or coffee date
• Don't be a repeat offender by sending them another email or adding them back into your newsletter list.
• Find a way to stand out

Motivational Mondays-Feeling unsupported

 “The worst part is that my friend started doing [enter business here] and she’s watched me try to grow this business for six months, she’s never hosted a party for me, but she’s pushing me to buy from her every day now.”

“Everyone invites me to their events for their business but never comes to any of mine.”

“I shop with [enter business] all the time.  I share their business with everyone, and I send everyone to them.  I sing their praises all the time, but they have never, ever, not even once shared my business, purchased from me, hosted a party, or come to an event.”

There are times when it feels like everyone with a business is just focused on making sure you see them without ever paying attention to anyone else's business.  When you’re feeling down about your own business, these feelings amplify.  I have seen friends stop being friends because both of them started different businesses and were so focused on themselves that they forgot about each other.

We all want our businesses to be noticed.  We all want our friends and family to support us in everything we do.  We all want the praises we sing for other businesses to be sung about us in return.

This rarely happens, and you can’t measure your success by using the people who don’t shop with you as the ruler.

Every single day, even top earners in your company have to wake up and make a choice.  Do I work my business today, or do I let yesterday’s failures lead the way?  What do you think they choose?

If the very top of your upline spent as much time dwelling on the people who don’t do business with her, would she be at the top of your upline?  Not at all.  Does that mean she never feels what you’re feeling?  Absolutely not.  Every person who has ever owned a business has struggled with feeling unsupported. 

Should you stop singing the praises of businesses you love just because they don’t sing back?  No way!  Just because your favorite local business isn't doing business with you now doesn't mean that they never will, unless you stop loving them out of spite.  Why don’t they return the favor?  There isn't a need right now.  Does that mean there never will be?  No.  Keep singing, because when they do realize a need for your business, they are going to remember your connection with them and do business with you instead of someone else.

Keep working on the relationships you build with other local businesses.  Set the bar for how you wish all businesses behaved and let that bar dictate your actions.  Stop focusing on all of the people who don’t notice you and focus on the ones who do.  You will see so many businesses rise and fall around you.  One of the things that makes businesses fail faster than ice in a hot oven is focusing on the nagging negative like people who don’t support you, join other teams instead of yours, or never do business with you.  The businesses that succeed roll up their sleeves and find the people who will support them, will join their teams, and will do business.  Be the reason someone chooses to do business with your company.  Go out there and work it.