Stop Frustrating Your Customers into Hitting 'Unsubscribe'
If you’re a business owner in Brisbane, you know how hard it is to get a customer’s attention. Whether you’re running a landscaping business in The Gap or a boutique shop in Paddington, getting someone to give you their email address is a win.
But here is where most local businesses blow it: they treat every customer exactly the same.
Imagine you own a local hardware store. You have a customer who only cares about power tools. You start sending them weekly emails about indoor plants, paint colours, and kitchen tiles. After three weeks of irrelevant emails, what do they do? They hit that 'Unsubscribe' link at the bottom and they are gone forever. You’ve lost the ability to tell them when that Makita drill they wanted goes on sale.
This is why you need an Email Preference Centre.
Don’t let the name put you off—it’s just a simple page where your customers tell you what they want to hear about and how often. Instead of a 'Goodbye' button, it’s a 'Let’s talk on my terms' button.
In this guide, I’m going to show you how giving your customers a choice will actually make you more money, keep your list healthy, and stop you from being marked as 'spam'.
The Real Cost of a Messy Email List
Most business owners I talk to think that if they have 5,000 people on their email list, they are doing great. But if 4,000 of those people are annoyed by your emails and never open them, that list is actually costing you money.
When people stop opening your emails because they aren't relevant, Google and Outlook start to think you’re a spammer. Eventually, even your most loyal customers won't see your emails because they’ll go straight to the junk folder.
I’ve seen Brisbane businesses spend thousands on ads to get leads, only to burn those leads by sending too many irrelevant emails. It’s a waste of cash. Understanding your email platform costs is the first step, but the second step is making sure those platforms are actually delivering messages people want to read.
Case Study: How a Northside Mechanic Saved 30% of His List
Let’s look at a real-world example. We worked with a mechanic shop near Chermside. They had a decent list of about 2,000 past customers. They were sending out a monthly newsletter with general car tips, tyre specials, and logbook service reminders.
Their 'Unsubscribe' rate was climbing. People were leaving because a guy with a brand-new Toyota Hilux didn't want to read about classic car restoration tips, and the lady with the vintage MG didn't care about 4WD lift kits.
We set up a simple preference page. When someone clicked 'Unsubscribe', they were instead taken to a page that asked:
What are you interested in? (4WD & Off-roading, Family Car Maintenance, or Performance/Classic Cars) How often do you want to hear from us? (Once a month, or only when there’s a major sale)
The Result? 30% of the people who were about to quit stayed on the list. They just changed their settings to 'Only Sale Alerts' or picked the specific category they liked. That’s 30% more people the mechanic could sell to later. That is real money back in the business.
Why Most 'Unsubscribe' Links are a Mistake
When a customer clicks unsubscribe, it’s usually for one of three reasons: 1. Too many emails: You’re in their inbox every day and they’re busy. 2. Irrelevant content: They bought a fridge from you once, and now you’re emailing them about kettles every week. 3. Timing: They just aren't in the market for what you sell right now.
If your only option is a 'one-click unsubscribe,' you lose them forever. But if you offer a 'Snooze' button (stop emails for 30 days) or a 'Frequency' option (once a month instead of once a week), you keep the relationship alive.
Think about it like this: If a mate calls you too often, you don't block his number for life. You just tell him, "Hey, I'm busy this month, let's catch up in a few weeks." Your email list should work the same way.
How to Build a Preference Centre That Works
You don't need a degree in computer science to do this. Most modern email tools have this feature built-in, but most people don't bother to turn it on or customise it.
1. Keep it Simple
Don't give them 50 options. A local bakery doesn't need to ask if the customer likes sourdough, rye, white, wholemeal, or gluten-free. Just ask: "Bread Specials" or "Cake & Pastry News."2. The 'Snooze' Option
This is a goldmine. Especially for seasonal businesses. If you’re a pool builder in Brisbane, people might not want to hear about pool heaters in the middle of a 35-degree February. Let them snooze your emails for 90 days. They’ll be back in your list when the weather cools down and they are actually thinking about heating.3. Ask for their 'Why'
On your preference page, have a small tick-box section: "Why are you changing your settings?" I get too many emails. The content isn't relevant to me. I’ve already bought what I needed.This data is vital. If everyone says "too many emails," you know you need to send emails that actually make money rather than just sending stuff for the sake of it.
What to Avoid (The Stuff That Annoys People)
I’ve seen some shockers. Don't be the business that does these:
The Guilt Trip: Don't put a picture of a crying puppy on the unsubscribe page. It's tacky and it doesn't work. It just makes people want to leave faster. The Login Barrier: Never, ever make a customer log in with a password just to change their email settings. They will just mark you as spam, which hurts your reputation with Google. The 'Wait 7 Days' Lie: If someone says they want fewer emails, it should happen instantly. Telling them "it may take 7 days to process" is a great way to get blocked.How Much Will This Cost?
If you are already using a decent email tool (like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or ActiveCampaign), setting up a basic preference centre usually costs nothing in terms of software fees. It’s a feature you’re likely already paying for.
If you hire an agency like us to set it up properly, write the copy, and make sure it looks professional on a mobile phone, you’re looking at a few hours of work. Compared to the cost of losing hundreds of customers a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make.
When Will You See Results?
You’ll see the impact the very next time you send a big campaign. Instead of seeing a spike in 'Unsubscribes', you’ll see a spike in 'Preferences Updated'.
In the long run (3-6 months), you’ll notice that more people are opening your emails. Why? Because the people who didn't want to hear from you as often have self-selected out of the daily noise, leaving your core fans engaged. When your "open rates" go up, Google trusts you more, and your emails stay out of the junk folder.
Practical Steps for Brisbane Business Owners
1. Check your current 'Unsubscribe' page. Go to your last email, click the link at the bottom. Does it just say "You have been unsubscribed"? If so, you are losing customers unnecessarily. 2. Identify your 3 main categories. What are the three different types of customers you have? (e.g., A tradie might have 'Residential', 'Commercial', and 'Emergency Repairs'). 3. Offer a 'Monthly Digest' option. Many people like your business but don't want to hear from you every week. A once-a-month summary is a great middle ground. 4. Make sure it works on a phone. Most people check their email on the bus or while waiting for a coffee in the CBD. If your preference page is hard to use on a phone, they’ll just hit the 'Spam' button to make it go away.
Does This Actually Make Money?
Yes. It's much cheaper to keep an existing customer than it is to find a new one. By letting them control the relationship, you stay in their world. When they finally do need your service again, you’re still in their inbox.
If you’re running an online store, this is even more critical. You can use these preferences to get customers back to your shop by only sending them the products they actually told you they liked.
Final Word
Don't be afraid to give your customers the power to hear from you less. It sounds counter-intuitive, but in the world of cluttered inboxes, being the business that respects a customer's time is a massive competitive advantage.
Most of your competitors are just blasting their entire list with the same boring garbage. If you provide choice, you provide value.
Need help setting this up? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses stop wasting money on marketing that doesn't work. We can look at your current email setup and turn it into a tool that actually drives bookings and sales.
Ready to grow? Contact us here.