If there is a spike in your opt outs it is not always, probably not normally, down to the design of your email. If the peak occurs in a specific metric or combination of metrics, then you need to look for causes elsewhere, as covered in a recent article. Now we discuss what you should do next.

As in all things to do with email marketing, the first essential is to come up with a plan. If the spike is particularly high then you could consider delaying sending the next marketing email to that specific demographic. 

The first thing to do is separate those you believe to be at risk into a separate email marketing list. If the peak came with a combination of two, or even more metrics, such as age and location, then just include those with the pairing in the separate list but also monitor the performance of those with each individual metric, but leave them in the main list.

You next move will depend to a great extent on the specifics of the group. For instance, perhaps the metrics that those clicking the opt out button had in common was that they were recent subscribers and they came from a certain area.

These appear to be a bit random at first glance but you might find they all subscribed by way of, for instance, a trade fair or campaign in that area. If you had a new team operating, or had upped the reward for every email address anyone obtained, you might think that enthusiasm overcame the directions you gave.

You will then have learnt that closer control of sign-ups is required in such circumstances. Most importantly, as you have some idea as to cause, you can now plan accurately.

If those who unsubscribed email marketing lists might have been by way of misrepresentation, then you have a concern. You will not want your emails classed as spam. If everyone who subscribed at that particular event have not unsubscribed then you will need to try and keep them on side. 

One thing you can do nothing. This is, under the definition of planning, an option. Those that did not know they were subscribing have now opted out. Those that are happy to remain did not. There is an overwhelming temptation to do something, but unless it is a positive step, keep control of your desires.

A plan must have, amongst other things, a reason and a target. In this case you will want to secure those whom you believe might be at risk from unsubscribing in the next email marketing campaign.

The simplest, and I would like to put a word in here for keeping things simple, method might be to send those on your segmented email marketing list an offer that they can’t refuse. Any doubts they might have had would be placated. You might even have a pointer as to what to offer given the trade fair they attended.

Always believe the metrics. If two coincide then work with the assumption your email design is not the cause of unsubscribes.