On the face of it, there is nothing easier than sending off a quick email containing your latest thoughts or offers to your list. You think of something to say, copy the message to your autoresponder, press send and the job is done.

Now while firing off a quick email is fine for communicating with friends or family it is totally the wrong approach for your business communications. You have already worked hard to get people to subscribe to your list so you don't want to risk losing them for good because of a couple of carelessly worded email messages. Remember that it is a lot easier for someone to unsubscribe from your list than it is for you to get them to join in the first place so you must not lose customers due to carelessness.

Each time you send an email you have to include a link which allows the recipient to unsubscribe if they want to. Some marketers try to hide the link by placing lots and lots of white space between the end of the final paragraph and the ‘unsubscribe' link itself while others put the ‘unsubscribe' text in the smallest font they can find to make it hard to read. I just put mine at the end of the email in the same font as the rest of the text so it is easy and plain to see but try and ensure that nothing I have written sends my customers heading towards that link in the first place!

If someone does want to leave your list then you must respect their wishes and let them go. If you keep mailing them after they have asked to leave you could gain a reputation as a spammer and that could kill your entire business if you are not careful.

Recently I unsubscribed from a particular list and received an email asking me if I really wanted to go. I went on to say that I could download a free report just for changing my mind and remaining on the list. In this case the tactic worked because I was interested to see what the report actually was and I am still a member of that particular list today. However, as a general rule, if someone wants to leave your list then let them go.

Some marketers send one final ‘goodbye' message confirming that the customer has been removed from the list, reminding them that they are welcome to return at any time and asking if they wish to explain why they decided to leave.

I find this to be a very useful technique indeed because at least some people will be inclined to give you the feedback your have requested and this may be helpful for you to plug any holes which may cause people to leave.

Also a final ‘goodbye' message is a polite thing to do and if they do get annoyed that you have asked for feedback there is no harm done as they have already taken the decision to leave.

Always think first before you write to your customers and while email is certainly quick and easy there is no excuse for sending out an ill-considered email to your list.

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