Yes! I said you should run an OPT-OUT campaign. Not an opt-in campaign.

I realize it's counter-intuitive, but I actually get just a little bit of pleasure seeing people unsubscribe from my blog. Fortunately, very few people do. But seeing them go reminds me that all of my subscribers are committed— surely more than the unsubscribers.

I know there's a lot of talk about retention. But nonprofits need to recognize that engagement fundraising is like dating. Sometimes you just have to say good-bye to some of your supporters. It's not you. It's not them. It's just not a good fit— at least not right now.

It's ok. Let 'em go! Focus on the supporters who are more engaged, involved and committed. Give those people more. Deliver more personalized and relevant communications to them. They deserve it!

And besides, just think of it from their perspective. We all know how it feels to have an inbox overload. It stinks! That's why helping people change their preferences and/or helping them opt-out of receiving emails could be a really good thing.

Here are 3 solid reasons to consider:

1. It's simply good customer service. By allowing people to opt-out, you show that you have empathy for your constituents. You care. That might help re-engage people who simply stopped noticing your communications. And, if you really do this well, you should include some survey questions to find out why they are opting out. Those insights could prove to be immensely valuable to the future of your organization.

2. It will clean up your old database. All of us have too many records in our list. Leaving them in the database just adds to a mess. If you think some miracle that will inspire someone who has not been paying any attention to your emails to give will happen, you are wrong. Either give them something shocking to re-engage them or give them something shocking so they can easily remove themselves from your list.

3. It can help to improve your email reputation. Emailers are constantly being monitored based on the number of complaints against them, their email volume in relation to their deliverability, and other measures. By cleaning up your list, you'll improve your deliverability rate which will, in turn, improve your reputation over time.

Check out these examples of opt-out efforts below:

Want to see my ideas in action?

Click here.