How To Prevent Your Audience Walking Away From You

Feeling connected to something encourages people to stay for the long haul.

No one wants people to leave, unsubscribe, be ignored, or not show up. However, it’s part of the territory when building your own space where people gather. Let’s look at bridging the gap between willingness and those who choose to disengage.

When the right people are with you, they don’t walk away. The dedication and commitment from others give you the encouragement to progress.

With the work for YATM I don’t want people who show up once and disappear. 

The aim is to create an environment where people are tuned into a habit, where it becomes part of their calendar. From the weekly newsletter to even heading into the sea on a Friday morning, I want activity to be someone else’s routine.

A goal is for people to feel settled and connected to what YATM represents. You keep people connected to a vision until it becomes true and it lives.

I asked ChatGPT to explain YATM to a five-year-old, here is what it said. 

The biggest alarm bell for me is if the unsubscribes to the YATM newsletter each week become significantly more over time. That would mean a problem.

Unsubscribes happen each week but are balanced out by the people who show an interest and opt-in. 

Over the past decade, I have discovered reasons for people’s lack of interest or decision to disengage, based on my own experiences and interactions with others.

Let me share them with you.

The Value Isn’t There 

If people feel they are not gaining value from you, they are likely to ignore you. For instance, when I started the YATM newsletter my perspective was generic and had a marketing slant with no identity. That is fine as you start as it takes time to craft your voice. This also means it takes time for other people to become familiar with you.

Even for events, people can make a decision not to turn up again if they lack meaning or thoughts to takeaway. It’s never nice when people don’t show up. 

It’s Becoming Overwhelming

When people are tuned into your rhythm and then you decide to change, it can be detrimental to what you’re trying to achieve. For instance, you could move from a weekly email to bombarding your audience with daily emails, without them asking.

It’s easier to step aside to reduce the noise. Another example is where the narrative shifts to an overwhelm of selling. For instance, I’ll always include prompts for people to purchase, but when it becomes the main driver for people to buy, it is easier to leave.

No Personality

When everything feels generic and lacks heart, it’s easier to feel like another number. No one wants to be addressed as ‘dear friend.’ 

I like this sentiment from Ann Handley, ‘Your FROM Line matters more than your SUBJECT Line.’

The personality and drive have to come from the front. The appreciation and gratitude mean a lot.

We may never be perfect in our delivery and message, but if what we share and believe in comes from the heart and genuine belief, it becomes easier for people to make that connection. For instance, when people subscribe to the YATM newsletter, there is an email sequence of three follow-up emails, but I’ll always encourage people to reply, and then it will always be me to keep the conversation going.

The Actions Aren’t There

This is about the need for clearer guidance on people’s actions.

If there is an idea to progress or put an initiative into action, it is meant to provide direction to someone else. For instance, if emails start to become a roll call of what a person has achieved or what a business has accomplished, then it provides no steps for someone else to progress.

It Starts With People Buying Into An Idea 

When people commit to you, it’s your role to prove it was a sensible choice and you will not let them down.

People stay when they can see the gap between where they are today, to where they want to be. For instance, it could be the feeling of isolation and knowing that learning and progress is better together. People need to see that in action.

The vision helps to answer the frustration, hence the commitment to stay, rather than the choice to turn away.

People won’t leave when:

1. You are clear on your idea, vision and the role it serves

2. Build people around the idea, not the person

3. Find ways that encourage interaction, learning, collaboration and celebration

4. Find the others who stay committed, not those who swerve

You don’t want to increase the likelihood of people walking away.. If they do, that’s fine, you were never meant to be together. 

It takes patience and time but here are key points where people don’t walk away, ignore or shun your work:

It’s What They Think About But Haven’t Seen, Yet 

Share what isn’t readily available. When you have an idea you want to lead on and take us to an encouraging space, you have to embrace the challenge.

It’s about shaping a future that can feed your curiosity and inclusion with other people. It’s about being brave to show ideas and paths that they can’t find elsewhere. Over time, this makes your community a go-to place for their needs and interests.

People Know They Are Encouraged To Participate

You must ensure that people enjoy their time with you so that they always feel welcome.

As your audience grows, it’s important to encourage and listen to feedback, and involve them in your decision-making process. This shows that you value their input, which fosters a deeper connection and creates an open dialogue. When people feel heard and appreciated, they are more likely to stay. Over time, they may even become friends.

It’s Clear To See A Willingness & Drive To Keep Changing

It’s important to be ready to adjust, grow, and change direction from your initial position.

You have to regularly assess what’s working and what isn’t. If you have to stop what isn’t working, that’s ok. It’s about making the necessary changes to keep fresh and relevant. What this means is people can see you are up for the fight and committed to constant change and the ongoing value others receive.

It’s Easy To See A Communal Approach

When there is encouragement to feel a part of the whole effort, that means that every piece of communication is intended for the group.

It means you shift from a one-way broadcast to a more interactive, community-centric approach. The outreach is there to help people to connect with each other, rather than more people reaching out to you. This is how you foster a sense of ownership and belonging.

It All Serves A Purpose

No matter how many iterations and changes happen, everything is anchored on a reason. For instance, everything about YATM is to empower people you to promote themselves and their businesses to grow their own audience, instead of overreliance on algorithms and paid media.

That’s why we offer membership (to YATM Club) and events so that people can feel supported. This is what keeps your audience coming back for more.

Understanding why people leave you helps to refine the reason why people should stay and join in.

When people see the value and how it can shape their own future, they transition from hesitance to commitment.

People stay when they can see the benefit in their lives, are seen, and where your efforts on relationship building are often practiced. It becomes easier for people to know they feel appreciated and welcome.  

Look around at the people who are already with you, as they can be far more valuable than always searching for new ones. It takes a lot more effort to replace those who have left. 

People are drawn to places where they feel valued, supported and encouraged to join in. Who would want to leave that?