How To Turn An Angry Email into Positive PR
Here's how to turn online vitriol into marketing magic for your brand.
Once upon a time, opening an email like this one would have made me miserable.
I would have questioned everything about my business, my approach to marketing and much more.
Instead, I laughed.
And then I posted the screenshot on LinkedIn.
What happened next shocked me.
The Email That Started it All
But before I get to that, I need to start with the email that caused the kerfuffle to begin with.
I'd sent out a blast email to my list of subscribers with what I thought was a rather harmless invite to one of my free LinkedIn lead generation webinars.
I use a mixture of humor, tips and value when I send emails to my subscribers, and I understand the importance of earning the right to ask for someone's time, attention or investment in one of my paid online courses.
That's why I give away a free copy of my bestselling book on the front page of my website, along with free video trainings and more.
In today's marketplace, I know that content = currency, meaning I have to earn the right to your time, attention and money by first proving I can actually help you.
Trolling in 72 Point Font
So, I sent out my webinar invite to my email list.
And, much to my surprise, one subscribe replied with a simple, two-word response in 72 point font:
"[Expletive] Off!"
(You can see the "safe for work" version of the screenshot here.)
How I Used To React
Before I worked on my mindset and improved my self image, I would have taken a negative response like this personally.
I would have questioned myself, my marketing methods - everything.
Thankfully, I've done enough internal work (and believe me, the internal work matters more than you realize!) to not let one angry online troll phase me.
Believe in Yourself (And Your Product)
More important, I have immense confidence and trust in the value my products and programs bring others.
I know that my LinkedIn courses and training programs work, as evidenced by the testimonials and case studies I've compiled over the past few years.
Because of that, I don't have to feel shy or unsure about offering my products and services once I've built up enough value and trust with a prospect.
And that makes all the difference!
Because when you know that you're legitimately trying (and able) to help people instead of just trying to make money off them, you don't need to apologize for offering your products and services.
It makes you sell with confidence and embrace a mindset that makes rejection all but meaningless over the long haul.
A Happy Ending
That's why I could laugh and share that angry email with my LinkedIn network.
Along with posting the screenshot, I shared a few thoughts about the email reply and the business lessons one could take away from the experience.
To date, that post has gone viral on LinkedIn, racking up over 16,000 views, generating 100+ Likes and dozens of comments. (All of them positive, by the way.)
I've even received inbound invitations to connect on LinkedIn from strangers who saw the post, liked the way I handled the angry email and wanted to connect to learn more about my training courses.
How great is that?
Finally, I did write back to the person who sent me the angry reply, telling him as politely as possible that I would take the courtesy to remove him from my email list.
(And yes, I resisted the urge to write back in 72 point font!)
Want More Tips? Register for My Free Training Webinar?
REGISTER NOW: Free LinkedIn Training Webinar + Messaging Magic Scripts & Sequences
Here’s how it works: Once you register for this free LinkedIn Riches training webinar, I’ll give you a copy of my “Messaging Magic†sequence that I use for LinkedIn lead generation invites, messages and more!
See you on the inside!