Here are the two main reasons recipients click “unsubscribe” when they see your e-mail — and what you can do to stop them.

1. They’re not getting what they expected. When subscribers sign up for your e-mail, it means they’re looking for specific content. If they don’t get it, they bail.

What to do: Let subscribers tell you what they want, and then give it to them. When people sign up, ask them to fill out a reader preference survey of what they’re seeking (new product releases, industry white papers, networking opportunities, etc.)

Another idea: Look at past mailings and identify the topics that scored the biggest open and click-through rates, and then focus your efforts accordingly.

2. They’re sick of seeing your e-mail. Just because someone expresses an interest in your business doesn’t mean they want to hear from you 24/7 or buy other products unrelated to their original interests.

What to do: Upon sign up, ask subscribers how regularly they want to receive e-mails from you — daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Also, establish yourself as an authority before you ask for the sale. Research from MarketingSherpa shows readers are more apt to unsubscribe from e-mail that promotes sales than e-mail that provides useful info.

Tags: click-through, content, e-mail, networking, survey, white papers