What to do When Everything Goes Wrong
A few years ago, I had a huge tech blunder. I wasn’t paying enough attention to what I was doing, and, entirely through my own *error*, NIF went out twice. So, each reader received two copies in his or her inbox.
I was so embarrassed! And more than a little bit anxious.
I was a newsletter “expert” teaching companies how to run successful email campaigns and I’d made a huge blunder.
I was at a loss for what to do. Until I decided to do what my parents taught me. Admit I’d made a mistake and promise to do my best to prevent it from happening again.
I wrote up a brief note (and analyzed each and every word) and sent it off to my list.
What happened next astounded me. Emails poured in from readers thanking me for admitting the *error*. They shared their own tales of tech woes and conversations sprang up that otherwise wouldn’t have happened.
We all make mistakes. (And, sometimes computers help us along 
.)
It’s important that we’re prepared to handle them.
And yet, in the case of my client last week, I didn’t recommend she send a note.
Why not?
In her case, the email design changes looked almost intentional (only she and I knew they weren’t) and they didn’t hamper the readability of the newsletter in any way. Her audience is made up of especially busy professionals and the positive of having someone admit there’d been a problem was counterbalanced by the limits on their time.
She didn’t want to ignore the issue, but the reality was, the design differences really weren’t a problem for readers.
And, if it’s not a problem for your readers, chances are, they’re not going to notice enough to justify taking up more of their time.
How do you decide if you should apologize? Consider whether the reason for your apology will take up the reader’s time. (Double issues, for instance will–readers often skim both issues to make sure there’s not a reason they received each one.) If it will, you definitely want to consider sending out a note. If they’re unlikely to even notice, I’d skip it.
If you do decide to send out an apology note, keep it short and simple, DON’T sell anything 
, and invite readers to write you if they have any concerns about the issue.
If you feel the note may undermine your expertise, turn it into a learning experience for both your readers and yourself–ask them to share a time they’ve had a similar problem, or to tell you how they might have handled the experience.
Your Challenge: See those little mistakes (typos, tech problems, etc) as *opportunities* to connect with readers. How might this change your relationship with them?
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About the Author
Jessica helps independent professionals become Indispensable Experts through powerful publishing programs. She works with clients one-on-one as a newsletter designer and writer and in groups through the Newsletter Spa.
Email Jessica directly, to find out more.