I gave Pet Valu my email a few years back for some reason or another.
To their credit, they never abused it. I didn't get more than one or two emails each week, and in every email, they tried their best to present me with great offers.
But my family only has one dog, and we buy our dog food at Costco, and I just don't go into a Pet Valu for supplies all that often.
So today I decided I would unsubscribe from their email list.
And below is what Pet Valu's unsubscribe page looks like:
I laughed out loud at this company's tongue-in-cheek, last-ditch effort to get me to stay, wondering if the CMO has been taking communication lessons from my mother.
The sad-looking puppy didn't stop me from unsubscribing.
(I can hear you all now: "You monster!")
But it almost did.
And perhaps more importantly, it left me with a great story and a very positive impression of the brand.
And the next time I need something for my pet that I can't get during one of my regular Costco trips, I know where I'm going.
When it comes to your customers, play the long game.