One of the things I have always admired about Cliff Ravenscraft is his philosophy of building brand-based communities by touching people one at a time. I have always felt the same way. Even though I am not perfect at it, I know it is the right way to build a business that lasts.

The core question is simple: how do you treat your readers?

I cannot count how many times I have made a purchasing decision based on whether or not someone actually paid attention to me. I once switched my entire backup system to a new provider simply because they responded to my messages. There are dozens of backup tools out there, but I chose them because they cared enough to engage.

The Unsubscribe Example

Most blogging advice tells you that you need to have a mailing list. I agree. But it goes way beyond money.

Those same advisors will tell you to ignore unsubscribe comments, or turn them off entirely. The reasoning is that you should protect yourself from negative energy. After all, people usually only leave comments when they are upset about something.

I could not disagree more.

Here is a real example from my own experience. I received an unsubscribe notification from a reader who was stepping back from email subscriptions to focus on building his business. A totally reasonable move. In fact, it is something I recommend. If all you are doing is consuming content and not making progress, that is bad for both of us.

I took 13 seconds to reply with a short, genuine message: “This is a very smart thing to do. Good luck. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”

I meant every word. I was not running a retention strategy. I was not trying to sell him anything. I was just being a decent human being.

He wrote back almost immediately, saying he was touched that I responded, and that he would likely resubscribe once he had his business in order.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

In 2026, where AI can generate endless content and automation handles most communication, genuine human connection is rarer and more valuable than ever. Your readers can tell the difference between a real person who cares and a system that treats them like a number in a database.

The approach is simple:

• Do not take unsubscribes or criticism personally
• Respond professionally and with genuine care
• Stay focused on what actually helps the reader

You will not get to every email. You will not always get a reaction. You will not be perfect. I am certainly not.

But if your heart is in the right place, people notice. And in the long run, that is what builds a business that you can be proud of. Treating people like people is never a waste of time.