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How to keep your email newsletter database clean
By Karen Skidmore | October 1, 2008
Earlier this week I blogged about why it was so important to keep your email newsletter database clean and up to date.
But I know from my own experience, that going through your bounced emails and undelivered emails is a right royal pain in the .. well, I am sure you know what I mean! But after a few years of trial and error, here is the system that I use now which keeps me on the straight and narrow.
- 3 strikes and you are out. Once an email address has bounced back more than 3 times, then it gets removed.
- Don’t want to be so ruthless? If you are just starting out and every sign up is precious to you, then it is worth looking at each email address before you take it out of your database. If a common spelling mistake is used, for example btnternet.com, then edit it and move on. Top tip - as your database starts to grow, you won’t have time to do this so only be this particular if you are genuinely focusing on building smaller, more specific mailing lists where the return is high.
- Delegate the task. I now have a VA who manages my email newsletters and this is a monthly task that I have given to her. She now goes through once a month and ruthlessly takes anyone off who fits the 3 strike rule.
- Move email newsletter providers! OK, this may be a little dramatic but if you have been running an email newsletter for a couple of years and your business has developed and changed since first starting, you may find it easier to start again. Having done this just this summer, I know now that the people receiving my main newsletter at CanDoCanBe genuinely want to receive it (rather than the hundreds of email addresses I had collected in my first 2 years of being in business).
If you have any other practical suggestions on how you keep your database clean, then leave a comment! I know many others would love to read your thoughts.
Topics: Growing your subscriber list, Managing your email newsletter, Why are email newsletters so effective |