It's quite simple, no more or less than what you hear: go through your list and update it as you see fit, but discarding old and obsolete contacts.
At this point many people wonder...isn't it assumed that the more records you have in a database, the more likely you are to get high open rates? Actually, this is not the case.
Being suggested to remove contacts from your list can be scary. You've worked hard to build it, bad or bad.
So why clean your base?
Simply put, because it can affect your deliverability. That's a fancy way of referring to the number of sent messages that actually reach your contacts' inboxes, rather than the spam folder. Why should you care about this? Because an updated base increases your open rate.
The way ISPs (Internet Service Providers) get to know you is through your statistics. They take periodic looks at your open rate and based on that they can conclude how interested your contacts are in the content you send them. If your open rate is low, this tells the ISP that your contacts are not engaged.
This is the importance of an updated database, with contacts that interact with your messages: to prevent ISPs from detecting unfavorable figures and misjudging you.
When we talk about open rates, we are referring to the ratio of messages sent to messages opened. And it is this ratio that is improved with a clean base.
Updating a base will not affect the total number of contacts who read your messages: If you had 100 recipients in your mailing list and 4 of them opened your messages, and then you deleted 50 inactive contacts, you will have the same 4 read your communications, but out of a total of 50 contacts. The potential ROI of this campaign may remain the same, but the cleaning of the base will positively affect your prestige with the ISP. And that's the key.
You don't want a bad reputation. The worse it is, the more likely your messages will fall into spam. Then, because your messages end up in the spam folder instead of the inbox, the number of contacts who read your messages will drop, along with their ROI and engagement. Cleanliness is what will help you avoid this.
Finally, there's another compelling reason to clean up your base. By devoting your time and attention to contacts engaged with your brand, rather than inactive subscribers, you can build better relationships with your active customers.
Focusing on the contacts who really love your messages allows you to create content that is tailored to their needs and interests, which can translate into better conversion rates, higher customer satisfaction and more revenue. It's a win-win situation.
