Keeping your list clean

Time passes, people change their email addresses and don't tell you, emails bounce back, and non-responders pile up. If you are not careful, ISPs may interpret such behaviour as abuse... and flag you a spammer.

Let's face it, a dirty email list is dangerous. If left unchecked, the fallout can reflect negatively on your brand and drain vital energy from your business.

If your list does get messy over time, it is wise to recognise the symptoms. Here are a few notorious indicators:
• Drab delivery rates. If successful deliveries regularly fall below 85%, your list smacks of mucky muck. It's probably time to open the hood and perform a tune up.

• ISPs flag you. Low deliveries go hand in hand with higher bounce numbers-and eventually ISPs will detect and label this as unsavoury behaviour and flag you. These flags jeopardise your ability to attain and maintain white-list status.

• Caught in a spam trap. Of course, you don't intend to spam, but dirty lists actually are breeding grounds for spam traps. Without proper bounce management, your old outdated lists may contain invalid addresses, which ISPs can covertly reassign as spam traps. Be wary of this-it could cost you.

• You become a "marked domain." Sans white-list status, ISPs may simply shun your domain. Here are a few pitfalls:

o Your large deliveries end up in the trash or blocked
o Spam traps tag you
o ISP bots restrict your email batch volume
o Before you know it your e-marketing program is in trouble

The result is 'ouch' in the profits department!

Clearly, a dirty email list can drain your entire business-profit, productivity and public relations. The secret to being clean involves a combination of prevention and plucking.

Quality control

The best source for new opt-ins is always your own customer list. To cultivate cleanliness here, collect opt-ins from all customers and disclose how you intend to use their information through your privacy policy.

Send "Welcome" messages to solidify the opt-in process. This tactic also helps to create brand awareness, set expectations for future marketing communication, and build trust with new subscribers; it is a critical, foundational step in your email program.

Article courtesy of MediaPost