How many emails do you delete each day without opening them? 10? 50? 100?
Behind every email you casually throw in your virtual trash can, there’s a small business owner just like you desperate to connect. And no matter how awesome your marketing campaign is, people are deleting your emails, too.
There’s zero point in spending time, money and effort trying to get in touch with people who don’t care what you have to say. Which is why it’s high time to clean up your mailing lists and stop bothering those nice but uninteresting people.
That way, you can better focus on those who are ready and willing to give you their attention instead.
Why a Spruced-Up Mailing List Is Important
Chances are good that you’re using some sort of analytics to measure your open and bounce rates. (If you’re not, you definitely should be.) How much are all those disinterested recipients skewering your results?
With a muddy mailing list, it’s impossible to tell what’s working and what isn’t, because all the unengaged prospects are counting against your results. Every email that bounces, every one that’s thrown in the trash unopened — it’s all another tick in the not-so-good column.
When you trim your list down to only those who are interested in receiving your missives, you get a much clearer picture of how your campaign is doing.
Also, sending emails to those who don’t want them can actually hurt your chances of getting them to the people who do.
Each time someone marks one of your messages as spam, Google takes note. Too many reports and Google decides everything that comes from your email address is spam and files it accordingly. This doesn’t just apply to the spam-reporters — it applies to everyone.
Tips to Clean Up Your Mailing List
Give It One Last Try
Before you kick half your mailing list to the curb, it’s worth it to make one last attempt to see if you can get them to reengage. Try out some remarketing tactics to see if you can bring them back into the light. A “we’ve missed you” message with a discount code or a lead magnet like an eBook, white paper or freebie might be all they need.
Decide Who Makes the Cut
How long are you willing to wait for someone to act on an email? That’s a choice you’ll have to make on your own. Some business owners might send five emails before they give up; some might send 15. It’s all about your comfort and risk level.
Sever the Ties
Once you’ve decided who stays and who goes, it’s time to employ some marketing automation. This makes it easy to trim your list, remove email addresses that regularly bounce, and add rules to automatically segment or eliminate people who meet certain criteria, such as not acting on a set number of previous campaigns or in a set number of days.
It’s Time for a Mailing List Makeover!
As cool as your small business is, not everyone wants to hear about it, and that’s OK. When you trim down your mailing list to ensure that only the people who want your messages receive them, you’re making for happy customers and better marketing metrics!
Looking for someone to handle the less-than-desirable aspects of your small business marketing? Mischa Communications has you covered. One click gets you started!