Smaller E-mail Marketing Lists Are Better

Contrary to popular opinion, large e-mail databases are typically not better. Often large databases will include “dead” e-mail addresses which exaggerate the “monetary value” of the list.

It makes good business sense to cull your list regularly. This includes a prompt management of “opt-out requests” which are people who are not receiving value from the relationship with you. Move fast on these requests or the recipients will report you as spam. Additionally, a periodic revisit to all opt-in recipients with the request to opt-in again can significantly improve your list quality. Of course, it can make your list smaller.

Here are some additional reasons why it makes sense to cull your list:
– A better list provides better statistics about your list since the dead or unresponsive e-mails are removed. For example, your open rates will be higher. In truth the number of total opened e-mails does not change, but now the open rate statistic is more in tune with reality.
– It makes economic sense that fewer e-mails sent costs less money.
– Your spam complaints will go down since you are not sending e-mails to uninterested readers.
– Improved deliverability should keep you off blacklists.
– Your reputation score should improve.

Thus, smaller lists make good business sense.

John Bradley Jackson
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