How to Use the List Cleanup Tool in The CRM

In this guide, we'll walk you through how to use the List Cleanup Tool in the CRM, making the process simple and user-friendly.

The CRM's List Cleanup Tool is designed to help you maintain the quality of your email list by removing unwanted or non-engaged contacts. This ensures that your email campaigns are delivered to interested and active subscribers, improving your engagement rates and overall email deliverability.

Why List Cleanup is Important

Regularly cleaning your email list is essential for several reasons:

• Improves Deliverability: Reducing the number of bounced emails and unsubscribes can significantly improve your email deliverability.
• Increases Engagement: By targeting only engaged subscribers, your open and click-through rates are likely to increase.
• Cost Efficiency: Most email marketing platforms charge based on the size of your list. Removing inactive contacts can save you money.

Accessing the List Cleanup Tool

To access the List Cleanup Tool in the CRM:

1. Log in to your WolfPack CRM account.
2. Navigate to the Lists tab.
3. Select the list you want to clean.
4. Click on the List Cleanup option.

The List Cleanup page will load:

Understanding the List Cleanup Dashboard

The List Cleanup Dashboard provides an overview of your list's health. Here, you can see metrics such as the number of unsubscribed, bounced, and inactive contacts. This information helps you make informed decisions about which contacts to remove.

Steps to Clean Up Your List

Step 1: Select the List to Clean

Choose the specific list you want to clean from your available lists. If you have multiple lists, it's a good idea to prioritize those with lower engagement rates.

Step 2: Set Cleanup Criteria

Define the criteria for cleaning your list. You can choose to remove:

• Unsubscribed contacts
• Bounced emails
• Inactive contacts (those who haven't engaged with your emails over a specific period)

Step 3: Review and Confirm

Review the contacts that meet your cleanup criteria. Confirm the removal of these contacts by clicking the Clean List button.

 

Different Cleanup Criteria Explained

Understanding each cleanup criterion is vital for effective list management:

Unsubscribed Contacts

These are contacts who have chosen to unsubscribe from your emails. Keeping them on your list is unnecessary and can negatively impact your deliverability rates.

Bounced Emails

Bounced emails are addresses that couldn't be delivered. There are two types:

• Soft Bounce: Temporary issues like a full inbox.
• Hard Bounce: Permanent issues like an invalid email address.

Inactive Contacts

Inactive contacts haven't opened or clicked your emails for a certain period. Removing them can help improve engagement metrics.

Using the Bulk Edit Tool for List Management

The CRM's Bulk Edit tool allows you to edit multiple contacts at once, streamlining your list management tasks. You can:

• Add or remove tags.
• Subscribe or unsubscribe contacts from lists.
• Add contacts to other automation or end an automation.
• Update contact field information.

This tool is particularly useful for making large-scale changes without having to edit each contact individually.

Removing Unengaged Contacts

Use the Engagement Management tool to identify and delete contacts who have not engaged with your campaigns or automation emails over a specified period. This helps keep your list active and engaged, which is crucial for maintaining high deliverability rates and engagement metrics.

Managing Your Exclusion List

An Exclusion List in the CRM is a list of email addresses that are prevented from receiving campaigns and automation emails. You can manage this list by:

• Adding full or partial email addresses to the Exclusion List.
• Removing email addresses from the Exclusion List.

This feature ensures that certain contacts do not receive your emails, which can be useful for various compliance and segmentation purposes.

Delete Specific Contacts from a List by Email Address

The "Delete Specific Contacts" option lets you delete specific email addresses from the list(s) you selected. This is particularly useful if you have certain contacts you wish to remove from a list without affecting other contacts with a particular status. To use this option:

1. Navigate to the Lists tab.
2. Select the list from which you want to delete specific contacts.
3. Click on Delete Specific Contacts.
4. Enter the email addresses of the contacts you wish to delete.
5. Confirm the deletion.

Best Practices for List Cleanup

• Regular Cleaning: Schedule regular cleanups (e.g., monthly or quarterly).
• Segment Before Cleaning: Segment your list to identify different engagement levels.
• Monitor Results: Keep an eye on your engagement metrics post-cleanup to assess the impact.

Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Over-Cleaning: Be careful not to remove contacts too aggressively. Consider sending re-engagement campaigns before deciding to remove inactive contacts.
• Ignoring Segmentation: Not all contacts are the same. Use segmentation to tailor your cleanup efforts.

Monitoring and Maintaining an Email List's Health

Maintaining list health is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your list's performance and adjust your cleanup criteria as needed. Tools like CRM's engagement tracking can help you stay on top of your list's health.

Using the CRM's List Cleanup Tool effectively can significantly improve your email marketing campaigns' performance. Regularly cleaning your list ensures that your emails reach engaged and interested subscribers, boosting your overall engagement and deliverability rates.

FAQs

1. How often should I clean my email list?

• It's recommended to clean your email list at least once every quarter, but this can vary based on the size and engagement of your list.

2. Can I recover contacts removed during the cleanup process?

• Once contacts are removed, they cannot be recovered. Make sure to review your list carefully before confirming the cleanup.

3. What is a re-engagement campaign?

• A re-engagement campaign is a series of emails sent to inactive subscribers to encourage them to interact with your content again.

4. How can I automate the list cleanup process?

• Use the CRM's automation rules to set up regular cleanups based on your defined criteria.

5. Why do bounced emails affect deliverability?

• Bounced emails indicate that your emails are not reaching valid recipients, which can harm your sender's reputation and deliverability rates.

By following these guidelines and using the List Cleanup Tool effectively, you can maintain a healthy email list and maximize the success of your email marketing efforts.