How to trim/clean list?

A lot of this depends on your process and goals. Some of the basics, though, are pretty consistent. If you're using a service like Aweber or GetResponse for your list, just let them handle the bounce processing.

I had typed out a long explanation of basic list hygiene for people who handle this stuff on their own, but it got into too much detail that can change based on the receiving systems. Here's the really simple version: Remove hard bounces immediately. Remove soft bounces if you get 3 in any 10 day period. That will keep you out of most of the trouble that bad list maintenance can cause.

(I know. The soft-bounce rules/response codes will vary from system to system.)

Unless you have a really good reason to keep them, you should delete bounced addresses and unsubscribes from your database - after making a current backup.

Make the backup first so you have the sign-up IP address and date, and the unsubscribe date.

If you're managing your own list, this just keeps the system load down a bit. For paid services, this can keep your costs down, too. Some services include unsubscribed addresses in your list total for purposes of billing.

The question about "people who haven't opened an email" is a tricky one. Some folks, myself included, could read every email you ever send and not show up in the open rate numbers unless I also click a tracking link in the message. I don't automatically load images in my mail reader, but I do buy stuff.

Some of the webmail services tend to turn off automatic image loading for some accounts or senders, so relying on "opens" for the decision could be losing you subscribers and potential customers that way, too.

Deleting people who haven't clicked on anything in X period of time or number of emails is a different thing. If your list is primarily a sales/promo vehicle, you may want to do that. How long you wait or how many links they have to ignore before you delete them is going to be a decision you make based on your own criteria and mailing practices.

If you send 3 emails a week, and they don't click on any of the links within the first month, that's a common threshold for triggering a deletion. One gentleman I know sends 2 a week and removes people who don't order within the first 3 months. A lot of people have fixed sequences of automated emails and move customers to separate lists after they order. The rest get deleted when they've completed the sequence.

Some people look for other things. I have subscribers who've been with me for close to 16 years and never bought anything. They're still reading, so I'm okay with that.

There are no hard and fast rules for that part. You make the decision that best fits YOUR goals.


Paul

i keep things simple

i find all the people that haven't opened an email in say 2 months and delete them

if people are opening my emails that's good enough for me to keep them on my list because at some point when the right offer hits their inbox they will buy something

the ones that don't even open my emails over a 2 month period are quite clearly not interested in absolutely anything which i have to say or offer so i delete them

i usually stick to around at least 2 months of them not opening any of my emails, this has given them plenty of chances to read my emails by this point

Make a paid optin offer.

If you want only serious and high quality leads than offer them a chance to sign up for your newsletter etc, for $1. If they are willing to make that commitment that they are a quality lead for your opt-in list.