Sending after a long silence.
THE SITUATION
You built a list, sent a few times, and stopped. A year later you want to restart.
WHY THIS IS RISky
Subscribers have forgotten you. A message from an unfamiliar sender produces complaints.
Addresses have gone stale, so bounces will be high.
Both damage your sending reputation at exactly the moment you are trying to establish it.
DOING IT PROPERLY
- Clean the list first. Remove anything obviously old.
- Send a re-introduction, not a campaign. Explain who you are, remind them how they subscribed, and ask whether they want to continue.
- Remove anyone who does not respond or engage.
- Then start sending normally to those who remain.
START SMALL
Send to your most recent subscribers first, in batches, watching bounce and complaint rates.
If they are high, stop and reconsider rather than continuing.
THE HONEST ASSESSMENT
A list neglected for two years may not be salvageable. Starting fresh is sometimes better than damaging your domain's reputation reviving it.
WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY
Send consistently this time. That is what prevents the situation recurring.
