Pretty much all businesses, no matter what the size or the industry, have a database of contacts. These are the contacts that they reach out to during marketing campaigns, during special promotions, or just to connect with them. The problem is that peoples’ contact information, in particular their email addresses, constantly seems to be changing. This can make it very hard to stay up-to-date.
So what can you do to ensure that the contact list you have is current? Well there are a few steps you can take.
Set Up a Schedule
It’s pretty easy to forget about keeping your contact list up-to-date; in fact most people don’t give it a second thought until they have an email bounce back claiming the address no longer exists. That’s why it is important to set up a schedule that will have you cleaning up your list on a regular basis. Experts suggest that you do this every six months. By cleaning up your list twice a year you’ll be able to keep it fairly current, and ensure it doesn’t become a massive job.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Contacts
When you do go through your contact list, don’t just look for potential problems; delete those contacts that you no longer need. This just makes the list cluttered and you may end up wasting time updating those addresses that you really have no intention of using. This way you won’t be sending emails out to those people who aren’t interested in receiving your content.
Make Use of the Synchronization Feature
If you haven’t been using the automatic synchronization feature, it’s time to start doing so. This will ensure that the contact information you have is the same all across the board. You’ll be able to login to your work computer in the office, your smartphone at home, and your laptop on the road and have access to the exact same contact information.
This is also helpful for the times you enter a contact in one place and want to be sure it’s carried over to all of your devices.
Use an Email Finder
The Email Finder tool is one you’ll want to acquaint yourself with, as this is an excellent tool to check if the address you have on file does in fact still exist. All you have to do is key in the email address and the tool will verify if it’s correct.
Refer to Past Emails
Many people find that referring to past emails can be helpful when updating a contact list. You can check that the person’s email address is the same one you have on file.
It Doesn’t Have to Be a Big Process
By making sure you update your list on a regular basis you’ll be making it much easier on yourself, and you’ll be that much more likely to have the correct information available to you. It’s a good idea not to just use one or two of the above-mentioned tips, but to adopt them all.
