Continuing to mail unengaged contacts teaches providers your mail is unwanted. Sunsetting protects the rest of the list.
Mistake 1: Never sunsetting because list size is a vanity metric#
Why it hurts: this undermines re-engagement campaigns at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Define inactivity: no clicks or replies in 90 days is a common threshold.
Mistake 2: Using 'We miss you' subject lines that read as spam#
Why it hurts: this undermines re-engagement campaigns at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Send a 2 to 3 message win-back series with a clear ask to stay subscribed.
Frequently asked questions#
Will sunsetting hurt my revenue?
Rarely. Inactive contacts produce little revenue, and improved placement for engaged contacts usually offsets any loss.