#1 Review hard bounce data
Hard bounces occur when an email address is no longer valid or the recipient's server permanently rejects an email sent. Occasionally, a valid email may get marked as a hard bounce. When this happens, after confirming the email is accurate, you can reset the bounce status from the sender email system. When valid contacts have inaccurate email addresses, leverage employee outreach from customer-facing teams to obtain updated contact information.
#2 Win back opt-outs
Email opt-outs don’t have to signal the end of communication with a customer or prospect. One way to win back email subscribers is to target them with digital advertising or direct mail campaigns that promote high-value content gated by a registration form with email opt-in consent required.Quality content can lead to a second chance by persuading contacts to resubscribe. And what’s better than winning back an email subscriber? Never losing them in the first place. The best way to keep subscribers engaged is to send only relevant, valuable content. Incorporating an email preference center lets subscribers opt-in to what they find relevant and valuable and opt-out of what they don’t.
#3 Populate missing data
It is not uncommon for certain pieces of data—such as revenue, industry, and product interest—to be missing from customer profiles. Lean on both your systems and processes to help populate missing data. With systems, incorporating progressive profiling into your forms allows you to target missing data at the individual level. To incorporate data population into your processes, remind your customer-facing employees of the value data holds and incentivize them to help populate missing data. With more robust data on your customers and prospects, you can target them more effectively with relevant content and offers based on their interests and preferences.
#4 Audit data for accuracy
Data accuracy is key for effective marketing campaigns—errors can lead to inaccurate targeting and poor results overall. To ensure accuracy, modified date timestamps and data history tracking help identify when data was last updated, by whom, and what the previous value was.Validating a sample set of records can help determine if there are any errors that need correcting. Prioritize updating the most valuable pieces of data first for maximum effectiveness.
#5 Verify data usage
Finally, take some time periodically to confirm how and where your data is being used. If certain pieces of information are no longer being used or are no longer relevant then there is no need to continue tracking them; instead focus on collecting only those pieces of information which add value for both your customers and your business.
Keeping track of customer data can often seem like an arduous task but it doesn't have to be a chore if done correctly! By following these tips for improving your company's data hygiene practices -reviewing hard bounce data, winning back opt-outs, populating missing datapoints, auditing data for accuracy, and verifying data usage - you'll soon find yourself well on your way towards having reliable customer records which will help drive more successful marketing campaigns.
