As the holiday season is in swing and small businesses in the United States look toward the New Year, tidying up the company email list may be just as important as that resolution to go to the gym every day. There are legal aspects to this list-cleansing necessity, but it may also be crucial to maintaining a positive public image. Email list campaigns are a necessary aspect of the digital strategies companies use to connect to, inform and encourage business. As email campaigns become linked with SMS text messaging and social media campaigns, it is crucial to pay attention to proper compliance and etiquette when it comes to data management of contact lists.

Who to delete

Managing email lists can feel like surgery performed without specialized knowledge of anatomy. However, it is crucial to a successful digital campaign. Users who opt-out of email lists should be immediately removed upon request as per the CAN-SPAM Act, which covers consumer privacy and orders commercial email lists to adopt and employ opt-out options.

It is a good idea to go through and omit duplicate emails, ensuring that the one that remains is the best contact. Dead emails that bounce back can be sorted immediately, but especially if an email bounces back from a New Year’s greeting, delete these individuals. This also can enhance data security, ensuring that no compromised email lists may be spamming company emails or passing along damaging malware such as viruses or spying software.

Consumer privacy

Companies should act with consumer privacy in mind at all times when it comes to communications. A consumer privacy policy that involves legal debriefing, employee training and data security measures is advisable for businesses. The aforementioned CAN-SPAM Act offers strict regulations that are time sensitive and can result in fines. When it comes to email data management, companies might also seek out the assistance of professional firms that can institute a variety of services for data management, including cloud computing. A comprehensive approach will offer best results for list management in the New Year.