How often do you clean your contacts database?

[JorieMunroe]

We’re in a data-driven era, where datasets are shared between marketing, sales, and customer service teams to increase organizational effectiveness and facilitate alignment. When you have high levels of inconsistent data, it’s not just one team taking the hit. It’s everyone. The entire company. The fallout from that bad data extends to every corner of your business that the data touches. With that in mind, how often do you currently audit and clean your contacts database? Once a month? Every quarter? Once a year? What does the process look like? Share your thoughts and current schedule.

[LLeakehe]

What I have learned and I totally agree with is we should be cleaning our database up every quarter. I also love the human interaction and connection that takes place as you clean up your database. For me at worst, data should be cleaned up annually but more frequently is definitely more beneficial and allows you to resolve and retain rather than going back and restarting the whole process again.

[LLeakehe]

Currently, our databases are not cleaned as frequently as needed. The problems that this has created in our business are exactly as you have stated. The issues that this problem has created are time-consuming and costly across a number of different departments. I totally agree with everything that I have learned here. Keeping your database up to date and engaging with your customers will definitely make them feel important and valued but you will also retain them as customers rather than spending a lot more money to find more customers. Keep your current database of customers happy and work on moving them along the path to purchase rather than getting new customers every time and losing them shortly thereafter. 

[GDunn3]

Quarterly is suggested, but I think it could be done a bit sooner based upon reaction/interaction from campaigns. 

[Sanch101]

Quarterly

[SMorley82]

Quarterly or sooner if there are some obvious changes to be made. Keeping on track of when clients leave is a must for any business!

[Annacas23]

Totally agree, its case by case in order to be meticulous 

[lwelder]

Quarterly or sooner if you start noticing changes in engagement.

[kolemaravilla]

Around once a year. Most sales cycles are shorter than that, and many people change roles/companies more often than that.

[sadirahmanbd]

by filtering

[GREYESDIAZ]

Even when I do not work in that department, I concider that it should be audited at least each year. Since you need to be sure to keep working with the right information.

[TomasFochNalle]

I think it's nice to test and sort out different strategies: for example, after a campaign and some e-mails were sent to the resulting contact data base, those that didn't even open the message should either be wiped out or moved a plan B (or C) marketing strategy (and eventually be excluded in case of non-responsiveness).

[MPeña23]

In relationship with your goal, if you notice that you´re not hitting your goals, it´s time to evaluate what problem you are facing, including cleaning data.

[CHadley]

I feel that it is appropriate for a database to be cleaned every 6 months, so twice a year.

[PCulver]

I feel a database should be audited at least once a year.

[AAlvarezRodri]

i have never done it, i tried doing it on my ipad, but it was too much information i just gave up.

[ABramlett]

Quarterly or when you have unengaging contacts.

[CDhadhal]

Once a week

[LSchreiber]

I have never done it, although I probably should. Many of my clients have a long sales cycle 12-18 months so it wouldn't be right to clean out after a year of no conversation

[RBuenfilM]

✅ Clean the contacts and filter them often, however, know your priorities.
► You'll need to Identify dupes, spam & inactive contacts.
► Set specific tasks with dates on when you filter.

[GKathM0607]

Quarterly and ask yourself these questions:

1. When are your contacts considered unengaged?

2. When shoudl you remove them?

[MAnbuchelvan]

Always clean the contacts and filter them as often as possible. This is to identify duplicates, spam subscriptions, or inactive contacts.