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.

[ESALBY]

Every three months. 

[JRowe4]

quarterly

[MBasheerp]

In my view, cleaning the contacts database is a critical task that should be carried out regularly to maintain data accuracy and reliability across all departments. I believe in conducting a thorough audit of the database on a quarterly basis. This frequency strikes a balance between keeping the data clean and not overwhelming the team with constant clean-up tasks.

The process typically involves running automated checks to identify and remove duplicate entries, updating outdated information, and verifying the accuracy of the data. Additionally, it's essential to involve multiple teams, such as marketing, sales, and customer service, in the cleaning process to ensure that everyone's needs and perspectives are considered.

By adhering to this quarterly schedule and involving cross-functional teams, we can ensure that our data remains consistent, reliable, and beneficial for all departments, ultimately leading to more effective business operations and better customer experiences.

[carias]

I think that it´s necessary to clean your database each month, check the client´s information, delete incomplete or false information

[MStewart94]

Quarterly

[BLatos]

quarterly

[Vojin]

Every 3 months there should be a KPI evalution system in place tracking SMART goals and making everyone accountable. That being said, the database should also be cleaned in order to properly evaluate if our prospects in it are optimally qualified for our strategy and our messages. Inbound marketing strategies require consistent alignment of what are we sending and who are we sending it to. 

[Nam21]

quarterly cleaning my database

[Aman_Jha]

I have created automated workflow to clean the database and mark the non relevant Contacts as Non Marketing every month.

[TayoOlajide]

Cleaning your data base every quarter is good practice. Looking to implement this at work. Thanks for the post 

[Singhjsa]

I Clean my contacts database every 3 months to ensure it stays accurate and valuable for the work

[OBunyula]

Personally, I would aim to clean my contacts database every three months to ensure it stays accurate and valuable for my business.

[EVilla34]

Quarterly

[SZorca]

For me, twice a year. Mid year, and annual 🙂

[STewatia]

Regularly cleaning your contacts database is essential for data accuracy and maximizing value. A quarterly audit helps identify errors, remove duplicates, and update outdated information. This proactive approach minimizes the impact of bad data, ensuring better decision-making and improved business outcomes.

[AEspinoza4]

Once a year, I will do that activity more regularly.

[TKrutilek]

We review, update, and clean our contact database on a quarterly basis.

[SadiaL]

Clean your contacts database at least once a quarter to remove outdated or duplicate contacts, correct inaccuracies, and maintain data hygiene. Consider increasing the frequency if you observe a high data decay rate or regularly add new contacts. Utilize automated tools for efficiency.

[SumanthN]

Maintaining a clean and organized contacts database in HubSpot, or any CRM system, is crucial for effective marketing, sales, and customer service efforts. The frequency of cleaning your contacts database can vary depending on several factors such as the volume of contacts, how dynamic your contacts are (e.g., how frequently their information changes), and the nature of your business. However, here are some general guidelines:

1. Quarterly Cleaning: At a minimum, aim to clean your contacts database quarterly. This involves removing duplicate contacts, updating outdated information, and archiving or deleting contacts that are no longer relevant to your business.

2. After Major Campaigns: It’s also wise to review and clean your contacts list after major marketing or sales campaigns. These events can generate new contacts, update existing ones, or highlight inactive contacts that can be archived or removed.

3. Real-time Monitoring: For high-volume or rapidly changing databases, consider implementing real-time data monitoring and cleaning processes. HubSpot and other CRMs often have features or integrations with third-party tools that can help automate aspects of this process, like identifying and merging duplicates or validating email addresses as they are entered.

4. Annual Deep Clean: Once a year, conduct a thorough review of your contacts database. This includes reassessing your contact segmentation, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations (like GDPR or CCPA), and reviewing the overall health of your contact list.

[anhhongpham]

Regularly cleaning your contacts database is crucial for maximizing its value and ensuring accurate information. While the frequency may vary based on factors like database size and data acquisition rate, it's generally recommended to conduct audits and cleanups at least once every quarter or every six months. This helps prevent revenue loss associated with bad data and ensures that marketing and sales efforts are effective.