We all know the importance of growing an email list. But sometimes, the real value comes from knowing when to let go.
We had nearly 10,000 contacts on our list—names that once signed up, once engaged, but had gone quiet. Emails unopened. Links unclicked. We were approaching the limit on our Mailchimp pricing plan, and it was time to make a decision: keep paying more for people who no longer cared, or do the work to find the ones who still did.
So I wrote a simple campaign. A “We Miss You” email. Not pushy. Not desperate. Just honest.
I invited them to stay, and made it easy to opt out if it was time to move on.
And people responded.
By the end of the campaign, we’d cleared out over 8,000 inactive emails—and kept the 2,000 people who still cared. Our list is leaner now, but stronger. Engagement is up. Deliverability is better. And we’re not paying for ghosts.
Sometimes the smartest move isn’t chasing more. It’s choosing who you’re speaking to—and why. That’s the power of a well-timed, well-written email. It reconnects you with the people who want to be there.
