Sometimes the bravest marketing move is hitting delete. Niall Doherty unsubscribed 15,000 people from his list—ouch—but the goal was a healthier, more engaged audience.
Marketing analysis
This image nails one of email marketing’s hardest truths: bigger isn’t always better. Pruning inactive subscribers improves open rates, lowers spam complaints, and strengthens deliverability. You don’t need a crowd, you need a conversation.
Why it works
- High engagement signals improve inbox placement
- Smaller lists reduce sending costs
- Focused readers buy and reply more
- Removes ego-driven metrics and keeps strategy data-driven
Examples
- ConvertKit famously cleaned 160,000 cold subs to maintain high deliverability
- Patagonia trimmed inactive contacts and saw open rates jump above 50%
- HubSpot routinely prunes unengaged users before major product launches
Analyzed by Swipebot
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