How to persuade management to remove unengaged email list subscribers for better deliverability?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 22 Apr 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
7 min read
Convincing management to pare down an email list, especially one built over years, can be one of the most challenging conversations for an email marketer. The common argument that a smaller, more engaged list leads to better email deliverability often falls short against the desire for large subscriber counts.
I’ve been there, facing resistance when advocating for the removal of unengaged subscribers. It feels counterintuitive to management, who often equate a larger list with a larger potential reach or higher perceived value. However, a stagnant, unengaged list actively harms your email program and overall business objectives.
The hidden costs of unengaged subscribers
The core issue with unengaged subscribers is their impact on your sender reputation. When mailbox providers like Gmail or Yahoo see a significant portion of your emails going unopened, being deleted without reading, or worse, being marked as spam, they start to flag your sending domain as less trustworthy. This isn't just about a few emails, it's about a consistent pattern that affects all your campaigns.
This leads to emails being routed directly to the spam folder, or even worse, being blocked entirely. It’s not uncommon for domains with poor engagement to end up on email blacklists (or blocklists), preventing any messages from reaching the inbox, regardless of how engaged the recipient is. Monitoring your blocklist status becomes critical here. The long-term damage to your sender reputation can be significant and takes considerable effort to repair.
Beyond deliverability, there are tangible costs associated with emailing unengaged subscribers. Many email service providers (ESPs) charge based on list size or email volume, meaning you're paying to send messages to people who aren’t interacting. This is a direct waste of marketing budget that could be reallocated to more effective strategies. Plus, spending time crafting and sending emails to an unresponsive audience is a misuse of valuable internal resources.
Risks of retaining unengaged subscribers
Damaged sender reputation: Mailbox providers penalize low engagement, leading to poorer inbox placement for all subscribers.
Increased spam complaints: Unengaged users are more likely to mark your emails as spam, directly harming your sender score.
Higher bounce rates: Old lists often contain invalid or inactive email addresses, leading to hard bounces that damage your reputation.
Wasted marketing spend: You pay for every email sent, regardless of whether it's opened or generates revenue.
Misleading metrics: Large unengaged segments skew open rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics, making it difficult to assess true campaign performance.
Quantifying the impact for management
To persuade management, you need to shift the conversation from list size to return on investment (ROI). Data speaks volumes. Start by segmenting your email list to identify truly unengaged subscribers based on specific criteria like last open, last click, or last purchase within a defined timeframe (e.g., 90-180 days). Flodesk suggests looking at contacts who haven't opened or clicked.
Run an experiment. For a few weeks, send your regular campaigns to two distinct segments: your highly engaged subscribers and your unengaged segment. Track key metrics separately for each. Show management the stark difference in open rates, click-through rates, and, most importantly, conversions and revenue generated by each group. This visual proof often highlights that the unengaged segment contributes minimal, if any, business value.
Illustrate how a smaller, clean list can actually lead to better overall performance. When you remove the dead weight, your engagement metrics naturally improve, signaling to mailbox providers that your emails are valued. This can lead to a virtuous cycle where better deliverability drives even higher engagement among your active subscribers, ultimately increasing revenue from your email channel. This demonstrates the tangible consequences of decreasing email metrics if unaddressed.
Metric
Engaged segment (example)
Unengaged segment (example)
List size
100,000
200,000
Open rate
25%
3%
Click-through rate
3%
0.1%
Conversions
1,250
60
Revenue generated
$50,000
$1,000
Cost of sending
$1,000
$2,000
Strategies for a graceful sunset
Before outright removal, implementing a re-engagement campaign is a crucial step. This allows you to give dormant subscribers one last chance to signal their interest. A re-engagement campaign can consist of a series of emails with compelling offers, asking subscribers to confirm their interest or update their preferences. Those who engage are moved back to your active list, while those who don't can be safely removed, understanding that you made a concerted effort to retain them.
Establishing a sunset policy is another key strategy. This involves defining what unengaged means for your business (e.g., no opens or clicks in 6 months) and outlining a clear process for re-engagement followed by removal. This proactive approach ensures consistent list hygiene, preventing future build-up of inactive contacts.
Ongoing list management is crucial. Beyond one-off purges, advocate for continuous practices such as double opt-in for new subscribers and regularly monitoring engagement metrics. This minimizes the accumulation of inactive addresses from the start, making future cleanup less drastic and more manageable. It's about maintaining a healthy ecosystem, not just reacting to problems.
The status quo: retaining all subscribers
Perceived larger reach: Management sees a high number of subscribers.
Inflated metrics: Open rates and click rates look low, but list size is large.
Higher sending costs: Paying to send to non-responsive contacts.
Damaged sender reputation: Leading to more emails in spam folders.
The strategic approach: pruning the list
Actual engaged reach: Focus on those who actually interact.
Accurate performance metrics: Higher open rates and conversions indicate true campaign success.
Optimized budget: Directing resources to active and converting subscribers.
Strong sender reputation: Maximizing inbox placement and reducing blocklists.
Addressing common management concerns
Management's primary concern often revolves around the perceived loss of a large number of contacts. It's vital to reframe this as a strategic move that improves overall marketing effectiveness, not a reduction. Instead of focusing on the quantity of sends, emphasize the quality of engagement and the efficiency of your marketing spend. A smaller list of engaged subscribers is more valuable because your messages are actually reaching and resonating with them.
Highlight how improved deliverability directly translates to a better return on email marketing efforts. If your emails consistently land in the inbox, even with a slightly smaller audience, the chances of opens, clicks, and conversions increase significantly. This means more effective campaigns, better brand perception, and ultimately, more revenue without the overhead of maintaining a bloated list. It's about maximizing impact, not just maintaining volume.
Reinforce that a clean list reduces critical negative signals like spam complaints and hard bounces. These metrics are closely monitored by mailbox providers and directly impact your ability to reach the inbox. By proactively removing unengaged (and potentially invalid) contacts, you're protecting the long-term health and viability of your email program, ensuring that your valuable messages don't end up in the spam folder or get blocked.
Benefits of a healthy, engaged email list
Improved deliverability rates: Higher inbox placement means more people see your messages.
Accurate campaign performance: Metrics reflect true audience engagement and campaign effectiveness.
Optimized budget and resources: Focus spend on engaged subscribers who are more likely to convert.
Stronger sender reputation: Build trust with mailbox providers and avoid blocklists.
Successfully persuading management to remove unengaged subscribers hinges on a data-driven approach. It requires demonstrating that a smaller, healthier list translates to better inbox placement, lower costs, and ultimately, a stronger bottom line. By focusing on ROI and the long-term sustainability of your email program, you can shift their perspective from vanity metrics to true business impact.
It’s not just about removing contacts, it’s about refining your strategy to maximize the potential of your email channel. This proactive approach will protect your sender reputation and ensure your messages consistently reach those who truly want to hear from you.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Clearly define what 'unengaged' means for your specific email program and set clear timelines for re-engagement.
Segment your list and run comparative campaigns to provide concrete data to management on engagement differences.
Implement a sunset policy with a re-engagement series before final removal to offer a last chance to inactive subscribers.
Regularly monitor your email deliverability metrics, including open rates, click-through rates, and complaint rates.
Emphasize the financial savings from reduced ESP costs and increased efficiency by targeting engaged subscribers.
Common pitfalls
Failing to present data in a clear, ROI-focused manner that directly addresses management's business objectives.
Focusing solely on 'deliverability' as a technical term without connecting it to revenue or brand impact.
Not having a defined re-engagement process before advocating for subscriber removal, which can seem abrupt.
Underestimating management's attachment to large list numbers and not providing a compelling counter-narrative.
Neglecting ongoing list hygiene, leading to recurring issues with unengaged subscribers.
Expert tips
A healthy email list is a critical asset. Prioritize quality over quantity for long-term success.
Use A/B testing or split sends to present undeniable proof of performance differences.
Frame list cleaning as an optimization strategy that boosts efficiency and overall campaign ROI.
Understand that sometimes, only concrete numbers showing better results will convince stakeholders.
Be prepared to explain the impact of spam traps and blacklists on future email performance.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that proving ROI with activity and sales numbers per activity age group (e.g., 0-30 days vs. 30-60 days) effectively demonstrates the value of removing inactive subscribers.
2019-05-15 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks advises running broadcast campaigns in two segments, engaged and unengaged, to visually demonstrate the negligible impact of unengaged contacts on opens, purchases, and revenue.
Higher ROI: A focused list generates more revenue per email sent.
