Look, I get it, I really do.
You’ve built up a decent-sized list over time, and from the outside, it looks pretty healthy.
The numbers are there, the audience is growing, the box is ticked. Job done, right?
Well…Not quite.
Because while that list might look alive, half of it could be about as responsive as a houseplant in a blackout.
I’m talking about the quiet ones. The lurkers. The “still breathing but barely” brigade. The ones who haven’t opened an email since before TikTok was a thing.
And the longer you let them hang about, the more they’re quietly wrecking your email marketing from the inside.
First things first: this is totally normal.
Every list has dead weight. People move jobs, change email addresses, get distracted by cat videos… whatever. They stop reading, stop clicking, stop engaging.
It happens.
Remember,It’s not you.
But ignoring it? That’s where things start to unravel.
Disengaged contacts kill your email stats. They tank your open rates, they destroy your deliverability, and worst of all—they cost you money.
Yep, you’re actually paying for them to ghost you.
So, what do we do about it?
You don’t need to start swinging the delete axe like you’re clearing out your inbox on a Friday afternoon. This is more surgical than savage.
Here’s a simple 5-step fix to sort the sleepers from the swervers—and maybe even bring a few back from the brink.
Step 1: Find the ones who’ve nodded off
In Mailchimp, set up a segment to flag contacts who:
- Haven’t opened your last 10 emails
- Haven’t clicked anything in the last 6 months
- Subscribed once upon a time… and then disappeared
This gives you a list of the “we’re not sure” crowd. They’re not gone—they just haven’t shown up in a while.
You might be surprised how big the segment is. That’s fine. You’re not alone.
Step 2: Remember—these contacts are costing you
If you’re on a Standard or Essentials plan, Mailchimp charges you based on the total number of contacts in your audience—not just the ones who get your emails.
That includes:
- People who’ve unsubscribed (you can’t send to them anyway)
- People who haven’t engaged in yonks
- People who never even verified their email
In short: you’re paying for the privilege of holding their data… and getting absolutely nothing in return.
One client we worked with saved over £6,000 a year just by cleaning up their list. Six. Thousand.
Imagine what you could do with that.
Step 3: Run a “last chance” email campaign
This is your digital version of “Oi, you still there?”
Set up a short re-engagement sequence—2 or 3 emails max. Keep it simple. No faff.
- Subject line: Something friendly but firm
- “Still want to hear from us?”
- “Do you still need our tips?”
- “Is this the end?”
- Body: Give them a reason to stay. Freebie, discount, or just the promise of no more guilt-tripping emails.
- CTA: One clear button—Yes, I’m in
Anyone who clicks? They’re active. Keep them.
Anyone who doesn’t? Well…
Step 4: Archive the no-shows
Not delete. Archive.
This keeps their data on file (in case they pop back up one day), but crucially—it takes them out of your billing.
They’re not gone forever. They’re just out of the way. Like putting old receipts in a drawer rather than carrying them around in your wallet.
While you’re at it, it’s a good time to:
- Merge duplicate contacts
- Clear out any daft tags you set up “just in case”
- Tidy your segments
Do it once, and you’ll feel lighter…
Promise.
Step 5: Make it part of your routine
This isn’t a one-time job. Lists go stale fast.
So get into the habit:
- Review disengaged contacts every 3 months
- Set up Mailchimp automations to tag inactive subscribers
- Use our [Auto-Archive Guide] to regularly sweep out unsubscribed contacts (yep, you can now automate that)
And here’s the kicker: this actually helps your results
Cleaning your list doesn’t just make you feel organised. It improves deliverability. Which means:
- More people actually see your emails
- You stop getting flagged as spam
- Your open and click rates go up
- And your Mailchimp bill goes down
It’s a win-win. Plus, fewer emails to send means more time to focus on stuff that matters.
Want us to have a look under the hood?
If you’re not sure where to start—or just want an expert to do the heavy lifting—book a Mailchimp Health Check with us.
It’s free (if your list is over 2,500 contacts), and we’ll tell you:
- What’s working
- What’s wasting your money
- And how to fix it all without going cross-eyed in the settings menu
TL;DR?
Most Mailchimp accounts are cluttered, costly, and quietly underperforming.
Yours doesn’t have to be.
Take the time to clean up your list properly—and Mailchimp starts to do what it’s supposed to do: get you results.
Book a free Mailchimp Health Check.
We’ll show you what’s working, what’s tanking your results, and how to fix it.
No fluff. No guesswork. Just straight-up advice.
