Cleaning email database

[Michelle Casey]

I have an email database of almost 4000. Many of the contacts have moved on. What is the quickest way to find out if the emails I have in the database are valid still ? Is there some software I could use to test the validity of the emails ? Thank you !

 

[Alan]

Easiest route, basically compose a suitable 'newsletter' and send out a mailshot to all 4000 and see which ones bounce.

Perhaps an email like 'It has been a while, so just checking in to see if our product / service is still of interest, if not please unsubscribe from our list'.

Double benefit, you will see the bounces and you will get uninterested parties unsubing.

I assume your have a mailshot solution, otherwise having 4000 emails is pointless.

If you are very technical you could write scripts around telnet and look for server response codes, but I really don't think it is worth the effort.

 

[Michelle Casey]

Thank you. That makes sense - although there will be some we don't want to email so will have to take those out first. I thought there would be technology or software to assist with this ?
If anyone knows of anything. please let me know !

 

[Mark_Taylor_]

import into mailchimp and it auto cleans the list after you send a campaign, i'm not sure about the numbers of email addresses allowed for the free account. Also you would need to make sure the email recipients have opted into to be contacted or mailchimp may block you.

 

[Mark_Taylor_]

Michelle, Mailchimp offers 2000 for free, so two separate free accounts should do you ;-)

Google: mailchimp import csv

 

[Alan]

If anyone knows of anything. please let me know !

As I mentioned in my first post - you can script something with telnet ( Google check email address with telnet ) but it will only have a limited success - why ... because if every mailserver gave away valid email addresses to simple 'enquiries' spammers would write scripts that bombarded email servers with guesses - and when they got a 'valid' hit - hey bingo - spam away ...