Stop Paying for Emails That Nobody Opens

# Stop Paying for Emails That Nobody Opens

If you own a business in Brisbane—whether you’re running a plumbing outfit in Coorparoo or a boutique shop in Paddington—you’ve likely been told that "the money is in the list."

So, you’ve spent years collecting email addresses. You’ve got a database of 5,000, 10,000, maybe even 20,000 people. You send out your weekly specials or your monthly update, and you feel good about it.

But here’s the cold, hard truth: Most of those people aren't reading your emails. In fact, a huge chunk of them haven't opened a single thing you’ve sent in over a year.

And even worse? Having those "ghost" subscribers on your list is actively hurting your business. It’s costing you money in software fees, and it’s telling Google and Bigpond that your emails are rubbish, which means your loyal customers—the ones who actually want to buy from you—might not even see your messages because they're being sent straight to the junk folder.

In the marketing world, they call fixing this a "sunset policy." I call it taking out the trash so you can make more money.

In this guide, I’m going to show you how to stop wasting money on dead leads and how to make sure your emails actually get opened by people ready to open their wallets.

The Big Mistake: Thinking a Bigger List is Better

I see this all the time with small business owners. They brag about the size of their email list like it’s a trophy.

"We’ve got 8,000 people on our newsletter!"

That sounds great until I look at the numbers. If only 800 people are opening the email, you don't have a list of 8,000. You have a list of 800 fans and 7,200 people who are ignoring you.

Here is why keeping those 7,200 people is a massive mistake:

1. You are paying for them. Most email platforms charge you based on how many names you have. If you’re paying for the "Pro Plan" because you have 10,000 subscribers, but 6,000 of them are dead weight, you are literally throwing money away every single month. We’ve seen email platform costs skyrocket for Brisbane businesses simply because they refuse to delete people who don't care about them. 2. You look like a spammer. Gmail, Outlook, and iCloud are smart. If they see that you send 10,000 emails and 9,000 of them get ignored or deleted without being opened, they decide your content is low quality. Their job is to protect their users. So, they start putting your emails in the "Promotions" tab or the "Spam" folder. Now, even your best customers aren't seeing your offers. 3. Your data is lying to you. If you think you have 10,000 leads, you might make business decisions based on that. You might buy more stock or hire an extra hand thinking a big sale is coming. But if only 5% of those people are real, active leads, your projections will be dead wrong.

What is a "Sunset Policy" (And Why Should You Care?)

A sunset policy is just a fancy way of saying: "If they don't engage, they get the boot."

It’s a system where you automatically identify people who haven't opened or clicked an email in a certain amount of time (usually 3 to 6 months) and you either try one last time to win them back or you delete them from your list entirely.

I know it feels painful to hit 'delete' on a contact you worked hard to get. But would you rather have a list of 1,000 people where 500 buy something, or a list of 10,000 where 500 buy something? The result is the same, but the first option is cheaper to run and keeps you out of the spam folder.

Common Mistakes Most Brisbane Business Owners Make

Before we get into how to do this right, let’s look at what most people get wrong. I’ve sat down with dozens of business owners from Northside to Southside, and these three mistakes come up every single time.

Mistake #1: The "Hoarder" Mentality

Look, I get it. You might have run a Facebook ad or a competition at a local fair to get those emails. Deleting them feels like losing money.

But here is the reality: If someone hasn't opened an email from you in six months, they have forgotten who you are. If they suddenly decide they need a plumber or a new set of tyres, they aren't going to go searching through their inbox for an unread email from July. They’re going to go to Google.

By keeping them on your list, you are paying "rent" on a lead that has already expired. Stop hoarding dead data. Focus on building a customer list that actually moves the needle for your bank account.

Mistake #2: Not Having an Automatic System

Marketing should work for you, not the other way around. A good setup will automatically flag people who haven't opened an email in 90 days and put them into a "Last Chance" sequence. If they still don't open, the system deletes them. No manual work required.

Mistake #3: Ignoring the "Spam" Warning Signs

Once you’re on the "naughty list," it is very hard to get off. It’s much better to keep your list clean from the start than to try and fix a reputation that’s already been trashed.

How to Clean Your List (The Step-by-Step Plan)

You don't need to be a tech genius to do this. Most modern email tools (like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or ActiveCampaign) make this pretty straightforward. Here is the process I recommend for most small businesses.

Step 1: Define "Inactive"

For most Brisbane service businesses (tradies, accountants, lawyers), 90 days is the sweet spot. If they haven't opened anything in 3 months, they are officially "disengaged."

Step 2: The "Break-up" Email

Send a very simple, plain-text email. Don't use fancy graphics or big logos. Make it look like a personal note from you.

Subject line ideas: - "Are you still there?" - "Should I stop emailing you?" - "Is this still the right email for you?"

The content: "Hey [Name], I noticed you haven't opened our emails in a while. I don't want to clutter your inbox if you're not interested in [what you do] anymore. If you still want to hear from us, just click the button below. If not, no hard feelings—I’ll remove you from the list in a few days so I’m not bothering you."

This works because it's honest. It also triggers people’s "fear of missing out." You’d be surprised how many people click that button just because they don't want to be kicked off.

Step 3: The Purge

Don't archive them. Don't move them to a "maybe later" list. Delete them.

Immediately, you’ll notice two things: 1. Your "Open Rate" percentage will jump up (because you're only sending to people who care). 2. Your costs might go down if you drop into a lower pricing tier with your software.

The Result: Better Deliverability and More Sales

When you only send emails to people who want them, Google and Outlook see that everyone is opening your stuff. They think, "Wow, people love this business!" and they make sure your emails land right at the top of the inbox.

This means when you actually have a big sale or a new service to announce, the people who are most likely to buy will actually see it. You can even turn new enquiries into sales much faster when your emails aren't fighting to stay out of the junk folder.

How Often Should You Do This?

If you set up an automated system, it happens every single day in the background. If you’re doing it manually, I recommend doing a "Spring Clean" every three months.

It’s like servicing your ute. You don't wait for the engine to blow up before you change the oil. You do it regularly to keep the machine running smoothly. Your email list is a machine for generating leads—keep it maintained.

Is This Going to Cost Me Money?

Actually, it will likely save you money.

Most Brisbane businesses we work with save between $50 and $200 a month just by cleaning out dead subscribers. Over a year, that’s a couple of grand back in your pocket.

More importantly, the "hidden cost" of not doing this is lost sales. If your emails are going to spam, you’re losing thousands of dollars in potential revenue because your customers don't even know you're trying to reach them.

What Should You Do First?

1. Check your numbers. Log into your email tool and look at your last 5 emails. What is the average open rate? If it’s below 20%, you have a problem. 2. Identify the ghosts. Look for subscribers who haven't opened an email in the last 6 months. 3. Send one "Break-up" email. See who comes back to life. 4. Delete the rest. Be brave. It’s the best thing you can do for your marketing.

Need Help Making Your Marketing Actually Work?

Setting up these kinds of systems can be a bit of a headache when you're trying to run a business. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane business owners get more leads without the technical jargon and the waste of money.

We don't care about "brand awareness" or "engagement metrics"—we care about your phone ringing and your bank account growing.

If you want someone to take a look at your email setup and make sure it's actually making you money (instead of just costing you a monthly fee), let’s have a chat.

Ready to grow? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your marketing sorted.