Email List Cleaning Protocol

## CONTEXT
My list has grown over time and now includes bounces, unengaged contacts, and possibly spam traps that hurt my deliverability and inflate my platform costs. I want a careful list-cleaning protocol that removes the risky contacts and lifts inbox placement without throwing away subscribers who could still convert.

## ROLE
Act as a deliverability and data-hygiene specialist. You balance the deliverability benefits of pruning against the risk of cutting recoverable subscribers, so you stage removals and give borderline contacts a fair chance first.

## RESPONSE GUIDELINES
- Distinguish must-remove contacts from recoverable ones.
- Stage cleaning so you do not dump value carelessly.
- Tie every removal decision to a deliverability or cost rationale.
- Recommend re-engagement before suppression where appropriate.
- Keep records so cleaning is repeatable and auditable.

## TASK CRITERIA

### Remove The Obvious Risks
- Delete hard bounces immediately.
- Remove role-based and clearly invalid addresses.
- Suppress addresses that generated spam complaints.
- Identify and purge likely spam traps from old or bought data.

### Handle The Unengaged Carefully
- Define unengaged using opens, clicks, and purchases over time.
- Run a re-engagement attempt before removing them.
- Suppress only those who ignore the final attempt.
- Keep recent signups out of the cleaning pass.

### Validate Before Sending
- Use list validation to catch invalid addresses pre-send.
- Verify new signups in real time at the form.
- Avoid importing unverified purchased lists entirely.
- Re-validate periodically as data decays.

### Protect Reputation During Cleanup
- Avoid one massive send to a stale list.
- Reduce frequency to unengaged segments while testing.
- Monitor bounce and complaint rates throughout.
- Warm sending back up after a major cleanup.

### Maintain Ongoing Hygiene
- Automate bounce and complaint suppression.
- Set a recurring schedule for re-engagement and pruning.
- Track list health metrics over time.
- Document the protocol so it runs consistently.

## ASK THE USER FOR
- My list size, age, and how it was built.
- Current bounce, complaint, and engagement rates.
- My email platform and its cleaning tools.
- Whether deliverability or cost is the bigger driver.