See more

Overview - Deleting Prospects

Introduction

DemandCenter allows users to delete prospects from the database. When a prospect is deleted from the DemandCenter database, the following information is permanently lost for that deleted record:

  • All field data
  • All tracked visit and download history
  • All accumulated score values
  • All campaign and email history
  • Opt-Out and subscription preferences
  • Email bounce history

NOTE: eTrigue is not able to recover delete prospects and their data. It is recommended that users delete prospects with care.

 

How to Delete Prospects

Users may delete prospects via one of the following methods:

  • When viewing a prospect record, clicking the Delete tool (garbage can icon).
  • When viewing a prospect listing, choose one or more prospects, and then choose Delete Prospects under the More [...] menu item.
  • Add a Delete Prospect Action in a campaign.

 

Regulatory Compliance

DemandCenter also supports GDPR compliance when deleting prospects. When users attempt to delete a single prospect, you will be presented with three options:

mceclip1.png

  • Cancel - Closes the window. The prospect is not deleted.

  • Delete and Clear Data - The prospect is deleted and the email address is placed under quarantine.

  • Delete - The prospect is deleted.

More info about "quarantined" email addresses

For compliance reasons, if a person asks to be removed from the system, then you, as the administrator, must honor the request. The Delete and Clear Data option can help you facilitate this request.

When a user chooses Delete and Clear Data, the prospect is deleted, but the email address is placed under quarantined. When an email address is placed under quarantine, the email address cannot be re-added to the database by any means (import, integration, forms, etc).

For example, here is an error message that users would see if they attempted to import a prospect that shared a quarantined email address:

"Email Address" is quarantined (GDPR)

 

What if I need to add a quarantined email address back to the database?

Users can add a prospect with a quarantined email address by creating that prospect under Prospects > Add Prospect.

NOTE: Due to regulatory compliance, users will receive a warning when they attempt to add a prospect with a quarantined email address. This action is subject to audit.

mceclip2.png

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there consequences when deleting prospects?

Among other issues that might occur from deleting prospects, if you delete prospects with an "Opt-Out" status, your team runs the risk of re-introducing the same email addresses into your database at a later date (by way of list import, manual entry, etc.) which would cause you to resume sending them emails without their consent.

Sending emails to someone that previously opted-out of your organization’s mailing list without their consent is a violation of your eTrigue agreement as well as the CAN-SPAM Act. Each separate email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $16,000, and can harm your organization's overall email sender reputation.

On a similar note, it is also good practice to keep prospects with "Bad Email" status. If you repeatedly send emails to bounced or "Bad Email" prospects, your reputation could be harmed as mail servers may identify you as a sender that exhibits spam-like behavior.

In summary, eTrigue users should not delete prospects set to "Bad Email" or "Opt-Out" status. Note that even if you were to keep these prospects, users can be assured that these prospects will never be sent an email because only prospects with "Active" status are allowed to be sent emails.

 

If I delete a prospect in my eTrigue database , is the corresponding Lead/Contact deleted in my CRM?

No -- deleting a record in your eTrigue database does not cause the corresponding Lead or Contact in your CRM to be deleted.

However, CRM Integration maintains a 1-1 ratio between your CRM and eTrigue databases -- this feature is meant to keep your two databases in sync, as every record would have an appropriately matched counterpart in the opposite system.

As such, if you delete an eTrigue prospect that has a counterpart in your CRM database, CRM Integration will eventually re-create a new prospect record in eTrigue during the next available sync.

 

If I delete a Lead/Contact in my CRM, is the corresponding prospect deleted in eTrigue?

No -- deleting a record in your CRM does not cause the corresponding prospect in eTrigue to be deleted, but all previous associated CRM Data (e.g. CRM ID, CRM Owner, CRM Lead Source) will be appropriately cleared on the eTrigue side.