Honoring Opt-Outs and Do-Not-Contact Requests

9.3 Honoring Opt-Outs and Do-Not-Contact Requests

Managing opt-outs and do-not-contact requests is not just a legal requirement — it protects your sender reputation, your brand, and the people you are reaching out to.

📸 [SCREENSHOT — Example of an opt-out management list or do-not-contact record]

What counts as an opt-out or do-not-contact request:

• A reply to your email asking you to stop, unsubscribe, or remove them from your list.

• A click on your email's unsubscribe link.

• A verbal or written request during a call or SMS conversation to stop contacting them.

• A request made in person during door-knocking or direct mail follow-up.

What you must do when you receive a request:

1. Stop contacting that person immediately across all channels — email, phone, SMS, and direct mail.

2. Add them to your do-not-contact list as soon as the request is received.

3. Honor the request permanently — do not re-add them to future audience pulls or campaigns.

4. Process email unsubscribes within 10 business days as required under CAN-SPAM.

Building and maintaining a do-not-contact list:

Keep a running list of everyone who has opted out or asked not to be contacted. Before running a new campaign or pulling new leads, check your do-not-contact list and remove any matches from your outreach.

Better Leads does not automatically suppress contacts who have opted out with you — that list lives on your side. It is your responsibility to maintain it and apply it to every campaign.

📸 [SCREENSHOT — Example of a do-not-contact list in a spreadsheet or CRM]

Tips:

• Maintain your do-not-contact list in a central location that everyone on your team can access.

• Review and apply the list before every new outreach campaign, not just when someone complains.

• If you are using a CRM or outreach tool, most have a built-in suppression list feature — use it.

• For email campaigns, make sure your unsubscribe mechanism is working and is easy for recipients to find.