“Inactive” contacts?

Here's one way you can begin sorting out your messy CRM data.

Tag your inactive contacts, and start using that distinction frequently.

Some CRM systems try to make this easier by letting you silo inactive contacts.
In others, you just create a tag called "Inactive", and use that in groups, searches, etc.

But the hard part here is not using the software.

The hard part is actually defining what we mean by "inactive contact."

In other words:
When a human staff member examines any given contact record,
how can they decide if it's inactive?

Is it based on event attendance? Event registration?
Last contribution date? Any activity at all?
How long ago? Is the time window the same for all types of activity, or for all donation amounts?

Before you can start marking folks inactive, you have to define those parameters.

It can be hard.

But it can be done.

And more importantly, it can be worth it,
especially if you're already noticing the mental burden (and other costs)
of having inactive contacts scattered amongst your working data.

You could probably take half an hour this week to think it through,
examine some contacts,
and write down a good definition of an inactive contact.

Once you have that,
you (or your staff) can start marking them,
and then start treating them accordingly.

It just takes that first step to get started.

All the best,
A.