The effectiveness of a fax list naturally declines over time as businesses change, numbers get disconnected, and contacts move on. Understanding the typical lifespan helps you plan updates and maintain campaign success.
Typical Lifespan
3 to 6 months: High-quality fax lists often fax lists start to lose accuracy within this timeframe.
6 to 12 months: After a year, up to 30-50% of numbers may be outdated or inactive.
Beyond 12 months: Lists become increasingly unreliable without regular maintenance.
Factors Affecting Lifespan
Industry volatility: Fast-changing industries (tech startups, small businesses) see higher turnover.
Geographic area: Some regions have more business churn, affecting data stability.
Source quality: Lists from reputable vendors with regular updates last longer.
List usage: Frequent faxing and high bounce rates signal list degradation sooner.
Best Practices to Extend Lifespan
Regularly clean your list: Remove bounces, opt-outs, and invalid numbers after each campaign.
Re-verify contacts: Use data verification services every 3-6 months.
Segment and prioritize: Focus on engaged or recently confirmed contacts.
Update your data sources: Supplement with fresh data periodically.
Bottom Line
Plan to refresh or replace your fax lists every 3-6 months for best results. Maintaining list hygiene is key to maximizing ROI and avoiding wasted marketing spend.
Want help setting up a list maintenance routine?