When using Prospect, you obviously don’t want to buy anybody you already know - that would just be a waste of your credits! To avoid this, you can suppress uploaded lists of your staff, everyone in your database, and any Prospect lists you've purchased from us in the past.
Remember, make sure to set this up before you start building a list!
Step 1: Check whether you have permission.
Before you do anything else, make sure you actually have this ability! Only your Admin can set up and edit suppression - unless they give other users permission in Manage Account.
- Note: For more information on Admin management and provisioning, check out the Manage Account Guide.
Substep 1: Go to the Prospect tab at the top of the screen. In the upper right-hand corner, look for the Off/On toggle:
Substep 2a: Don't see anything? That means you don't have this ability and need to speak with your Admin.
- Note: The Admin of your account is usually the first person who set up their user login.
Substep 2b: See the toggle? Great - you can proceed to Step 2!
Step 2: Prepare your Suppression list.
Put together the list of people you want to submit. It can be based on names and addresses or simply on emails. However, you’ll get a far better result if you use the name & physical addresses.
You don’t need to arrange this file into a specific template – you can usually upload it as is.
Step 3: Upload the list.
Substep 1: Switch the Off/On toggle to On. A pop-up should appear; If it doesn’t then click on the gear icon to the right.
Substep 2: In the pop-up, click Upload List
Substep 3: Check the box instructing whether the file will identify people by name and address or by email.
- Note: Whenever possible, use a physical address; it will have a much higher match rate.
Substep 4: Attach the file of people from your database, fill out the other fields, and click Upload.
Substep 5: Complete the Map Fields page.
- Note: by naming the columns you are identifying the type of data below, so the computer can read it. You only have to map those with a red asterisk.
Substep 6: Click Next. You should get a success page.
Step 4: Check the results.
Substep 1: Return to the Audience Builder page and Click on Suppression Lists at the top to see the lists you’ve uploaded.
Substep 2: Check the Status column.
- Note: Match percentage tells you how many people in your file we were unable to match to profiles. Those that haven’t matched won’t be suppressed from the list you buy.
Substep 3: If the match rate worries you, try uploading it again to see if you get a better result.
- Note: This is probably means that either the columns were mapped incorrectly or that there are a lot of errors in your list (e.g. misspelling name, old addresses).
Step 5: Make sure it’s turned on.
Substep 1: Go back to the Audience Builder and click on the Gear icon
Substep 2: In the pop-up, check the lists of the people you don’t want to buy again.
- Note: You should see two categories: Uploaded Suppression Lists and Prospect Lists. The file you uploaded will be in the former section and any lists you’ve already pulled from Prospect in the latter.
Substep 3: Click Update.
Substep 4: Double-check that the Off/On toggle is switched to On.
Now you’re ready to start building your list!