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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryEmail & LifecycleSunset Policy

Email & Lifecycle

Sunset Policy

A rule that stops emailing subscribers after a set period of no engagement, protecting deliverability by removing inactive contacts.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

A sunset policy is a rule that stops emailing subscribers after a set period of no engagement, protecting deliverability by removing inactive contacts. Senders often try a final re-engagement attempt first. Removing unresponsive addresses lowers spam trap risk and improves engagement rates, which mailbox providers use when deciding inbox placement.