How to Win Back Lost Subscribers with Re-Engagement Emails

Sometimes, after putting tons of work into your most recent email marketing campaign, you go to check your campaign results and see that your engagement metrics aren’t quite where you want them to be. It’s frustrating, but it happens to everyone! Don’t take this as a sign that email marketing won’t work for your business. 

Instead of tinkering with your email campaigns for hours, try something different: re-engagement emails. 

Re-engagement email campaigns help you reconnect with your inactive subscribers and reignite the interest that drove them to subscribe in the first place. Let’s dive into key tips and tricks to help you craft impactful re-engagement emails that will win back valuable subscribers!

What are re-engagement emails, and why do they matter?

Re-engagement emails are messages brands send to specific email subscribers who haven’t interacted with the company recently. They may not be opening emails from the brand or clicking on the content within those emails, resulting in lower email engagement rates for those campaigns. 

Just because those subscribers have been inactive lately doesn’t mean you’ve lost them forever! Whatever drew these customers to your brand in the first place is still there—try email re-engagement campaigns to tap into that and win them back. 

Re-engagement can be incredibly cost-effective. Businesses spend five to ten times as much on acquiring new customers as they do on winning back existing ones. The same principle holds true for re-engaging inactive subscribers compared to acquiring new users. Since you know your inactive subscribers were already intrigued enough by your brand’s products or services to subscribe to your list originally, you have a real opportunity to win them back with the right custom engagement strategies. 

Signs your subscribers need a re-engagement campaign

So, how do you know whether it’s time to launch a re-engagement campaign? Look out for these signs:

• Declining open rates
• Reduced click-through rates
• Increased unsubscribe rates
• Growing list of inactive subscribers

There are all signs that there are opportunities available to learn, grow, and create powerful re-engagement campaigns that help you drive better results from email marketing. 

The 5 Ts of effective email re-engagement

Crafting a re-engagement campaign can be tricky because you know the recipients aren’t quite as receptive to your messages as more active subscribers are. You’ll need to get certain key elements of these messages right to give yourself the best chance of getting through to your inactive subscribers. So, as you’re building your campaign, focus on these five Ts of effective email engagement. 

Timing: When to send re-engagement emails

Timing is always a key part of email marketing success, but it’s even more crucial with re-engagement messages. Resist the urge to send a message the first few times subscribers skip your emails. Instead, wait for 30 to 60 days of inactivity before sending your first re-engagement email. Then, give them at least a week, if not longer, before following up again. 

Targeting: Segmenting your inactive audience

To make your email re-engagement campaigns as effective as possible, try segmenting your inactive subscribers into smaller groups with shared qualities. For example, you might segment based on the amount of time they’ve been inactive. Then, you can tailor your re-engagement messages more precisely to these smaller segments. 

Tone: Finding the right voice for your message

No one likes to feel scolded or bullied, so avoid accusatory language in your re-engagement emails. Instead, opt for a friendly and welcoming tone that suits your brand. You want to show inactive subscribers how enjoyable it is to read your messages and engage with your brand, so the right tone is vital.

Testing: A/B testing subject lines and content

With A/B testing, you compare two similar versions of marketing content — with one key difference — to determine which version resonates better with your audience. Run A/B tests on your re-engagement email subject lines, CTAs, and content before launching your campaign. That way, you can be confident you’re moving forward with the best, most persuasive emails to re-engage your inactive subscribers. 

Tracking: Measuring success metrics

The only way to know whether your re-engagement campaigns are successful is to track key performance indicators like:

• Open rates
• Email unsubscribe rates
• Click-through rates
• Spam complaints
• Conversion rates

If you notice an uptick in positive metrics like your open and click-through rates, you’ll know your re-engagement messages are working!

How to write re-engagement emails that get your subscribers’ attention

To be effective, a re-engagement email needs a few essential elements. Make sure your messages tick these boxes.

A strong subject line

Alongside your sender name, the subject line is the main piece of information customers use to decide whether or not to open your message. Make your subject line clear, concise, and compelling. Play on urgency or curiosity to make your email irresistible to inactive subscribers.

A compelling value proposition

Customers stay subscribed and engaged with your messages because they get something out of it, whether that’s valuable information, updates, or exclusive deals. To re-engage subscribers, you need to speak to the value they’ll receive in return. Consider offering an incentive, such as a discount or exclusive content, to persuade them. 

Conversational, friendly copy that fits your brand

Re-engagement emails can be quick, casual check-ins, like you would with a friend you haven’t heard from lately. Keeping the tone conversational and friendly will make your readers more receptive to the content of your message. 

A clear call to action (CTA)

Your CTA tells readers what to do next. Make it prominent, clear, and persuasive. Use A/B testing to help narrow down your CTA wording and design choices. 

Personalization

Personalizing your re-engagement emails can make them much more compelling and persuasive to readers. Adjusting each greeting to say “Hi, [Name]” is a great first step, but you can take personalization even further for better results. 

For example, try including information about specific products/services that each inactive subscriber has previously shown an interest in. Or, even offer them a discount or other incentive tailored to their past interests. 

Ordering your re-engagement email sequence for maximum impact

It’s normal for inactive subscribers to need more than one email to re-engage. Try this three-email approach to get subscribers active and engaged again. 

Email 1: The friendly check-in

In the first re-engagement email, start by acknowledging that the subscriber has been absent lately. It’s not an accusation or complaint — just something you’ve noticed. 

Then, ask them what they want to hear about. Maybe there are certain topics or types of messages that they’d like to see more often from you. Now’s the time to invite them to share their thoughts! 

One of the best re-engagement campaign tips is to provide immediate value, like a discount, an exclusive piece of content, or an invitation to an event you’re running. That added value can draw inactive subscribers back in and convince them to take action. 

Email 2: The value bomb

If the first email doesn’t work, the second email should increase the value even further. Try highlighting the great content inactive subscribers have missed lately by not reading your emails. Show social proof and testimonials that demonstrate how much your customers get out of your products or services. Then, try to close the deal by sharing your best content or offers. 

Email 3: The final attempt

The third re-engagement email has your last-chance messaging. Let the inactive subscribers know that you’re about to remove them from your list because they don’t seem interested anymore, but make sure your tone isn’t accusatory. Instead, use the message as a positive opportunity for the recipient to re-engage with your brand. 

Provide a resubscribe option and offer some personalization options to make resubscribing more appealing. For example, let them reduce the frequency of your messages instead of unsubscribing completely. Ask them for feedback so you know what changes you can make going forward to better engage and retain your email subscribers. 

After sending three re-engagement emails, if subscribers still aren’t engaging with your messages, it’s time to remove them from your subscriber list. Taking them off your list will help ensure you’re only sending emails to customers who are still interested in hearing from you, boosting your engagement metrics. 

Re-engagement strategies for different businesses

Tailor your re-engagement messages to your audience and the industry you operate in. B2B messages, for instance, often look very different from those for e-commerce businesses. 

Ecommerce businesses

If you have an e-commerce business, some ideas for re-engagement messages include:

• Product recommendations based on past purchases
• Abandoned cart sequences
• Exclusive discount offers

B2B companies

For B2B companies, try ideas like:

• Educational content offers
• Industry insights and trends
• Free tool or resource access

Service-based businesses

Service-based businesses can be a bit trickier, but appeal to your inactive subscribers with content such as:

• Case studies and success stories
• Free consultation offers
• Behind-the-scenes content

Need more inspiration? Check out the Be a Marketer podcast for expert advice and insight!

Measuring and optimizing your re-engagement campaign

Beyond opens and clicks, make sure to track key re-engagement campaign metrics like:

• Changes in your unsubscribe rate
• Bounce rate
• Email deliverability rate
• Conversion rate
• Return on investment

Re-engagement efforts take some time to yield results, so be patient. Analyze your results and adjust your strategies accordingly. For example, if you notice your re-engagement emails have high open rates but low conversion rates, you may need to optimize your calls to action further. 

Common re-engagement email mistakes to avoid

You’re eager to re-engage your inactive subscribers, as you should be! Just remember to be measured and strategic, too, and avoid these common mistakes. 

• Being too salesy too soon: Use the first re-engagement email as a simple check-in, then work up to more sales-focused messaging in later emails. 
• Ignoring mobile optimization: Make sure your emails are mobile-responsive and look great on multiple devices. Sometimes, getting customers re-engaged is as simple as making your emails easier to read!
• Sending one-size-fits-all messages: Incorporate personalization whenever possible to make your messages more relevant to your subscribers and strengthen your connection with them. 
• Not providing clear next steps: Tell the readers exactly how to get re-engaged through a clear, compelling CTA. 
• Forgetting to clean your email list: It’s normal for some subscribers to stop engaging even after top-notch re-engagement campaigns. Remove these subscribers from your email list immediately to enhance your campaign metrics and improve your sender reputation. 

Tools and resources to streamline your re-engagement efforts

You can set up, send, and monitor your re-engagement campaigns manually, but there’s a better way. With the right email automation tools, your campaigns will be even more effective while requiring less time and effort from your team. 

Look for email marketing tools with features like:

• Segmentation capabilities to segment your email list by different traits and behaviors
• Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to help you understand your re-engagement campaign performance
• Ability to integrate with your other software tools, like your customer relationship management (CRM) system
• Automation features to create email sequences that go out to customers at the right times without your intervention

Turning email engagement around for long-term success

Re-engagement is about reminding inactive subscribers why they subscribed in the first place and drawing them back in with added value. Improving engagement with these campaigns will help you drive more conversions and sales through email marketing, ultimately leading to a better return on your investment.

Streamline your email marketing, including re-engagement, by leveraging email marketing automation software like Constant Contact! With Constant Contact, you can set up effective automatic re-engagement sequences to connect with inactive subscribers at the exact right times. Join now and set up your first campaign today!