Are re-engagement email subject lines and practices deceptive and how should you deal with engaging with old leads and unsubscribes?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor explains that segmentation allows you to send targeted re-engagement emails. It highlights different types of segmentation, such as demographic, geographic, and behavioral. They recommend using this data to create targeted campaigns and use dynamic content to ensure the emails are as relevant and engaging as possible.
Email marketer from Moosend explains to make your re-engagement emails stand out, use visually appealing design, clear and concise copy, and a strong call to action. They also suggest adding a touch of humor or creativity to capture subscribers' attention. The article recommends A/B testing different design elements and copy to optimize the campaign's performance.
Email marketer from Litmus explains the benefit of sunsetting inactive subscribers which is a process where you remove inactive subscribers from your email list. They explain this helps to improve the overall health of your email list, and improves your deliverability rates.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that re-engaging inactive subscribers involves identifying them based on metrics like inactivity duration, sending targeted emails with compelling offers or content, and using segmentation to personalize the approach. They also emphasize the importance of respecting unsubscribes and removing truly inactive subscribers from the list.
Email marketer from Shopify explains that re-engaging inactive customers is important for ecommerce businesses. They suggest offering personalized recommendations, exclusive discounts, or a reminder of past purchases. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding customer behavior and tailoring the re-engagement strategy accordingly.
Email marketer from Automizy shares that they feel one of the biggest email marketing mistakes is not re-engaging with old leads. They suggest setting reminders, using the information you already have about them, and sending them something they value or offers them something of value.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that there's a golden window to engage with a lead, and after that, any sales should be considered flukes, also they share they have seen companies treating unsubscribes as a soft bounce in transactional email.
Email marketer from Reddit shares the use of curiosity-inducing subject lines for re-engagement, such as 'We Miss You!' or 'Is Everything OK?'. They caution against overly aggressive or misleading subject lines and advises A/B testing different approaches to see what resonates with the target audience.
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that email deliverability and sender reputation can be damaged by re-engaging old subscribers if they are not careful. If old leads or unsubscribes are added to your list then are marked as spam you could see your email deliverability and sender reputation severely damaged.
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog shares that crafting effective re-engagement emails requires a clear understanding of why subscribers became inactive in the first place. They suggest offering valuable content, exclusive deals, or a chance to update preferences. The article emphasizes using compelling subject lines that convey urgency or value and providing an easy way for subscribers to unsubscribe.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign Blog answers that win-back email campaigns should focus on reminding subscribers of the value they receive from the brand. They advise personalizing the emails, showcasing recent updates or improvements, and offering incentives to return. The article also suggests setting expectations for future communications and providing a clear call to action.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks says there are very limited circumstances where mailing unsubscribes is okay, but it's rarely what a marketer thinks it is.
Expert from Word to the Wise answers the question of re-engaging with old leads with the advice of not mailing people who have asked not to be mailed. She says 'We're going to suggest you simply do not mail people who have asked not to be mailed. Ever. If you don't, then there's no problem.'
Expert from Email Geeks shares an example of a disclaimer used by Clum Creative, highlighting the potentially deceptive practice of changing domains frequently to avoid blocks.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that re-engaging old contacts or unsubscribes can be deceptive if it violates the original agreement or legal requirements. She advises against tricking people into being mailed who have asked not to be mailed.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that there's a decay curve for email engagement that starts immediately after someone opts in.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that subject lines should not be deceptive or misleading, especially when re-engaging old leads. Honesty and clarity are important to avoid being flagged as spam or violating regulations.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SendGrid explains that email best practices include regularly cleaning email lists, segmenting audiences, and personalizing content. They also emphasize the importance of authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability. The documentation highlights the risks of sending to inactive or unengaged subscribers, including increased bounce rates and spam complaints.
Documentation from GDPR explains that consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous. It also explains you need to have a record of this consent. This is important as consent can be withdrawn at any time and the process of withdrawing consent needs to be as easy as giving it.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that email list hygiene is the practice of regularly cleaning your email list by removing inactive subscribers, hard bounces, and spam traps. They also explain that it helps to improve deliverability, engagement, and ROI by ensuring your emails reach only the most active and interested subscribers.
Documentation from Postmark explains the purpose of suppression lists, is that they hold a record of email address which have either unsubscribed or bounced and as such should be automatically suppressed from future emails.
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that managing unsubscribes is crucial for maintaining a healthy email list and complying with regulations. They detail the process of how subscribers can unsubscribe, how Mailchimp handles unsubscribe requests, and the importance of honoring those requests promptly. They also discuss options for customizing the unsubscribe process and collecting feedback.