What is the best way to re-engage with an old, unmanaged email list?

Summary

Re-engaging an old, unmanaged email list requires a multi-faceted approach focusing on list hygiene, gradual re-introduction, personalized and incentivized content, and readily available opt-out options. Experts and marketers advise against purchasing lists or renting domains, and caution against emailing lists older than a year without thorough cleaning. Segmentation is key, allowing for tailored messaging based on past activity and demographics. Incentives, such as exclusive discounts or free resources, can encourage re-engagement. A 'last chance' email can help identify truly inactive subscribers while cleaning the list. Email verification services are crucial to remove invalid addresses, protecting sender reputation. Re-engagement should be approached slowly, sending re-opt-in messages in small batches to monitor performance. Furthermore, including an unsubscribe header and implementing a sunset policy will help in improve deliverability. In the end, getting explicit permission before sending email can improve deliverability as well as keep you out of trouble.

Key findings

  • No List Purchasing/Renting: Purchasing or renting email lists is strongly discouraged.
  • Segmented Re-engagement: Segmenting lists for personalized messaging is key for effective re-engagement.
  • Incentive Offers: Offering exclusive discounts or resources can motivate re-engagement.
  • Email Verification: Using email verification services is critical to remove invalid addresses and protect sender reputation.
  • Gradual Rollout: Re-engage slowly, sending messages in small batches to monitor performance.
  • List Hygiene Practices: Cleaning and removing unengaged subscribers is crucial for deliverability and reporting.
  • Sunset Policies: Setting sunset policies automatically removes inactive subscribers.

Key considerations

  • List Age Matters: Be cautious when re-engaging very old lists; consider the cost-benefit.
  • Personalization is Key: Personalized emails have a higher chance of success.
  • A/B Testing: A/B test different elements of your re-engagement campaign.
  • Unsubscribe Header: Including an unsubscribe header to give an easy way to opt-out to reduce complaints.
  • Permission Compliance: It is important to get explicit permission before sending email.

What email marketers say
14Marketer opinions

Re-engaging an old, unmanaged email list requires a strategic approach focused on personalization, segmentation, and list hygiene. Experts recommend against renting or purchasing lists and advise caution with lists older than a year. The recommended strategies involve sending re-engagement campaigns in small batches, segmenting lists for personalized content, offering incentives, and using 'last chance' emails. It's crucial to clean the list by removing invalid addresses and unengaged subscribers to improve deliverability and sender reputation. A/B testing and adjusting sending frequency are also important optimization techniques.

Key opinions

  • List Segmentation: Segmenting lists based on activity, demographics, and purchase history allows for personalized and effective re-engagement campaigns.
  • Incentives: Offering exclusive discounts, free resources, or early access can motivate inactive subscribers to re-engage.
  • Email Verification: Using email verification services to remove invalid addresses improves deliverability and protects sender reputation.
  • Gradual Re-engagement: Sending re-engagement campaigns in small batches helps monitor performance and minimize negative impact on deliverability.
  • Last Chance Emails: Sending 'last chance' emails informs subscribers they will be unsubscribed, prompting re-engagement or facilitating list cleaning.
  • Deliverability Improvement: Reducing the frequency of emails to unengaged contacts can signal mailbox providers to place your emails in the inbox.
  • Key to Hygiene: Cleaning unengaged subscribers results in better deliverability and more accurate reporting.

Key considerations

  • Avoid List Rental: Renting or purchasing email lists is strongly discouraged due to ESP restrictions and potential negative impact on sender reputation.
  • Email List Age: Lists older than one year may not be viable for re-engagement without proper cleaning and re-permissioning.
  • Personalization Importance: Personalizing re-engagement emails with relevant information increases the likelihood of a positive response.
  • A/B Testing: A/B testing different elements of re-engagement emails helps optimize performance and identify effective strategies.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and providing easy opt-out options is essential for maintaining trust and avoiding penalties.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass explains reducing the frequency to your unengaged contacts can help improve your deliverability. It's one signal mailbox providers look at when deciding whether to send your emails to the inbox, spam, or promotions tab.

February 2025 - Gmass
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that most ESPs forbid renting or purchasing lists.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from OptinMonster shares that personalizing re-engagement emails with the subscriber's name, past purchase history, or browsing behavior can make the message more relevant and increase the chances of a positive response.

January 2025 - OptinMonster
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks mentions most ESP's wouldn't allow lists over a year old and doesn't recommend warmed domains.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that list rentals/purchases are never a good idea.

April 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that sending a 'last chance' email, informing subscribers that they will be unsubscribed if they don't take action, can prompt some inactive users to re-engage while also cleaning your list of truly unengaged subscribers.

July 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains cleaning your email list and removing unengaged subscribers is key to maintaining a healthy and engaged audience. Removing inactive subscribers results in better deliverability and more accurate reporting, as they won't negatively impact metrics.

November 2022 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that offering exclusive discounts, free resources, or early access to new products can entice inactive subscribers to re-engage and become active customers again.

September 2021 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that creating a targeted email campaign with personalized content, compelling subject lines, and a clear call-to-action can incentivize subscribers to re-engage with your brand.

August 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign recommends A/B testing different subject lines, content, and calls-to-action in your re-engagement emails to optimize performance and identify what resonates best with your audience.

March 2024 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests to send a re-engagement/re-optin message in small batches if required to send to old lists.

March 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that using an email verification service to remove invalid addresses before sending a re-engagement campaign prevents bounces and protects your sender reputation.

August 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests sending re-opt in messages in small increments on existing domain and evaluating the data's performance.

July 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog explains that segmenting your list based on factors like last activity, demographics, or purchase history helps to personalize re-engagement efforts, making them more effective.

September 2024 - HubSpot Blog

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Re-engaging an old, unmanaged email list requires caution and a strategic approach. Experts recommend against domain rentals and advise prioritizing list hygiene. Key strategies include slowly re-engaging dormant addresses in small batches, removing unreachable contacts, and utilizing email verification services like Kickbox, ZeroBounce, and Email Hippo to identify and remove invalid emails. Abandoning very old lists or using verification services is also recommended.

Key opinions

  • Domain Rental: Domain rental is not recommended.
  • List Stale: Emails grow stale over time, making re-engagement challenging.
  • Gradual Re-engagement: Re-engage slowly with a fraction of dormant addresses each day.
  • List Cleaning: Cleaning email lists and removing invalid emails is essential for deliverability.
  • Email Verification Services: Utilizing services like Kickbox, ZeroBounce, and Email Hippo helps identify and remove invalid emails.

Key considerations

  • List Age: Very old lists may be better off abandoned due to staleness.
  • Re-engagement Pace: Due to a large number of unengaged addresses it's better to slowly ramp up the list
  • Hygiene First: Prioritize cleaning the email list before attempting re-engagement.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains re-engagement requires you to send to a fraction of your dormant addresses each day, and remove the people you can’t reach. If you have too many unengaged folks, you'll need to keep the pace fairly slow.

March 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource explains you will need to do some cleaning to start and you can use email verification services, such as Kickbox, ZeroBounce, and Email Hippo, to remove invalid emails. Clean your list and protect your deliverability.

October 2021 - Spamresource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that emails grow stale and suggests to cut old lists free or run them through Kickbox before sending.

June 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states she has never heard of domain rental and does not recommend it.

March 2025 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Re-engaging an old, unmanaged email list involves a combination of targeted messaging, list hygiene practices, and providing easy opt-out options. Utilizing pre-built segments in email marketing platforms allows for tailored re-engagement messages, while implementing a sunset policy helps maintain list hygiene by automatically removing inactive subscribers. Including a list-unsubscribe header reduces spam complaints and improves sender reputation. Compelling content and clear benefits of staying subscribed are essential for successful re-engagement campaigns. It is best to get permission before sending email.

Key findings

  • Targeted Messaging: Using pre-built segments allows for tailored re-engagement messages that improve open and click-through rates.
  • Sunset Policies: Implementing sunset policies maintains list hygiene and improves overall email deliverability by automatically removing inactive subscribers.
  • List-Unsubscribe Header: Including a list-unsubscribe header makes it easier for subscribers to opt-out, reducing spam complaints and improving sender reputation.
  • Engaging Content: Re-engagement campaigns should feature compelling content and clearly state the benefits of staying subscribed.

Key considerations

  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged list is crucial for deliverability and sender reputation.
  • Ease of Opt-Out: Providing easy opt-out options reduces the likelihood of subscribers marking emails as spam.
  • Permission: It's important to get permission before sending email.
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that sending a re-engagement email campaign to win back inactive subscribers involves crafting compelling content, clearly stating the benefits of staying subscribed, and offering an easy way to unsubscribe if they're no longer interested. This helps maintain a healthy list and improves deliverability rates.

July 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Klaviyo explains that implementing a sunset policy, where inactive subscribers are automatically removed from your list after a certain period, helps to maintain list hygiene and improve overall email deliverability.

May 2024 - Klaviyo
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that sending email to people who don't know you is bad. People will complain about your email and Junk Email Reporting (Junk) traps may also find your email. Your reputation as a sender goes down, and your ability to deliver email goes down, too. You need to get permission before sending email.

February 2022 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from Gmail Help explains that including a list-unsubscribe header in your emails makes it easier for subscribers to opt-out, reducing the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam and improving your sender reputation.

January 2023 - Gmail Help
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp explains that using pre-built segments in your email marketing platform can help you target inactive subscribers with tailored re-engagement messages, improving open rates and click-through rates.

May 2023 - Mailchimp