What strategies can be used for email re-engagement campaigns?

Summary

Email re-engagement campaigns aim to reactivate inactive subscribers using a multifaceted approach. Key strategies include segmenting subscribers, offering tailored content, providing incentives like exclusive deals, and sending personalized 'we miss you' emails. Highlighting the value of staying subscribed, creating urgency with limited-time offers, and providing an easy unsubscribe option are also recommended. A robust preference center allowing subscribers to control email frequency and content is crucial. Furthermore, monitor deliverability metrics, sender reputation, and implement feedback loops. Regular list cleaning and sunset policies are essential, coupled with A/B testing of email components to optimize performance.

Key findings

  • Segmentation & Personalization: Segmenting inactive subscribers and personalizing re-engagement emails improves effectiveness.
  • Incentives & Value: Offering incentives and highlighting the benefits of staying subscribed encourages re-engagement.
  • Preference Centers: Robust preference centers allow subscribers to manage their subscription, reducing unsubscribes.
  • Deliverability Focus: Monitoring deliverability metrics and maintaining a good sender reputation are crucial for success.
  • List Hygiene: Implementing sunset policies and regular list cleaning improves deliverability and engagement.
  • A/B Testing for Optimization: A/B testing different email components helps refine re-engagement strategies.
  • Synthesizing Engagement Data: Comprehensive view of a users engagement is required.

Key considerations

  • Content Relevance: Ensure content is tailored to the interests of inactive subscribers.
  • Clear Value Proposition: Clearly communicate the value of remaining subscribed.
  • Offer Strategic Incentives: Incentives should be strategic and aligned with business goals.
  • Monitoring Deliverability: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics and sender reputation.
  • Preference Customization: Offer diverse preference options within the preference center.
  • Ethical Sending Practices: Adhere to ethical sending practices to avoid spam filters and maintain subscriber trust.
  • Data Security: Data security is key to maintaining a good email ecosystem

What email marketers say
7Marketer opinions

Re-engagement campaigns aim to revive inactive email subscribers. Key strategies include segmenting subscribers, offering tailored content and incentives like exclusive deals and discounts, and sending personalized 'we miss you' emails. It's beneficial to highlight the value of staying subscribed, create urgency with limited-time offers, and provide an easy way for uninterested subscribers to unsubscribe.

Key opinions

  • Segmentation: Segmenting inactive subscribers allows for targeted campaigns.
  • Incentives: Offering exclusive deals or discounts can win back inactive subscribers.
  • Personalization: Personalized emails demonstrate value and increase engagement.
  • Value Proposition: Highlighting the benefits of staying subscribed reminds subscribers of the value they receive.
  • Urgency: Creating a sense of urgency with limited-time offers motivates immediate action.
  • Easy Unsubscribe: Providing an easy way to unsubscribe respects subscribers' preferences.

Key considerations

  • Targeted Content: Tailor content to the interests of inactive subscribers to increase relevance.
  • Clear Messaging: Clearly communicate the value of remaining subscribed.
  • Offer Relevance: Ensure incentives are compelling and relevant to the target audience.
  • Frequency: Consider the frequency of re-engagement emails to avoid overwhelming subscribers.
  • Segmentation Strategy: Implement advanced segmentation for campaigns to ensure you only send offers relevant to the subscriber
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests sending a simple email asking subscribers if they still want to be subscribed to your list. Provide an easy way for them to unsubscribe if they're no longer interested.

March 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that segmenting inactive subscribers and creating targeted campaigns for them can significantly improve engagement. Tailor content to their interests and offer incentives to encourage them to re-engage.

November 2024 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit emphasizes personalizing re-engagement emails by addressing subscribers by name and referencing their past interactions with your brand. This shows that you value their business and are not just sending generic emails.

August 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests highlighting the benefits of staying subscribed in your re-engagement emails. Remind subscribers of the value they receive from your emails, such as exclusive content, discounts, or updates.

September 2022 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot suggests offering exclusive deals or discounts to win back inactive subscribers. This provides a compelling reason for them to re-engage with your brand.

November 2023 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum recommends creating a sense of urgency in your re-engagement emails by offering a limited-time discount or promotion. This encourages subscribers to take action and re-engage with your brand before it's too late.

December 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp recommends sending a 'we miss you' email to remind subscribers of the value they receive from your emails. This can be a simple, personalized message expressing that you've noticed their inactivity and would like them to stay.

June 2021 - Mailchimp

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Re-engagement strategies involve multiple re-mails, preference centers to allow subscribers to control email frequency and type, and careful monitoring of deliverability metrics. A gradual increase in sending volume to inactive subscribers, coupled with segmentation, helps avoid spam filters and preserves sender reputation. Synthesizing engagement data from multiple sources provides a holistic view of user activity.

Key opinions

  • Remails/Multiple Touches: Using multiple remails or touches can help recapture life before suppressing contacts.
  • Preference Centers: Robust preference centers allow subscribers to downscale rather than unsubscribe entirely.
  • Deliverability Monitoring: Monitoring deliverability metrics during re-engagement campaigns is crucial.
  • Gradual Volume Increase: Gradually increasing sending volume to inactive subscribers can prevent triggering spam filters.
  • Engagement Data Synthesis: Synthesizing engagement data from multiple sources provides a holistic view of user activity.

Key considerations

  • Touch Frequency: Determine optimal remail frequency to avoid being excessive.
  • Preference Center Options: Offer diverse preference options to cater to different subscriber needs.
  • Segmentation: Implement list segmentation for gradual volume increase to avoid deliverability issues.
  • Data Integration: Ensure proper integration of engagement data from various sources for accurate analysis.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains the importance of robust preference centers. They suggest using preference centers to give subscribers control over the frequency and type of emails they receive, allowing them to downscale rather than unsubscribe entirely, which is an effective re-engagement tactic.

August 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of monitoring deliverability metrics during re-engagement campaigns. They recommend segmenting your list and gradually increasing sending volume to inactive subscribers to avoid triggering spam filters and damaging your sender reputation.

May 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares thoughts on re-engagement campaigns, focusing on remails/multiple touches, strategies for the unengaged, and synthesizing engagement data from other interactions.

May 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Email re-engagement campaigns should be part of a broader strategy that includes sunset policies and regular list cleaning to maintain a good sender reputation and improve deliverability. A/B testing different elements of re-engagement emails helps optimize performance. Monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools and implementing feedback loops from mailbox providers are also essential for ensuring emails reach the inbox and for quickly addressing deliverability issues.

Key findings

  • Sunset Policies: Implement sunset policies to systematically remove inactive subscribers.
  • List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers and improve sender reputation.
  • A/B Testing: A/B test re-engagement emails to optimize subject lines, content, and offers.
  • Sender Reputation Monitoring: Monitor sender reputation through Google Postmaster Tools and other platforms.
  • Feedback Loops: Implement feedback loops to receive spam complaints and address deliverability issues.

Key considerations

  • Targeted Campaigns: Attempt to re-engage subscribers with targeted campaigns before removing them.
  • Data Analysis: Use A/B testing data to refine re-engagement strategies and improve performance.
  • Proactive Monitoring: Proactively monitor sender reputation to identify and address deliverability issues early on.
  • Rapid Response: Quickly respond to spam complaints received through feedback loops to maintain a good sender reputation.
  • Deliverability Tools: Make sure to use appropriate deliverability tools to ensure your emails are sent to the inbox and not the spam folder
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid explains implementing a sunset policy, which involves systematically removing inactive subscribers from your list. Before removing them, you should attempt to re-engage them with targeted campaigns.

June 2021 - SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains the need to monitor your sender reputation through Google Postmaster Tools and other platforms. A good sender reputation is vital to ensure your re-engagement emails land in the inbox and not the spam folder.

July 2022 - Google Postmaster Tools
Technical article

Documentation from Litmus advises A/B testing different elements of your re-engagement emails, such as subject lines, content, and offers, to determine what resonates best with your inactive subscribers and improves your chances of re-engagement.

August 2022 - Litmus
Technical article

Documentation from Email on Acid emphasizes the importance of cleaning your email list regularly to remove inactive subscribers. This improves your sender reputation and deliverability rates. They suggest a re-engagement campaign as part of the list cleaning process.

August 2021 - Email on Acid
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft suggests implementing a feedback loop. This automated system allows mailbox providers to forward complaints about spam directly to the sender (you), enabling prompt action to remove problematic subscribers and improve email deliverability.

August 2023 - Microsoft