[FAQ]

Hey everyone,

I’ve just segmented my email list and have a decent number of subscribers who are “cold” or inactive – they haven’t opened or clicked an email in several months. Before I just delete them as part of my list cleaning, I want to run a dedicated re-engagement or “win-back” campaign to see if I can get them interested again.

What are some effective strategies, content ideas, or even subject line examples for a re-engagement series that work well in 2025? I’m trying to figure out what kind of offers or messaging is best to get these subscribers to finally open and click an email again.

Any tips on putting together a good win-back campaign would be great!

[Jeff Bullas]

A re-engagement campaign is a targeted effort to reconnect with inactive subscribers before you consider removing them from your list. The approach needs to be direct and value-driven to cut through the noise and provoke a response.

There are several effective strategies to include in your campaign. First, you must craft a compelling and direct subject line. This is critical, as these are people who have been habitually ignoring your emails. Subject lines that are direct questions or statements often work best. Examples include “Is this goodbye?”, “We miss you, [First Name]”, or “A special offer to welcome you back”.

Second, in the body of the email, you should remind them of the value they are missing. Briefly restate why they signed up in the first place and the kind of exclusive content or benefits your emails provide. It can also be effective to highlight some of your most popular content that they may have missed.

Third, a powerful tactic is to make an exclusive offer. Providing a special discount, a unique piece of high-value content, a free gift with a purchase, or early access to a new product can be a strong incentive for someone to re-engage with your brand. This offer should ideally be exclusive to this “at-risk” segment.

Fourth, you can ask for their feedback or for them to update their preferences. An email that asks, “What content would you like to see from us?” or links to a preference centre where they can choose the topics they are interested in can prompt a click. This not only encourages re-engagement but can also provide you with valuable data.

Fifth, in the final email of your re-engagement series, you should be clear about the outcome. Let them know politely that to respect their inbox, you will be removing them from your list if they do not express interest in staying. Often, the best way to do this is to include a single, clear call-to-action button or link that says something like, “Yes, Keep Me on the List!”. This requires a definitive click, which is a much stronger engagement signal than an open.

A re-engagement campaign should be kept short; a series of two to three emails sent over a week or two is usually sufficient. The goal is not just to get them to open one last email, but to get them to take a specific action, like a click, that confirms their interest. This is your best effort to win back their attention before cleaning your list to maintain its overall health and deliverability.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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