Account Reactivation Email Sequence: Bring Back Dormant Users

There's a difference between a user who's disengaged and a user who's gone completely cold. Disengaged users might still open your emails occasionally. Cold users haven't logged in for months, ignore every email, and have essentially forgotten you exist.

Account reactivation is different from re-engagement. Re-engagement targets users showing declining engagement. Reactivation targets accounts that have gone completely dormant. The approach, timing, and messaging need to be different.

This guide covers how to bring back users who've gone completely cold, with templates designed for truly dormant accounts.

Reactivation vs. Re-engagement: Know the Difference

Aspect	Re-engagement	Reactivation
User state	Declining engagement	Zero engagement
Time inactive	30-90 days	90+ days
Email response	Still opening some	Not opening any
Product usage	Occasional logins	No logins
Goal	Increase engagement	Restore any engagement
Success rate	5-15%	2-8%

Re-engagement is like getting someone who's losing interest to pay attention again. Reactivation is like reconnecting with someone who forgot you existed.

For re-engagement sequences targeting users with declining engagement, see our re-engagement email sequence guide. This guide focuses specifically on truly dormant accounts.

When to Trigger Reactivation

Defining Dormancy

Signal	Threshold for Dormancy
Last login	90+ days ago
Last email open	60+ days ago (no opens)
Last product action	90+ days ago
Account status	Active but unused
Payment status	May or may not be paying

Dormancy criteria should be stricter than re-engagement criteria. Don't waste reactivation emails on users who might come back on their own.

Who to Target (And Who to Skip)

Target these dormant accounts:

• Free users who activated but went cold
• Trial users who didn't convert but didn't explicitly leave
• Paying customers with zero usage (yes, this happens)
• Users who churned but might return

Skip these accounts:

• Users who explicitly unsubscribed
• Accounts that bounced (invalid email)
• Very recent signups (give them time first)
• Users who complained or had bad experiences

The Reactivation Sequence Structure

Reactivation sequences are shorter and more direct than re-engagement. You're not nurturing; you're trying to get any response at all.

Email	Timing	Approach	Goal
1	Day 1	Gentle check-in	Test if they're reachable
2	Day 7	Value reminder	Remind them why they signed up
3	Day 14	What's new	Give them a reason to return
4	Day 21	Direct ask	Final attempt before sunset

Lower expectations. Even a 5% reactivation rate is solid for truly dormant accounts.

Email 1: The Gentle Check-In

Start soft. You're testing whether they're even receiving your emails.

Email 2: The Value Reminder

If they didn't respond to the check-in, remind them why they signed up in the first place.

Email 3: What's New

Give dormant users a concrete reason to return by showing what's changed since they left.

Email 4: The Direct Ask

This is your last attempt. Be direct about what you're asking.

Reactivation for Paying Customers

Sometimes paying customers go dormant. They're still on a subscription but haven't used the product in months. This requires a different approach.

Reactivation for Churned Customers

Users who explicitly cancelled are different from dormant users. They made an active decision to leave. Reactivation requires acknowledging that.

Measuring Reactivation Success

Key Metrics

Metric	What It Measures	Target for Dormant
Email open rate	Are they receiving emails?	10-20% (lower than normal)
Click rate	Any interest at all?	2-5%
Reactivation rate	Logged back in	2-8%
Sustained reactivation	Still active 30 days later	30-50% of reactivated

What Success Looks Like

Reactivation success is measured differently:

Good: 5% of dormant users reactivate Great: 10% of dormant users reactivate Excellent: Reactivated users stay active

The real metric is sustained reactivation. Getting someone to log in once is easy with incentives. Getting them to stay is the real goal.

When to Stop Trying

Not every dormant account can be reactivated. Know when to stop.

Stop Signals

Signal	Action
4+ emails, no opens	Move to sunset
Explicit unsubscribe	Remove immediately
Bounced emails	Remove from list
Negative response	Remove from reactivation
Reactivated then churned again	Different problem, different approach

The Sunset Process

After reactivation fails:

1. Send sunset notice: "We're removing you from marketing emails"
2. Move to suppression list: Don't accidentally re-add them
3. Keep account active: They might return on their own
4. Stop outreach: Respect their silence

Integration With Other Sequences

Reactivation connects to your broader email strategy:

• Before reactivation: Try re-engagement sequences for declining users
• After reactivation: Move to user activation sequences to rebuild habit
• For churned customers: See our win-back email sequence guide
• For churn prevention: Check our churn prevention email sequence

The Bottom Line

Account reactivation is hard. Most dormant users won't come back. But some will, and the cost of trying is low.

Start with a gentle check-in. Remind them of the value they're missing. Show them what's changed. Then make a direct ask. If none of that works, let them go gracefully.

The users who do come back are often your most loyal customers. They tried leaving, realized they missed you, and came back by choice. That's a strong foundation for long-term retention.

With Sequenzy, you can set up behavior-triggered reactivation sequences that automatically reach out when accounts go dormant. No manual monitoring required.