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Campaign Types

Re-engagement Campaign

Targeted emails designed to reactivate subscribers who have stopped engaging with your regular emails.

Definition

A re-engagement campaign (also called a win-back campaign) is a targeted email series designed to reactivate subscribers who have become inactive - not opening or clicking emails for an extended period. These campaigns attempt to recapture interest before the subscriber is removed from the list or fully disengages.

Why It Matters

Re-engagement campaigns recover value from subscribers who might otherwise be lost. Reactivating existing subscribers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Successful re-engagement extends customer lifetime value. Failed re-engagement identifies subscribers to sunset, improving list health.

How It Works

Identify subscribers who have not engaged for a defined period (60-180 days). Send a sequence specifically designed to reactivate them - often with compelling subject lines, special offers, or feedback requests. Track responses. Those who engage return to normal sending; those who do not are suppressed.

Example

Re-engagement campaign sequence:

Email 1: "We miss you!" - Highlight what they're missing Email 2: "Is this goodbye?" - Ask if they want to continue Email 3: "Last chance" - Final attempt + preference options Email 4: "Goodbye" - Notification of removal (optional)

Each email has increasingly urgent messaging. Wait 7-10 days between each email.

Best Practices

  • 1Define clear inactivity criteria before launching
  • 2Use compelling subject lines that stand out
  • 3Offer value or incentives to re-engage
  • 4Provide preference options as alternative to unsubscribe
  • 5Remove non-responders from active list after the sequence

Frequently Asked Questions

When subscribers have not engaged for 60-180 days (depending on your normal frequency). Do not wait too long - very old inactive addresses may bounce or cause deliverability issues. Re-engage proactively rather than reactively.

Typically 5-15% of inactive subscribers re-engage from a well-designed campaign. This varies widely by industry and how long subscribers have been inactive. Even a small recovery percentage provides value given the low cost.