Every email list has dead weight — subscribers who signed up months ago and haven't opened an email since. Re-engagement campaigns either bring them back or clean them out, both of which improve your overall email performance.
Below are 4 re-engagement templates: a "we miss you" opener, an incentive offer, a feedback ask, and a final "last chance" before removal.
Ready-to-Use Templates
Copy these templates and customize them for your needs. Each includes HTML and plain text versions.
It's been a while, {{firstName}}
We noticed you haven't been around lately...
A little something to welcome you back, {{firstName}}
Here's an exclusive offer just for you...
Quick question, {{firstName}} — what can we do better?
Your feedback would really help us...
We're about to remove you from our list
Click to stay subscribed, or we'll say goodbye...
Best Practices
Define "Inactive" Clearly
Set a clear threshold — 60-90 days of no opens/clicks for most businesses. Don't re-engage too early or too late.
Offer Real Value
Show what they're missing — new features, content, or products. Give them a reason to come back.
Remove Non-Responders
After the re-engagement sequence, remove subscribers who didn't respond. This improves deliverability for everyone else.
Make It Easy to Stay or Go
One-click to stay subscribed, automatic removal if they don't act. Don't make it complicated.
Common Mistakes
Never cleaning your list
Keeping inactive subscribers drags down engagement metrics and hurts deliverability for your active subscribers.
Making the re-engagement email look like every other email
It needs to stand out. Different subject line style, different content format, or a bold offer.
Running re-engagement campaigns too often
Once every 6 months is enough. More often and the emails themselves become background noise.
Subject Line Examples
Timing & Performance
Personalization Tips
The Re-engagement Sequence Structure
The most effective re-engagement campaigns follow a 3-step structure over 2-3 weeks:
- "We miss you" + what's new — Remind them why they subscribed and show value
- Incentive offer — Give them a tangible reason to come back
- Last chance — Tell them you'll remove them unless they click to stay
Why List Cleaning Matters
Sending to inactive subscribers hurts everyone. ISPs track engagement, and low open rates signal spam. Removing 20% of inactive subscribers can boost deliverability for the remaining 80%.
When to Run Re-engagement
Run a re-engagement campaign every 6 months. Tag subscribers as "inactive" after 60-90 days of no opens, then run the sequence. After the sequence, remove anyone who still hasn't engaged.
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