Let’s be trustworthy: Most re-engagement emails are an afterthought. They get handled just like the dusty “final probability” bin behind the shop; despatched months too late, generic in tone, and largely ineffective. Which is a disgrace, as a result of while you do them proper, re-engagement campaigns may be a few of the hardest-working emails in your total program.
Give it some thought: These subscribers have already proven curiosity in your model. Possibly they purchased from you earlier than, perhaps they signed up to your checklist full of fine intentions. Both means, the connection isn’t useless; it’s simply dormant. And which means you may have a chance to reignite it.
A sensible re-engagement technique doesn’t simply attempt to salvage disengaged subscribers; it will probably recuperate income, enhance deliverability, and hold your checklist wholesome.
Desk of Contents
What are re-engagement emails?
A re-engagement (or re-activation) e mail is a message despatched to subscribers who haven’t opened, clicked, or interacted together with your emails shortly; it’s your model’s means of tapping them on the shoulder and saying, “Hey, nonetheless ?”
What’s the significance of re-engagement emails?
Accomplished effectively, re-engagement emails can rekindle consideration, rebuild belief, and remind folks why they signed up for e mail out of your model within the first place. It’s half relationship restore, half second probability – and it really works finest when it feels extra like a dialog than a marketing campaign.
Widespread Forms of Re-Engagement Emails
1. “We Miss You” Heat Nudge
I see quite a lot of these in my inbox. That’s as a result of it’s the basic re-engagement message for good purpose. It’s low-pressure, emotionally clever, and gently reminds the subscriber that you just observed they’ve gone quiet.
These messages typically take a human, conversational tone (“It’s been some time,” “Haven’t heard from you recently”) and depend on heat over urgency. The purpose isn’t to push a sale, it’s to re-open the road of communication. These emails work finest once they sound like somebody truly observed the absence, not like automation lastly caught up.
Why I believe it really works: This class leads with empathy as a substitute of selling communicate. It’s the equal of claiming “Hey, simply checking in” as a substitute of “BUY NOW.” And that human tone can go a good distance when somebody’s already drifting.
2. Incentive-Based mostly Win-Again
I get that typically folks want a purpose to come back again, and a suggestion can do the trick. Nonetheless, whereas I do typically use these with my shoppers, I’m not a giant fan.
These emails pair the re-engagement message with a tangible reward: a reduction code, free transport, or a limited-time bundle. However the perfect ones don’t simply scream SALE. As an alternative, they remind the reader of why they cherished the model within the first place, then sweeten the deal.
Why I believe it really works: Incentives create urgency and relevance. And when paired with well-branded inventive, they really feel like a thank-you reward, not a bribe. However right here’s why I attempt not to do that. You must watch out. For those who prepare your viewers to solely interact when there’s a reduction, you’ll have ongoing retention issues.
3. Product Updates or “What’s New” Examine-Ins
I like this strategy. Generally one of the best ways to re-engage isn’t to look backward, however to supply one thing new. For those who’ve launched new options, launched a contemporary assortment, or improved your expertise since they final interacted, inform them! A re-engagement e mail framed round updates says, “We’ve advanced and we predict you’ll wish to see what’s modified.”
Why I believe it really works: This strategy is nice for product-led companies and SaaS. It shifts the message from “You disappeared” to “We’ve obtained one thing thrilling you would possibly’ve missed.” It faucets curiosity and relevance with out shaming the lapse.
I additionally love that they provide a brand new purpose for folks to have interaction together with your e mail – and your model.
4. Unique or Emotional Attraction
You must watch out with these kind of re-engagement emails; they’re my least favourite sort. They play the urgency card, however you must do it fastidiously.
These emails use exclusivity, personalization, or emotion to immediate motion: “Your 20% provide expires quickly” is ok and may match, however see the notes above about incentive-based win-backs.
“That is the final e mail you’ll get from us” is the worst – it’s like a menace. And if they’ve stopped opening and/or clicking in your emails, why would they care? “We’re pausing your subscription” is probably a bit of higher – however will absence make your subscribers’ hearts develop fonder? I doubt it.
Accomplished effectively, one of these re-engagement e mail appears like a considerate closure, or a ultimate probability to remain related. Accomplished poorly, it feels manipulative.
Why I believe it really works: There’s energy in shortage, however solely when paired with respect. These emails work once they come from a spot of “We worth you” reasonably than “We wish to hit our Q3 numbers.”
5. Profit-Centered Reintroduction
I like creating emails that remind the subscriber of the worth they’re lacking out on by not partaking with a model’s emails.
Generally subscribers don’t disengage as a result of they’re mad, they only forgot the worth you carry. A benefit-led e mail reminds them of how your product, content material, or service improves their life. It’s a mini re-pitch: Right here’s what we provide, right here’s why it issues, and right here’s tips on how to get again into it.
Why I believe it really works: This technique is particularly sturdy for manufacturers with a values-based mission or a utility-driven product. As an alternative of centering the subscriber’s inactivity, it refocuses on the model’s relevance and advantages. It says “Right here’s what we do, and why it’s value your time once more.”
6. Model Replace or Story-Based mostly Reconnect
One other nice strategy that I exploit with my shoppers. In case your model has modified, grown, or advanced, inform your viewers. Such a re-engagement e mail makes use of narrative to re-spark the connection. It may very well be a brand new product line, a latest milestone, or a behind-the-scenes replace that makes folks really feel a part of the journey. It’s notably efficient when paired with private storytelling and robust model voice.
Why I believe it really works: Generally folks disconnect from manufacturers that go quiet or lose relevance. A story e mail reminds subscribers there’s an actual enterprise with actual folks behind the emblem and that the story remains to be unfolding.
6 Actual Life Examples of Re-Engagement Emails
1. Slack
I actually like this e mail the place Slack nails the nice and cozy nudge strategy. The headline makes it clear: “Your crew is ready in Slack.” It’s private, direct, and framed round what the recipient is lacking, not what Slack is lacking. That delicate shift makes it in regards to the reader’s relationships and function, reasonably than the product alone.
The copy leans into emotional attraction: “Smiles Davis, we miss you. Your teammates miss you.” It positions Slack as a spot of belonging and significance. For anybody who’s drifted away, that reminder of being a part of a crew is a robust motivator to re-engage.
It additionally consists of data-driven context: “Your crew has despatched 589 messages this month.” This provides urgency and a bit of FOMO. It’s not simply summary; the recipient now is aware of they’ve been out of the loop.
Lastly, Slack provides readers simple subsequent steps. As an alternative of overwhelming them with a gross sales pitch, it breaks re-engagement down into three easy actions (use emoji, manage with canvas, monitor duties). Every step features a hyperlink, so the subscriber can dive proper in. Paired with a daring “Return to Slack” CTA, it removes friction and makes coming again really feel simple.
This can be a nice instance of a “We Miss You” marketing campaign that blends emotional pull with sensible worth. It acknowledges absence, reminds the reader why Slack issues, and supplies a transparent path to reactivation, multi functional approachable, brand-aligned message.
2. DoorDash
I like that DoorDash goes straight to the purpose on this incentive-based win-back e mail. “Right here’s 20% off.” It’s daring, benefits-first, and simple to grasp at a look. The headline works to border the provide as each pressing and interesting; “Knock, knock” is playful, whereas the low cost is the actual hook.
The e-mail additionally faucets into nostalgia and sensory reminiscence: “Don’t you miss the sound of a scrumptious meal arriving at your door?” That phrasing brings again the constructive expertise of utilizing the service, pairing the motivation with an emotional reminder of comfort and satisfaction.
Design-wise, it’s clear and targeted. The brilliant crimson CTA button (“Order now”) attracts the attention instantly and leaves little doubt in regards to the desired motion. By limiting the copy to a brief paragraph and placing the promo code entrance and middle, DoorDash removes friction and makes redemption easy.
This can be a textbook incentive-based win-back: It leverages a reduction to spark motion whereas reinforcing the model’s worth proposition (comfort, consolation, and good meals delivered quick). For lapsed customers who could have merely forgotten or wanted a nudge, this easy strategy may be precisely what will get them again.
3. YouTube TV
I’m all the time up for watching the massive recreation. Doesn’t matter who’s taking part in – for me it’s in regards to the commercials. So this e mail would positively have made me take into account reactivating my YouTube TV account.
YouTube TV makes use of a significant cultural second, the Tremendous Bowl, to tug inactive subscribers again in. The headline is obvious and compelling: “Come again and watch Tremendous Bowl LVII reside on FOX.” That’s not only a product function, it’s an occasion folks care about, which makes the reactivation pitch instantly related and time-sensitive.
Past the occasion hook, the e-mail doubles down by highlighting new or improved options that make the expertise higher: real-time highlights, reside stats and scores, and the power to stream on a number of gadgets. Every function is framed in easy, benefit-focused language and paired with icons for straightforward scanning, so even a fast look reinforces the product’s evolution.
The design is easy however efficient: daring imagery from the sport, a transparent “Reactivate Now” CTA button (repeated twice for emphasis), and minimal copy. It makes it simple for the reader to grasp each why they need to return (don’t miss the Tremendous Bowl) and how YouTube TV has improved since they left.
This can be a sturdy product replace marketing campaign as a result of it doesn’t simply remind customers of what that they had earlier than, it exhibits them what’s new, higher, and extra related proper now. It faucets into urgency (the Tremendous Bowl date), curiosity (options they might not find out about), and ease (one-click reactivation).
4. All About Electronic mail
This instance is definitely from my very own inbox. Spoiler: I did click on to remain subscribed.
This reactivation message leans on emotional connection and exclusivity. The topic line, “Is it time to say goodbye?” frames the e-mail as a private crossroads, whereas the physique copy reinforces that tone: “I miss having you round.” It appears like a one-to-one message reasonably than a mass blast, which may be efficient in reminding the reader that their presence issues.
It additionally makes use of an unique framing; if the subscriber doesn’t click on to remain, they’ll be faraway from the checklist. That shortage creates urgency, whereas the only “Maintain Me Subscribed” button makes the specified motion clear and simple. The observe on the backside (“I’ll assume you’re not and take away you from the checklist”) doubles as a list-cleaning mechanism, a win for sender fame, even when the subscriber doesn’t re-engage.
The place this e mail may very well be stronger is in execution. The sender tells readers what they’ve missed (“I’ve shared some superb stuff lately”), however doesn’t present it. A number of headlines or hyperlinks to latest content material may have added a benefit-focused reintroduction layer, making the case extra compelling. As is, it succeeds on emotional tone however leaves some persuasive energy on the desk.
That is nonetheless a stable instance of the unique/emotional attraction class, particularly for smaller publishers or creators who wish to hold their lists clear whereas protecting the message private. However pairing emotion with proof of worth would seemingly drive much more clicks.
5. New York Journal
I like this e mail — it’s a terrific instance of a benefit-oriented reintroduction, which is the kind of reactivation e mail that I’ve discovered works finest. As a result of a re-engagement win isn’t nearly getting a click on as we speak – it’s about getting your emails engaged with on an ongoing foundation going ahead.
New York Journal leans into advantages and worth reasonably than absence or urgency. The headline, “We have been simply getting began,” positions the lapse not as failure, however as unfinished enterprise. It’s a delicate however good framing: The reader hasn’t “missed out,” they nonetheless have the possibility to rejoin the dialog.
The e-mail showcases what the subscriber beneficial properties by coming again: entry to unique newsletters, a whole lot of recent tales each week, each day video games, and extra. It’s not simply “resubscribe as a result of we would like you again.” It’s “resubscribe as a result of right here’s all the pieces you’ll get.” That benefits-first positioning is what makes this message so persuasive.
The design helps the technique with visible proof of worth: vibrant journal covers, daring headlines, and a curated checklist of “Tales You Would possibly Have Missed.” By surfacing particular content material, the e-mail reminds readers of the model’s cultural relevance and high quality. It’s basically saying, “Look what you’re not studying, and picture what you can be.”
Lastly, the motivation (“Resubscribe and get 40% plus an additional $20 off limitless entry”) seals the deal, but it surely doesn’t carry the entire weight of the e-mail. The advantages lead, the provide helps. That stability makes this a terrific instance of a benefit-focused reintroduction marketing campaign: it builds need to reconnect by emphasizing what’s priceless and distinctive in regards to the expertise, not simply dangling a reduction.
6. AllTrails
I actually like this e mail; anytime you replace your membership choices, it’s a terrific alternative to regain lapsed subscribers. AllTrails takes the model replace strategy, positioning their new membership plan as a contemporary purpose for lapsed customers to come back again. The headline “We took exploring to a complete new stage” instantly alerts evolution and enchancment. As an alternative of specializing in what the consumer has missed, it highlights what’s new and thrilling in regards to the model.
The visuals reinforce that message with crisp app screenshots that exhibit new options (path maps, plant IDs, precipitation overlays). This makes the replace really feel tangible, not summary. Subscribers can see what’s modified.
The e-mail additionally does a pleasant job of tying the replace to consumer advantages. “From creating your individual journey to uncovering the world round you” connects the product enhancements again to the subscriber’s real-world objectives. That benefit-first framing turns a product announcement right into a re-engagement nudge.
Lastly, the CTA, “Get early entry,” provides a component of exclusivity and urgency. As an alternative of passively informing, it actively invitations the reader to expertise the model’s subsequent chapter earlier than everybody else.
This can be a sturdy model replace/story-based reconnect as a result of it makes product evolution the rationale to return. For subscribers who drifted away, the implicit message is: “AllTrails is healthier than while you left; come see for your self.”
Closing Re-engagement Recommendation: Strike Early, Strike Typically
On the finish of the day, re-engagement campaigns are about respect. Respect to your subscriber’s consideration, respect for his or her inbox, and respect for the connection you as soon as had. The very best ones don’t beg or guilt; they remind, they invite, they present worth, and so they make it simple to come back again.
And yet another factor: Don’t wait too lengthy. The longer a subscriber stays inactive, the tougher it’s to win them again. That’s why the best re-engagement campaigns aren’t one-off Hail Marys; they’re automated, strategic, and triggered pretty early within the dormancy window (assume 30 to 60 days of no exercise, not six months of silence).
And sure, the best-performing campaigns are a collection, not a single message. One e mail would possibly get ignored; a thoughtfully sequenced nudge, like a heat reminder, then a worth provide, and a ultimate name, has a a lot better shot at bringing them again earlier than it’s too late.
Re-engagement isn’t simply checklist hygiene; it’s a chance to remind folks why they mentioned sure to you within the first place, to recuperate relationships (and income), and to strengthen your program total. Don’t waste it.
Editor’s observe: This submit was initially revealed in October 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
