The Power of Reactivating Email Subscribers
When was the last time you thoroughly reviewed your email subscriber list and considered reaching out to existing customers you haven’t emailed in a while? If it’s been more than a few months, you’re likely leaving easy money on the table. Most businesses don’t fully realize the email list they’ve been building can be valuable data for their marketing efforts.
We recently helped one of our clients re-engage inactive subscribers through a reactivation email campaign. They were able to generate over $5,000 in sales in the first month to previously inactive contacts!
The process is what we call database reactivation – sending targeted emails with a compelling message to past subscribers who have been inactive for a period of time to get them re-engaged with your brand. The goals are straightforward: get inactive contacts opening emails again, clicking links, revisiting your website, and ultimately, making purchases.
When executed properly, reactivation email campaigns can drive impressive ROI. Bringing inactive subscribers back into the fold doesn’t require paid ads, creating content for SEO, or excessive effort. A thoughtful, personalized approach to re-welcoming one-time interested customers can truly pay dividends for companies of any size.
In this article, we’ll dive into the value of subscriber reactivation, how to build a quality email list, and tips for executing effective re-engagement email campaigns that turn inactive subscribers into loyal customers. Let’s get started!
What is Database Reactivation Email Marketing?
Defining Database Reactivation Campaigns
Database reactivation refers specifically to sending reactivation emails to a target audience of inactive subscribers who have been inactive or dormant for a period of time in an attempt to re-engage them with your brand.
Outlining the Goals of Bringing Back Inactive Email Subscribers
Well-executed database reactivation strategy achieves a number of marketing goals:
- Re-establish contact and build engagement with past email subscribers
- Remind inactive users of your brand and offerings
- Spark renewed interest by sharing new products/content
- Offer time-limited discounts for fast action
- Develop insights into why customers left initially
- Fuel long-term brand loyalty through ongoing nurturing
The primary KPIs reflect this – open rates, click rates, website traffic from campaigns, and purchases/revenue attributed to re-engaged subscribers.
Even small conversion lifts from bringing past subscribers back can drive impressive ROI. The only way inactive users can re-engage and buy again is by thoughtfully reaching out first. Consistent database reactivation achieves this at scale.
Why Database Reactivation Email Marketing Matters
Leveraging Existing Interest and Intent
The key reason focusing on inactive email subscribers represents such a valuable opportunity is that these contacts previously opted in and demonstrated an initial interest in your company.
Even years later, re-sparking that latent intent hidden within old, cold email lists can pay off, and extend your customer lifetime value. The fact they handed over their email address originally signals some willingness to engage. Database reactivation reignites that initial spark.
The Low Cost of Sending Reactivation Emails
Executing reactivation campaigns also costs very little compared to other avenues of lead generation and customer acquisition. Email marketing already drives substantial ROI compared to paid ads.
Sending a few hundred or thousand additional reactivation emails to re-welcome past subscribers barely moves the needle on overall delivery costs. The potential revenue from even minor lifts in conversion rates however is multiplicative.
Offering small incentives for inactive contacts to make a purchase often requires little discounting compared to typical promotional pricing. That means major efficiency and profit gains.
The Power of Bringing Back Just a Few
While dormant customers can be challenging contacts to re-engage, the laws of large numbers mean even tiny conversion rate improvements generate noticeable revenue returns.
If just 3% of recipients from your re-engagement email read and click through to make a purchase, that likely represents serious revenue relative to email deployment costs. Apply that success rate to even small email lists of a few thousand and the impact compounds.
Advanced behavioral segmentation and personalization can lift conversion rates higher still. But the fundamentals remain – email subscribers chose to opt in originally. Reigniting that initial spark just a little bit goes a very long way.
How to Build an Email List for Reactivation
Opt-In Forms
The first step to executing database reactivation campaigns is building a substantial email list to market to. While ideal subscribers come from customer purchases, various opt-in forms should be leveraged.
Place email sign-up forms prominently on your website, behind gated content offers, at points of checkout, and on confirmation pages. Offer a compelling reason for visitors to exchange their email for access to discounts, content, and more.
Newsletter Sign-Ups
A branded newsletter delivered to subscribers’ inboxes regularly is still an effective vehicle for list growth. Dedicate homepage real estate to promote your email newsletter. Produce truly valuable newsletters worth the regular delivery.
During checkout or account registration flows, gently request one-click or two-step opt-in for subscribers to receive ongoing news, deals, and content. Continually innovate on reasons users should subscribe.
Customer Emails
Existing customer contact info represents the most valuable segment for reactivation. Recent purchasers will be simpler to re-engage versus those with years since their last order. Send post-purchase confirmation and thank you emails requesting subscribers opt in for future updates.
Leverage pop-ups and account preference centers to consistently gain ongoing permissions for marketing communications like abandoned cart or product availability alerts.
List Management Best Practices
Proper email list hygiene ensures quality data ready for reactivation initiatives. Continuously prune hard email bounces through list cleaning while adding new opt-ins. Maintain an easy one-click unsubscribe process and scrub lists against do-not-mail registries.
Segment subscribers based on past purchase history, product interest, purchase frequency and more. Personalize reactivation email content based on historical behavior and activity. Continual list segmentation, growth and grooming readies your database.
Executing a Reactivation Email Campaign
Segment Inactive Subscribers
Once you’ve cultivated a strong email list full of past buyers and subscribers, smart segmentation is key to successful database reactivation.
Divide inactive contacts based on their level of past engagement over set periods of time. For example:
- 12+ months inactive
- 6-12 months inactive
- 3-6 months inactive
- 1-3 months inactive
Additional filters like average purchase value, lifetime value, and interest categories based on past activity enable further segmentation, but don’t overthink this. The best thing to do is to simply get started.
Recently inactive customers in the 1-3 month segment likely require lighter re-engagement nudges versus cold contacts inactive for years. Segment thoroughly, and prepare for personalized content where possible.
Personalize Email Content
With segmented lists ready, ensure to deliver personalized content and subject lines based on historical customer data and activity.
Use merge tags to reference past purchases in your copy and feature relevant products based on indicated interests or buying behavior. Utilize these tags in your subject line for a better open rate, or to create dynamic content. The right personalized messaging sparks engagement.
Special Offers and Content
Sweeten the appeal of your outreach to inactive segments with special reactivation offers and discounts. But balance promotions with requests for feedback to uncover why contacts lapsed initially.
Share fresh content and newly released products to re-familiarize contacts with your brand. Remind them of what initially compelled them to subscribe while introducing relevant new updates since they last engaged. Include details of the offer in your subject line, without sounding spammy.
The combination of personalized messaging, special incentives and compelling new content can effectively re-ignite latent customer interest and loyalty accrued.
The Value of Database Reactivation
Reactivating inactive or dormant email subscribers represents a highly effective tactic to increase revenue, re-engage subscribers, and maximize the value of your hard-won email list.
Yet database reactivation is all too often overlooked or deprioritized for short-term gains through new lead generation channels. This is a mistake.
Bringing inactive email subscribers back into the fold requires thoughtful segmentation, dynamic personalization and compelling content offers. But done right, even minor lift in re-engaged customers drives ROI.
Small businesses should devote time each quarter to review email engagement analytics and identify segments for reactivation initiatives. And enterprise brands should continually re-welcome lapsed buyers that collectively represent massive lifetime value.
The only way to re-capture the initial interest of past subscribers is by reaching out first. Consistent database reactivation marketing achieves this, unlocking significant revenue in the process.
Don’t solely obsess over lead generation for net new names. Look internally at email lists first. Inactive contacts already know your brand and once purchased. An incremental lift in re-engagement carries tremendous potential.
Reactivation simply works when executed strategically over time. Keep your email subscribers continuously engaged both old and new. Maximum marketing success follows.
