As an email marketer, it’s easy to create engaging content for your active users, but how do you connect with your inactive or sleepy users? Too many marketers just write this group off, which is a huge mistake!
Typically, these users still want to connect with you, but they’ve just been busy. This is why a well-developed email re-engagement strategy needs to be part of your overall email marketing plan.
Email Re-engagement: Identify the Sleepers
The first thing you’ll want to do is identify these sleepy, non-engaged users on your email lists. Then create a separate list for just them. Once they are back into the swing of things you can move them back to their appropriate list.
The users you are looking for are those who haven’t opened or clicked on an email in a while. Depending on how often you send emails, ‘a while’ could be for 30 to 60 days or more like within the past year if you only send out emails once per month.
Email Re-engagement: Create a Plan
When designing your campaigns, develop them for the long run and don’t go into it with a ‘one and done’ mentality. You don’t want to force the issue, but rather nurture the user back into your relationship, reminding them of everything they love about your brand.
Part of your plan should probably also include some of the features found in the MailMonitor application:
- spam filter testing
- a display preview in various browsers and ISPs before sending
These extra steps increase your chances making it to the user’s inbox and will also ensure that they are able to see the beautiful images and content you’ve created. Think about it, if you’re trying to re-engage with someone, you don’t want to send them an email with broken images or links. An email like that looks sloppy and sends the message that you don’t care.
Another key component to your plan is to set up some kind of automation to catch sleepy users. You’ll set up your marketing automation system to trigger a series of “re-engagement emails” to users who display the behavior of a sleeper. The goal here is to identify them and re-engage with them before you lose them.
Email Re-engagement: Redeveloping Brand Relationships
Yes, we do mean ‘relationship.’ (Those of you with relationship-phobias, just stay with us on this one.)
Your connection with your audience develops into an ongoing relationship, so, just as with any other real-world personal relationship, you need to foster and grow that relationship over time. You never want your users to feel like you’ve moved on to something better or that you just don’t appreciate them any longer.
In your re-engagement emails, consider using dating terminology. A recent study found that users react to this type of language better than the standard business language. We aren’t saying be schmoopy, but rather, consider incorporating phrases like ‘Miss You’, ‘How long since we last talked’, ‘Are you still interested?’ or ‘We Want You Back!’ Test out a couple and see what resonates best with your audience.
Need a little inspiration? Check out this Pinterest board! It has over 71 of the best re-engagement email design and content ideas. Just remember to keep things more relaxed and friendly….just have some fun with it!