Pre-send checklist
Pre-send checklist for a re-engagement email
A win-back campaign goes to the part of your list most likely to ignore it, bounce or mark it as spam. Done carelessly it damages delivery to the readers who do open. The checks here are mostly about who you send to and how fast.
The inbox line
- The subject is honest that it has been a while.
- It asks one question: do you still want these emails?
- The sender name is the one they originally subscribed to.
- There is no guilt and no fake urgency in the subject.
Inside the email
- One button to stay subscribed and one clear link to leave.
- It reminds them what they signed up for and what they will get.
- It is short. Someone who stopped reading will not read more now.
- The "stay" button records their choice without a login.
The send
- "Inactive" is defined by a rule, for example no opens or clicks in six months.
- Addresses that bounced before are removed first.
- The send is spread over several days, not one batch.
- People who do not respond are removed afterwards, as the email said they would be.
One tip
Decide the removal rule before you send and keep to it. A smaller list that opens is worth more than a large one that does not.
Common questions
Should I delete subscribers who never open?
After asking them once or twice, yes. Sending to people who never engage lowers your reputation with mailbox providers, which affects delivery to the people who do read.
Are open rates reliable for deciding who is inactive?
Less than they were. Some mail apps load images automatically, which records an open that no person made. Use clicks, purchases and logins as well where you have them.
More checklists
CW-01 · 12 CHECKS
A newsletter
For the regular send that is easy to stop checking.
Open checklist
CW-02 · 12 CHECKS
A welcome email
The first email a new subscriber gets. It sends itself, so check it well once.
Open checklist
CW-03 · 12 CHECKS
A product launch
One chance, many people watching, and a page that must be live.
Open checklist
CW-04 · 12 CHECKS
A sale or promotion
Codes, end dates and exclusions: the details people complain about.
Open checklist
Final call
A sent email cannot be unsent.
Check the inbox line before it leaves. Free, no account, nothing uploaded.