It’s OK to Ask: Re-Activating Subscribers With a Question

It’s OK to Ask: Re-Activating Subscribers With a Question

How do you re-engage the inactive subscriber? That’s an oft heard question for those of us who spend every day involved in email marketing solutions. And we also offer this one to ponder: How do you know when someone is disengaged and inactive? How do you measure disinterest?

Every one of us ignores emails at times…even emails from friends and family! Just because someone isn’t interacting with your emails doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want to hear from your company any longer. They could be busy with a newborn baby or distracted by a major software implementation.

So we were impressed with the straightforwardness of one major brand when they simply asked if we want to keep hearing from them. See, it’s okay to ask. We forget that sometimes as email marketers. We look to our email marketing tools and metrics, and try to decipher consumer behavior that way. When sometimes the best way isn’t decipher but asking outright.

This email from a major brand simply said, paraphrased, do you want to keep hearing from us? Although the writing is awkward with “Please confirm…” at the beginning of both of the sentences in the first paragraph, the message is short and sweet and succinct.

This message works as an email marketing tool in another way too, however: It reminds the subscriber that oh, yes, there are specials to be learned about and discounts to be had! “Maybe I should be paying more attention to these emails?,” one thinks. And that kind of thinking can lead to greater engagement moving forward.

It can be an even more powerful email marketing tool if those who click on the Confirm button are segmented into a list to receive offers unlike other subscribers. Maybe they are offered extra deep discounts for a while, or in some other way brought back into the buying fold, if you will.

How does your business handle inactive subscribers? Are you searching for an emarketing solution to help you re-engage? Have you tried this straightforward approach and just asked? When you get a “yes,” do you have a plan for fully re-engaging these folks once again?

If you need help with the inactives on your list, even if that help is simply devising a way to ask if they’re interested, call on ClickMail for help to develop an emarketing solution that will get them active once again.