How to Re-Engage Email Slackers

Your email list can be a golden ticket if you pay close enough attention to it. Below are some tips you can use to re-engage those who haven’t opened or clicked on an email in a while. After all, you only want email contacts who are actually going to consume your content, right?

Who’s on the list anyway?

When was the last time you reviewed an email report? If it’s been a while, you’ll want to start here. Begin by segmenting your list by opens and clicks. Those who open and click the emails often should go on a VIP list. Those who fall in the middle, you’ll need to spend more time with to determine what they are opening and clicking on. Those at the bottom of the list should get a chance to re-engage or exit from the list altogether.

Middle of the Road

For those who are opening or clicking on some, but not all, emails review the data about what they are interested in.

1. Create a series of remarketing campaigns for each sub-segment.
2. Send an email to each sub-segment with a featured blog article or a whitepaper, video, ebook, tip sheet, infographic, podcast, webinar registration, or something else to get them to engage.
3. Keep the content very specific and only send them one item to consider.
4. Use a tracking URL for the action you want them to complete so you may track the activity.
5. Include a call to action that triggers something on your website, like a click, download form, video play, social media share, etc.
6. Give them an unsubscribe option.

Bottom of the List

For those on the bottom of your list, it’s time to determine if you should keep them or discard them. Give them a chance to help you make that decision. After all, their inactivity is bringing down your email open rates and that can look bad in your reporting. Here’s what you can do.

1. Segment your list to create a new sub-segment called something like “Low Activity List.”
2. Design a simple email with a single request – either to stay on the list or to unsubscribe.

Below is sample text to include in your email, along with a design sample. The unsubscribes will get scrubbed from the list. You can move the ones who stay, to the middle of the road list.

Sample Email

Here’s the deal.

At some point, you subscribed to our firm’s emails. Ever since then, we’ve been emailing you some of our best content.

But, we’ve noticed that you haven’t opened or clicked on any of our emails in a while.

Are you still interested in getting great [insert tip types, e.g., audit, tax, small business, etc.] tips from us? If yes, fantastic! We’ll send you our next email.

If not, you may “unsubscribe” using the link below.

Perform this process once a quarter, twice a year, or annually to help keep your email list effective.

Now that you have the process, consider doing this before “busy” season to help weed out those who don’t want to be on your list, to generate service line sales, and to re-engage past connections.

Additional Resources

• 9 Ways to Avoid Landing in Your Client’s Email Spam Box
• Standardized Email Format Increases Client Engagement
• Break These 5 Outdated Email Rules

Re-engage Email Slackers with This Sample Email

If you’re not looking at your email open rates, then you’re missing opportunities. Here’s how to re-engage those on your list. #EmailMarketingTips #EmailMarketing #MarketingTipsDisclaimer: This post originally appeared in the CPA Client Bulletin Resource Guide, ? 2018 Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Reprinted by permission.