The short definition
A re-engagement campaign targets subscribers who have not interacted for a defined period, with the explicit aim of either reviving them or removing them.
It is sometimes called a winback campaign, though winback usually implies lapsed customers specifically rather than dormant subscribers generally.
Why removal is part of the goal
Mail providers judge senders on engagement rate. A large group of people who never open drags down inbox placement for everyone else on your list.
So the campaign is a genuine fork: revive them, or remove them. Both outcomes improve your position. What does not improve it is continuing to mail people who ignore you indefinitely.
This is the part owners resist, because the list count drops. The list count is not the asset; the reachable list is.
Who to include
Anyone who has not opened or clicked in a defined window. Six to twelve months is a reasonable range for a local service business, depending on how often you send.
Be careful with a genuine caveat: open tracking has become unreliable, so some "dormant" contacts have been reading and not registering. Use clicks as the stronger signal where you have them.
The sequence
One — the reminder. Reference when they last dealt with you and what you did. No offer, no pressure. For many people this alone is enough; they simply forgot.
Two — the reason. Why now: the season, the service interval, something genuinely useful. An offer belongs here if you have a real one.
Three — the direct question. "Do you still want to hear from us?" with two obvious buttons. Straightforward and it works, because it is easy to answer.
Three is enough. More produces complaints rather than reactivations.
Then act on it
The campaign only works if you follow through. Anyone who does not engage across all three gets removed.
A re-engagement campaign that ends with everyone still on the list has done nothing except send three more emails to people ignoring you.
Sending it safely
A dormant list mailed all at once looks to providers exactly like a compromised account. Send in batches over several days, starting with the most recent contacts, watching bounces and complaints as you go.
This is the step people skip and then conclude that email does not work.
For lapsed customers specifically
If the person is a past customer rather than just a subscriber, the economics are different and better — they have paid you before. Have a person call the ones who respond rather than leaving it to email alone.
Where it sits
Reactivation campaigns are part of email marketing setup at $650 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a re-engagement campaign remove people?
Because mail providers judge senders on engagement rate, and a large dormant group lowers inbox placement for everyone else. Reviving or removing both improve your position; doing neither does not.
How many emails should it contain?
Three: a reminder with no offer, a reason to act now, and a direct question with two obvious buttons. More produces complaints rather than reactivations.
How do I send to a dormant list safely?
In batches over several days, starting with the most recent contacts, watching bounces and complaints. A sudden send to a dormant list looks to providers like a compromised account.
What if someone responds?
For lapsed customers rather than just subscribers, have a person call them. They have paid you before, which makes the economics far better than any cold channel.