How to: Write Reactivation Emails that Work (AI Templates + Examples)

Reactivation Emails are one of the most overlooked and ignored emails of the lot.
They're not sexy per say, but are super necessary for any successful email strategy.
And without them, you could actually end up in some trouble.
To see what I mean, here's a story all too familiar to us:
A business owner starts an email newsletter to build an audience and drive business to his website. They manage to drive a steady amount of signups to their list every month. They're excited about the growth, but… Even though they have a good list size, their engagement starts to go way down the faster they grow. Their contacts aren’t opening their emails as much, and they aren’t clicking either.
You too may have faced a similar problem.
And we know from our own experience, this can be frustrating, especially if you've put in a lot of effort into building your list.
So, what can you do in such a situation?
Which option would you choose?
If you're thinking #3… you nailed it.
A reactivation email is an email or series of emails designed to get inactive subscribers to *finally* open up your email, click on it and start re-engaging with your brand and business again.
(hint: You can build solid reactivation emails in a few minutes using Hoppy Copy →)
Generally, if someone hasn’t opened an email in the past 6 months, they’re an inactive subscriber. A whopping 60% of email lists are made up of inactive subscribers, and not addressing these inactive contacts means you’re leaving money on the table in these 3 ways:
There are several different approaches you can use in your reactivation emails. Each approach can be effective for different types of businesses.
The Reminder Email: This approach is good for businesses with products or services that customers may not need on a regular basis. For example, a fitness app might send a reminder email to a customer who hasn't used the app in a few weeks.
Examples:
Netflix: "We Miss You! Come Back and Finish Watching [Show Name]" Headspace: "It's Time to Get Back to Your Meditation Practice"
The "What's New: This type of email is useful for your businesses if you've recently or frequently released new products, services, or features. You can use this approach to remind customers of what you have to offer and encourage them to come back for more. Examples: Spotify: "What's New in Music: Discover the Latest Playlists" Evernote: "Come See What's New: Get Evernote Premium"
The Incentive Email: This approach is good for businesses that offer products or services with a high level of competition. For example, an online retailer might offer a discount to encourage a customer to come back and complete a purchase.
Examples:
Sephora: "Don't Miss Out! 20% Off Your Next Purchase"
Grubhub: "We're Hungry for Your Return - Here's 25% Off Your Next Order"
The Feedback Email: This approach is good for businesses that are committed to improving the customer experience. For example, a software company might send a feedback email to a customer who has stopped using their product, to gain insights into why they stopped using it.
The Personalized Email: This is good for businesses that have a lot of customer data and insights. For example, a travel company might use a customer's previous travel history to suggest personalized travel packages and encourage them to book another trip.
The Surprising Email: This approach is good for businesses that want to create a sense of excitement and anticipation. For example, a music streaming service might offer a free trial of a new feature, such as high-quality audio, to encourage customers to come back and try it out.
The one you choose will highly depend on your business and customer. Our suggestion: try a couple veryl different approaches to test, and go from there.
Whether you use a copywriting template, an AI prompt, or use a Reactivation AI template in our tool (Hoppy Copy), here are some general tips to keep in mind when writing your reactivation email:
Here are some ways you can add some extra umph to your reactivation emails:
Gamification: Make your emails interactive and fun with a quiz, game, or even a brain teaser. Reward customers with a prize for completing it, or give them a discount for solving the puzzle!
Personal Story: Connect with customers on a deeper level by sharing a personal story or experience related to your brand. For example, tell them how the product or service has helped you, or discuss a company milestone they may be interested in.
Exclusive Content: Show reactivated customers how much you appreciate them with exclusive access to content or resources. Offer a free e-book or guide related to their interests, or provide a discount or special deal on a premium service or upgrade.
Just make sure to avoid these common mistakes
Here's how you can do it quickly with Hoppy Copy
Remember, there is money to be made with these emails. If some people aren’t engaging with you anymore, that’s a signal you can’t afford to ignore.
And just leaving them there or deleting them without testing the waters will harm both your engagement in general and your bottom line.