Winback emails offer businesses a vital second chance to recapture the attention and desire of lost customers. An effective win-back email campaign presents a golden opportunity for your business to retain more customers and make more sales—provided you know the right approach to take!
In this guide, we’ll break down five of the best win-back email examples and strategies. Trying out these win-back email campaigns could help you recover many lost sales.
What is a Winback Email Campaign?
A win-back campaign aims to re-engage inactive contacts on your mailing list, including customers who’ve made a purchase but have since lost interest or subscribers who’ve stopped opening your emails. The goal is to get these seemingly “lost” users to start interacting with your emails and clicking on your calls-to-action again.
Remember, it’s far more expensive to acquire new customers than to win back existing ones, making a win-back email sequence crucial.
5 Best Winback Email Examples and Strategies
While win-back emails share the general goal of re-engaging lost customers, there are various strategies to achieve this. Here are five of the best types of win-back emails and examples that show them in action.
1. Incentive Winback Emails
This classic strategy offers subscribers an incentive to return, such as a discount code, free shipping, a bonus gift, a free upgrade, or a free consultation. Incentive emails can also create urgency through limited-time offers, making them one of the most effective ways to get lapsed customers back.
Example:
- Subject Line: “We Miss You! Enjoy 20% Off Your Next Purchase”
- Body: “Hello [Customer Name], we noticed you haven’t shopped with us in a while. To welcome you back, here’s a special discount just for you. Use code WELCOME20 at checkout and save 20% on your next purchase. Hurry, this offer is only valid for the next 7 days!”
2. Hello Winback Emails
This simple strategy re-engages your audience with a friendly “hello,” recognizing their loyalty and showing them you care. These emails remind customers why they initially supported your business and highlight the unique benefits of your best-selling products.
Example:
- Subject Line: “Hello Again! We’ve Missed You”
- Body: “Hi [Customer Name], we haven’t seen you in a while, and we miss you! Remember why you loved shopping with us? Check out our latest collection and rediscover your favorites. We appreciate your loyalty!”
3. Creative Content and Copy Winback Emails
Show off your creativity by sending content that grabs the recipient’s attention. Share unique blog posts, videos, or other creative marketing content that adds value and reminds customers why your brand is special.
Example:
- Subject Line: “See What’s New at [Brand Name]”
- Body: “Hey [Customer Name], we’ve been busy! Check out our latest blog post on [Topic], or watch our new video showcasing our newest products. We’d love to hear your thoughts!”
4. Feedback Winback Emails
These emails ask customers why they’ve disengaged, showing them their satisfaction is a top priority while providing valuable insights for improving the overall customer experience.
Example:
- Subject Line: “We Want Your Feedback”
- Body: “Hi [Customer Name], we noticed you haven’t been as active lately. We value your opinion and would love to know how we can improve. Please take a moment to fill out our survey and help us serve you better.”
5. Unsubscribe Winback Emails
Give yourself a last chance to recapture attention by sending an unsubscribe email. Show excellent customer support, and offer options to modify email preferences rather than completely unsubscribe.
Example:
- Subject Line: “Is This Goodbye?”
- Body: “Hi [Customer Name], we’re sorry to see you go. Before you leave, is there anything we can do to change your mind? If you’re receiving too many emails, you can update your preferences to only get the content you love.”
6 Best Practices for Effective Winback Email Campaigns
Here are six best practices to ensure your winback emails hit the mark:
1. Personalization is Key
Make inactive customers feel special by personalizing your winback emails. Use their name, reference past purchases, and tailor your message based on their behavior.
2. Timing is Everything
Send winback emails while the memory of your brand is still fresh. Don’t wait too long after a customer starts losing interest.
3. Offer Irresistible Incentives
Give inactive customers a compelling reason to come back. Tailor your incentives based on what motivates your customers.
4. Keep It Concise and Clear
Attention spans are short. Clearly communicate why you’re reaching out, what you’re offering, and how they can take action.
5. Test, Learn, and Optimize
Continuously test different elements of your win-back emails and analyze the results. Optimize your strategy based on what works best.
6. Respect Their Decision
Respect customers’ decisions if they choose not to re-engage, and use their feedback to improve your products, services, or communication strategies.
Don’t Limit Your Winback Campaigns to Email
Consider SMS for win-back campaigns. SMS messages have higher open rates and engagement than emails. All of the same strategies can be applied in a more condensed format for SMS.
By following these strategies and best practices, your win-back email campaigns can effectively re-engage lapsed customers, boosting your customer retention and sales.
