How to Re Engage Inactive Subscribers Without Being Spammy

Every email list has inactive subscribers people who signed up but haven’t opened or engaged with emails in weeks or months. Over time, these inactive subscribers can hurt your email deliverability, reduce open rates, and lower your overall ROI from email marketing.

However, bombarding them with emails in an attempt to win them back can backfire, leading to spam complaints and more unsubscribes. Instead, you need a well planned re engagement strategy that revives their interest without being intrusive or spammy.

In this guide, we’ll explore why subscribers go inactive, how to identify them, and practical steps to re engage them without damaging your sender reputation.

 

Why Do Subscribers Go Inactive?

Before re engaging inactive subscribers, it’s important to understand why they disengaged in the first place. Here are some common reasons:

Email Overload:

They receive too many emails from various brands and yours get lost in the clutter.

Content Fatigue:

Your emails are no longer relevant or engaging.

Changed Preferences: Their interests or needs have changed since they signed up.

Inbox Filtering:

Your emails may be landing in the promotions or spam folder.

Lack of Personalization:

Generic emails don’t grab their attention anymore.

 

By addressing these issues, you can create a more effective re engagement campaign that feels helpful, not spammy.

 

How to Identify Inactive Subscribers

An inactive subscriber is someone who hasn’t opened or clicked an email in a specific timeframe. Depending on your email marketing strategy, inactivity could mean:

3–6 months for frequent senders (daily/weekly emails).

6–12 months for occasional senders (monthly emails).

Steps to Identify Inactive Subscribers:

• Use your email marketing platform (e.g., Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo) to filter subscribers who haven’t engaged for X months.
• Analyze open rates, click through rates, and last engagement date.
• Segment inactive subscribers into categories:
• Completely inactive (no opens/clicks for months).
• Partially inactive (opened emails but no clicks).
• Previously engaged (stopped engaging recently).

Once you’ve identified them, it’s time to re engage them strategically.

 

7 Ways to Re Engage Inactive Subscribers Without Being Spammy

 

1. Send a Personalized “We Miss You” Email

Instead of sending generic reminders, craft a thoughtful email that shows you value them.

What to Include:

• use their first name for a personal touch.
• Remind them why they signed up (exclusive content, discounts, etc.).
• Ask if they still want to receive emails and offer an easy opt-out.
• Keep the tone friendly, not salesy.

Example Subject Lines:

• [Name], We Haven’t Heard from You in a While – Everything OK?
• We Miss You! Here’s a Special Gift
• Still Interested? Let Us Know!

Pro Tip: Avoid phrases like “Last Chance” or “Act Now”—they feel spammy.

 

2. Offer a Special Incentive

Give inactive subscribers a reason to engage again with a limited time offer or exclusive perk.

What to Offer:

• Discounts or coupons for their next purchase.
• Early access to sales or new products.
• Exclusive content (e.g., free guides, webinars, or VIP access).

Example Subject Lines:

• A Special Gift Just for You – Open Before It’s Gone!
• Here’s 20% Off – Let’s Get Back in Touch!
• Your Exclusive Access Awaits!

Pro Tip: Make the offer time sensitive to create urgency without being pushy.

 

3. Ask for Feedback

If subscribers have disengaged, find out why by asking for feedback. This not only shows that you care but also gives you insights on how to improve.

What to Ask:

• What type of content do they want?
• Why did they stop engaging?
• Would they prefer fewer emails?

Example Subject Lines:

• We Want to Hear from You — A Quick 2- Min Survey
• Tell Us How We Can Improve.
• Your Opinion Matters – Help Us Get Better

Pro Tip: Use a one click feedback option (e.g, “I want more discounts” or “Send fewer emails”) to make it easy.

 

4. Let Them Update Their Preferences

Sometimes, subscribers don’t want to unsubscribe completely, they just want fewer emails.

What to Offer:

• Allow them to choose email frequency (weekly, monthly, only promotions).
• Let them select topics that interest them (e.g, product updates, tips, discounts).
• Provide a pause option instead of unsubscribing.

Example Subject Lines:

• Too Many Emails? Let’s Fix That
• Take Control – Customize Your Email Preferences
• You Decide What You Want to Receive

Pro Tip: Make the preference update link easy to find and mobile friendly.

 

5. Improve Email Timing & Content

If inactive subscribers aren’t opening your emails, your timing or content might be the issue.

How to Fix It:

• A/B Test different send times (morning, afternoon, weekend).
• Change your email format (shorter emails, more visuals).
• Add interactive elements (GIFs, polls, countdowns).
• Write engaging subject lines that spark curiosity.

Example Subject Lines:

• We Have Something Exciting for You
• You Won’t Want to Miss This
• Guess What? We Made Something Just for You

Pro Tip:

Try personalized recommendations based on past behavior to make emails more relevant.

 

6. Use a Re Engagement Drip Campaign

If one email doesn’t work, try a series of 2-3 emails over a few weeks.

Example Drip Sequence:

• “We Miss You” Email = Friendly check in.
• Incentive Email = Offer a discount or exclusive content.
• Final Email = Ask if they still want to stay subscribed.

Pro Tip:

If they still don’t engage, remove them from your list to maintain good deliverability.

 

7. Make Unsubscribing Easy (Yes, Really)

It might sound counterintuitive, but making unsubscribing easy actually helps your email performance.

Why It’s Important:

• Prevents spam complaints (which hurt your sender reputation).
• Keeps your list healthy and engaged.
• Shows respect for your subscribers’ choices.

Pro Tip:

Instead of forcing them to unsubscribe, offer alternatives like pausing emails or changing preferences.

 

Conclusion

Re engaging inactive subscribers doesn’t have to be spammy. With the right approach, you can reignite their interest and bring them back without overwhelming them.

Quick Recap

Best Re Engagement Strategies:

• Personalized “We Miss You” Emails
• Offer Special Incentives
• Ask for Feedback & Improve
• Let Subscribers Update Preferences
• Optimize Email Timing & Content
• Use a Drip Campaign
• Make Unsubscribing Easy

By using these smart, subscriber friendly tactics, you’ll not only win back disengaged users but also strengthen your overall email marketing strategy.