Should Re-Engagement Emails Die?

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Re-engagement emails. You know ’em.

“Hey, FIRST NAME. Do you still want to hear from us?”

This tactic used to be smart email marketing, but it’s rapidly become outdated and ineffective. Why?

1. Well, open rates are irrelevant. Open rates are no longer reliable indicators of engagement, especially with Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection skewing the numbers. High open rates don’t necessarily reflect genuine interest or intent—they could simply be the result of automatic opens or image blocking. Pay more attention to clicks, site visits, and purchase history.
2. Your emails aren’t that important. Not every customer is waiting eagerly for your emails, and that’s okay. Customers engage when they need your product, not because of every message you send. Instead of using opens or clicks as the sole measure of engagement, brands should expand their metrics to include more reliable intent signals, like browsing behavior and purchase cycles.
3. But timing is important. Inactivity doesn’t equal disinterest. Sending re-engagement emails at inconvenient times—like early in the morning—won’t work. Most people aren’t ready to shop before their first cup of coffee. Worse, sending poorly timed messages risks annoying your audience, leading to unsubscribes or email fatigue.

✍️ The takeaway? Re-engagement emails should be smarter, using rich customer data and nuanced engagement metrics. If you’re still sending “Do You Want to Hear From Us?” emails, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

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