They’ve Got Mail (But Do They Open It?)
There’s a marketing adage that says getting new customers is great, but retaining your current customers is even better. Recently, we’ve discussed unengaged members and ways to help reconnect with them. But what about the chronically inactive subscribers on your email distribution lists? What can you do to reengage them?
Most likely, you track the number of recipients who unsubscribe following an email distribution. But another, possibly larger, group is made up of recipients who are “emotionally unsubscribed” from your messages–those who simply delete or ignore your emails without opening them.
Smart e-marketers know this segment shouldn’t be ignored for two reasons: First, ISPs have developed new metrics that track email engagement as a measure of message deliverability. So, if an email address consistently receives messages from a sender that are not opened, the provider may assume the messages are spam. Second, these recipients represent a pool of customers who at one time wanted a relationship with your company – and possibly still do. You don’t need to simply find new customers; you also need to re-connect with those who are failing to respond.
Here are some tips to help reach your emotionally unsubscribed recipients: