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Subject lines

Updated

Re-engagement email subject lines

Re-engagement emails go to subscribers who stopped opening or clicking. The goal is to bring back the ones who still care, and to give everyone else a clean way out. These lines go from a soft check-in to a final goodbye.

Subject lines
50
Subject lines
40 characters or fewer
49
40 characters or fewer
Styles
5
Styles

Start with these three

  1. 1

    Still interested in [topic]?

    A direct yes-or-no question. Easy to answer with one click.

  2. 2

    Should I stop emailing you?

    Honest and slightly uncomfortable, which is why it gets read.

  3. 3

    Pick what you want to hear about

    Offers control instead of more email. Good for lists that cover several topics.

Replace everything in [square brackets]. Text like {{name | 'Hey'}} is a Lumail variable: it shows the subscriber's name, or the fallback after the pipe when the name is empty. Character counts below use the fallback.

Curiosity

Remind them what they are missing without pretending they asked for it this week.

  1. 1The issue everyone replied to29 characters
  2. 2You missed a good one21 characters
  3. 3Our most-read email this year29 characters
  4. 4What other readers are saying29 characters
  5. 5Did this get lost in your inbox?32 characters
  6. 6In case you missed these24 characters
  7. 7Something changed. Thought you'd want to know45 characters
  8. 8A different kind of email25 characters
  9. 9This one's worth opening24 characters
  10. 10Our best [topic] advice in one email36 characters

Benefit-led

Give them a reason to stay: the best content, fewer emails, or more control.

  1. 11Pick what you want to hear about32 characters
  2. 12Want fewer emails? Choose here30 characters
  3. 13The [3] best issues you missed30 characters
  4. 14Your [topic] reading list, in one email39 characters
  5. 15Switch to a monthly digest26 characters
  6. 16Here's what's new since you last read37 characters
  7. 17Get only the emails you care about34 characters
  8. 18A shorter newsletter, starting now34 characters
  9. 19Still useful? Here's our best stuff35 characters
  10. 20Your favorite [topic], curated30 characters

Final notice

The honest deadline here is list removal. Say it plainly and mean it.

  1. 21Should I stop emailing you?27 characters
  2. 22Last email unless you click27 characters
  3. 23We're about to remove you from our list39 characters
  4. 24Is this goodbye?16 characters
  5. 25Your subscription ends in 7 days32 characters
  6. 26Click to stay subscribed24 characters
  7. 27Final check: do you still want these?37 characters
  8. 28We'll stop sending on [date]28 characters
  9. 29Before we say goodbye21 characters
  10. 30One click to keep getting [Newsletter]38 characters

Personal

Sound like a person who noticed, not a system that flagged them.

  1. 31{{name | 'Hey'}}, still interested in [topic]?33 characters
  2. 32{{name | 'Hi'}}, is this still useful?25 characters
  3. 33{{name | 'Hey'}}, I noticed you've been quiet32 characters
  4. 34A quick question for you, {{name | 'friend'}}32 characters
  5. 35{{name | 'Hi'}}, do you want to keep hearing from me?40 characters
  6. 36Honest question, {{name | 'friend'}}23 characters
  7. 37{{name | 'Hey'}}, I'll stop if you want26 characters
  8. 38Checking in, {{name | 'friend'}}19 characters
  9. 39{{name | 'Hi'}}, what would you like more of?32 characters
  10. 40{{name | 'Hey'}}, did something change?26 characters

Short

Short questions are hard to scroll past.

  1. 41Still interested in [topic]?28 characters
  2. 42Still here?11 characters
  3. 43Keep or cancel?15 characters
  4. 44Stay or go?11 characters
  5. 45Yes or no?10 characters
  6. 46Quick question14 characters
  7. 47Too many emails?16 characters
  8. 48Goodbye?8 characters
  9. 49Did we lose you?16 characters
  10. 50Checking in11 characters

What makes these work

  • Make staying one click. Pair the subject with a single "Keep me subscribed" button. Every extra step loses subscribers who would have stayed.
  • Offer less, not just more. Some inactive readers left because of frequency. A subject offering fewer emails or a digest can save them.
  • Mean the deadline. "Last email unless you click" only works if it is true. Remove non-responders afterwards.
  • Judge by clicks. Some mail clients record opens automatically. A click on the stay button is the reliable signal.
  • Keep it short. Questions like "Still here?" fit well within the 30 to 40 characters many mobile inboxes show.

Before sending, paste your line into the subject line tester to check its length and wording, and run the full email through the spam tester.

Frequently asked questions

What is a re-engagement email?

An email sent to subscribers who have stopped opening or clicking, asking whether they still want your emails. A re-engagement campaign usually ends by removing those who do not respond.

What subject line works best for re-engagement?

A direct question the subscriber can answer with one click, such as "Still interested in [topic]?" or "Should I stop emailing you?". Pair it with a single button to stay subscribed.

When should I send a re-engagement email?

When a subscriber has not opened or clicked for a period that is long for your cadence, often 60 to 90 days for a weekly newsletter. Send two or three emails, then stop.

Why remove subscribers who do not re-engage?

Mailing people who never engage lowers your engagement rates and raises the risk of spam complaints, which can hurt inbox placement for the subscribers who do want your emails.

Related

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