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Lost Subscribers? Here’s How to Re-Engage Your Email List Fast
Simple steps (and examples) to win back your audience
Elden Mirzoian & Elna Cain
March 3rd, 2025
Table of Contents
Congrats on starting a new beehiiv newsletter.
You're in good company since 7 out of 10 more creators started on beehiiv in 2022 when compared to the previous year. That's a whopping 26,345 creators.
So, you migrated your email list to beehiiv, and now you want to send your first newsletter and can't wait to get a slew of engagement.
Before sending out your first newsletter, focus on reconnecting with your subscribers.
If your subscribers haven’t heard from you in a while, don’t worry—it happens to the best of us.
Re-engaging your email list isn’t just about getting opens and clicks, though.
It’s about reminding your audience why they subscribed and getting them excited about what’s ahead.
With beehiiv’s features, you can reconnect and create a better experience for your readers.
Why You Need To Have A Re-engagement Automation
There are two truths to having a newsletter.
The first is that people will unsubscribe. People are cutthroat, and if they don't want to receive emails from you (and only those free sewing patterns you offered), so be it.
You can't be everything to everyone.
And the second is people will stop opening your emails but want to be on your email list. I fall into this camp.
I don't have the time to read each email from my sign-ups or emails to my Gmail Promo tab, and I lose sight of them.
But, with automation and, specifically, re-engagement automation, all hope is not lost.
With beehiiv’s automations, you can set up a sequence that gently reminds them how amazeballs your newsletter is.
It reminds them why they joined, offers them value, and gives them a reason to stick around—or ultimately unsubscribe, which is what you want.
An unengaged cold email list doesn't open your emails and doesn't click on your links. And this can hurt your email reputation. With an unengaged list, your emails are more likely to go to the junk folder or, worse, the spam folder, leading to a lower sender score.
You don't want that. Instead, opt for a re-engagement campaign.
This means that while you focus on creating great content, beehiiv is working behind the scenes to help you keep your audience engaged and connected.
How to Re-engage Your Email List
Before you migrate your email list to beehiiv, it's best to give yourself about two weeks to complete the re-engagement process thoroughly.
The steps involve cleaning up your list of cold subscribers and re-engaging them with a series of target emails sent out on varying days.
With the new engaged list, you can now migrate to beehiiv.
Create a Segmentation Based on Your Goals
A segment is a group of subscribers based on shared characteristics. For the re-engagement campaign, you would create a segment of users who:
Haven’t opened/clicked on an email in 60 days (aggressive): Use a 60-day segment if you want to catch people early before they completely lose interest.
Haven’t opened/clicked on an email in 90 days (suggested): This gives subscribers enough time to engage before you begin with a re-engagement push.
Haven’t opened/clicked on an email in 120 days (relaxed): This is ideal if you want to focus on the long game. These subscribers may need an extra nudge to reconnect.
If your newsletter is intended to help sell your digital products, you may want to try a 60-day segment. I recently had to scrub my list before I shared a webinar registration sign-up. I wanted highly engaged people to attend the webinar since I was selling my course.
If you started an email list and have only been sending weekly newsletters, you can opt for a 90-segment. Some creators only scrub their email list once a year, so it's up to your goals and business to decide on the time frame.
After you create a segment, you can also set up a Thank You page on your website to link to. If you don't have a website, you can create a custom page on beehiiv.
3 Email Re-engagement Campaign
Before we take a look at re-engagement email examples, here is a versatile email sequence you can use in your creator business.
Email 1: We Miss You
This first email can spark a sense of urgency, suggest feedback, or build FOMO and curiosity. You want to convey that you miss this subscriber and want to reconnect with them.
Here are some email subject lines for re-engagement emails that work:
"We Missed You! Come Back and Get [Free Resource or Offer]" – This creates a sense of urgency and incentivizes the subscriber to return. Acknowledging their absence and providing a valuable free resource or offer gives them a reason to re-engage with your brand. Plus, who doesn't like free stuff?
"Did We Lose You?" – This is a great way to solicit feedback from subscribers who haven't engaged with your emails. By asking them directly why they haven't been opening or clicking through, you show that you value their opinion and want to improve their experience. If you get similar feedback from other subscribers, you know that you'll have to change things up with your newsletters.
"You're Missing Out! See What You've Missed Lately" – This subject line creates a sense of curiosity and FOMO (fear of missing out) by highlighting recent content or offers the subscriber may have missed. By showing them what they've missed, you're providing a reason to re-engage and catch up.
In your email, make sure to use a "click" action to confirm a user wants to stay subscribed, rather than relying on an open.
This can be a button in your email or for a subscriber to click on "reply" to stay on your list.
The approach depends on the copy you use and how proactive you want to be.
But keep in mind, just getting an open doesn’t mean the subscriber is committed to staying on your list. They need to take action and click on the link you provide to show real interest.
Next, wait three days to get a response from your first email.
You can create a True/False branch about if they opened/clicked your email. This would look like:
If they did open/click, remove them from this automation and add them as an “engaged subscriber”
If they didn’t open/click, continue them to Email 2
Email 2: Did We Lose You?
This second email is a friendly poke to re-engage inactive subscribers.
Start with a subject line like “Did we lose you? 😢” and use a friendly tone to ask if they really miss your newsletter.
Did we lose you 😢
[Action needed] to continue to receive [insert value prop]
Highlight what they’ve been missing and include a clear call to action to signal a re-engagement, such as confirming their interest by clicking a button or checking out exclusive content.
End with what happens when you don't click to keep the tone respectful and let them decide if they want to stay.
It's time to wait three days and follow the True/False branch:
If they did open/click, remove from this automation and add them as an “engaged subscriber”
If they didn’t open/click, continue them to Email 3
Email 3: Sorry to See You Go
This is your final attempt to reconnect with inactive subscribers.
This email should be direct but still maintain a friendly, conversational tone.
Let them know you’ve noticed their inactivity and that you’re cleaning up your list to ensure it’s filled with engaged readers.
Give them one last chance to confirm they’d like to stay. Here, you can use a magic link to subscribe to your new beehiiv landing page promoting your newsletter.
Then, end with a polite note that it’s okay if they’re no longer interested and reassure them they can always re-subscribe.
This approach keeps the tone respectful while encouraging a decision.
Re-engagement Email Examples
To help you out, let's check out these re-engagement email examples from popular brands. Use them to help you create your re-engagement campaign.
Email 1: We Miss You Examples
Geoffrey Zakarian Example:
We get it—life’s busy, and inboxes are even busier. But here’s the thing: you’re about to miss out on something incredible.
In just two weeks, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian is bringing the heat with Stirring the Pot—a free, weekly newsletter that’s all about making your kitchen the place to be.
Think bold recipes, pro-level tips, and creative ways to turn everyday meals into unforgettable moments—all served up with Geoffrey’s signature flair.
This isn’t just another cooking newsletter. It’s your personal backstage pass to Geoffrey’s world, and it’s guaranteed to spice things up (pun intended).
Click below to stay on our list and be the first to get Stirring the Pot.
We’d love to have you back at the table!
[Keep Me on the List]
Note: You must confirm you'd like to continue getting these emails by clicking the button above to not be automatically unsubscribed.
This email works because it feels personal and relatable.
It starts by acknowledging how busy life and inboxes can get, instantly making me feel like they get where I’m coming from.
Then, they don’t waste time—they tell me exactly what I’m about to miss out on: an incredible newsletter from Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
And calling it a “personal backstage pass” adds a sense of exclusivity that’s hard to resist.
The clear call to action makes it easy for me to decide, and the tone is polite and inviting, not pushy.
Milk Road Example:
I like how this email is clever, relatable, and to the point. It immediately grabs your attention with the high school cheat sheet reference—it’s funny and makes a complex topic like crypto feel more approachable.
The tone is casual and conversational, which makes the email feel like it’s written just for me.
They use a creative call-to-action, which speaks to their audience, asking them to reply with a fun emoji or a quick “still here.”
It’s not pushy, just straightforward to do. Plus, the little nudge at the end about missing out is a smart way to add urgency without overdoing it.
Bengingi Example:
This email works because it feels personal and friendly with a playful greeting. This sets a casual, relatable tone right away. I like the humor in this email. It makes the message lighthearted but still important by providing subtle urgency about being removed from the email list.
Ben & Ziki create FOMO by sharing upcoming news for 2025 and highlighting missed recipes. The call to action is simple and inviting, making it easy to re-engage.
Email 2: Lose/Lost You Examples
Milk Road Example:
You saw the first email. Here's the second email they sent out 3 days later:
Milk Road grabs my attention by sharing a shocking statistic of how many people read their newsletter.
They proceed to inject FOMO by jabbing at how I'm missing out. With humor and analogies, they show exactly what I would miss—humorous personality and relatedness—in their newsletters.
It’s straightforward about being the last email I’ll receive unless I take action.
The call-to-action is simple: reply with an emoji or “still here," and the casual vibe makes it feel low-pressure but effective.
The subtle urgency at the end about fumbling an opportunity ties everything together and keeps me thinking.
Email 3: Gentle Reminder
Bengingi Example:
This warm and personal email gently reminds me of what I’m missing without being pushy.
Starting with a friendly subject line like “Did we lose you, Gingi?” and a hopeful note about my year sets a positive, inviting tone. It feels more like a heartfelt check-in than a typical marketing email.
The message isn't harsh, even when they let me know this is my last chance to say anything on their email list. They give me an easy option to re-engage by licking on a recipe or responding to a poll.
Conclusion
A good re-engagement strategy doesn’t have to be complicated, especially when you’re using a platform like beehiiv that handles so much for you.
With tools designed to improve deliverability, simplify design, and even host your newsletter on a dedicated blog, beehiiv takes care of the heavy lifting so you can focus on what matters— creating great content.
So, if you’re just getting started or scaling up, beehiiv makes it easy to re-engage your audience and grow your newsletter.
It’s time to get started—your subscribers are waiting!
People Also Ask
What is a re-engagement email?
A re-engagement email is a way to reconnect with subscribers who haven’t opened or interacted with your emails in a while. These emails are all about sparking interest again, whether it’s by sharing something exciting, offering a little extra value, or simply checking in to see if they still want to hear from you.
How to write a reactivation email?
To write a reactivation email, focus on reconnecting with inactive subscribers by being clear, engaging, and providing a reason for them to stay.
Here’s how to do it:
Start with a Catchy Subject Line: Grab attention with something playful or intriguing, like “We Miss You!” or “Is This Goodbye?” to encourage them to open the email.
Acknowledge Their Inactivity: Open with a friendly tone, letting them know you’ve noticed they haven’t been active. Keep it light and relatable, like: “I've noticed you’ve been quiet lately, and I'm checking in to see if everything’s okay.”
Remind Them of the Value: Highlight why they signed up in the first place and what they’re missing out on.
Include a Clear Call-to-Action: Ask them to confirm their interest by clicking a button, replying to the email, or visiting a specific link. Make it easy for them to re-engage.
How many emails are in a re-engagement campaign?
A re-engagement campaign typically includes 2 to 3 emails, but the exact number depends on your goals and audience. A common re-engagement campaign is 3 emails.
What kind of subscriber would a re-engagement email target?
A re-engagement email targets inactive subscribers who have not opened, clicked, or interacted with your emails for a specific period of time.
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