Having a database of 50,000 contacts is flattering on a dashboard. But if 60% of them don't react anymore, you're not managing a marketing asset: you're managing a digital graveyard.
In the jargon, this is called the “churn rate.” The problem is that we have often been sold re-engagement as a simple nostalgic reminder of the type “We miss you”. In 2026, it no longer works. Re-engagement is the art of becoming relevant again for someone who has already forgotten you. Here's how to get out of the usual conversation and get real clicks thanks to a robust email marketing strategy.
1. Diagnosis: Why are your users becoming “ghosts”?
Before looking for ways to relaunch an inactive customer, you need to understand why they dropped out. A user does not become inactive by chance. In general, there are three scenarios:
- Saturation (Noise): He receives 150 emails per day. Yours simply did not survive the 8 am selective sorting.
- Phase loss (Relevance): What you were selling or talking about six months ago no longer solves his current problem.
- Oblivion pure and simple: He moved on.
The Signitic lever: Often, inactivity starts when the user no longer sees your brand as “active” or “pro.” By standardizing your signatures across the enterprise via a centralized management platform, you return a solid structural image to each touchpoint, even during a simple exchange of support or billing. It is the first step to remain “top of mind”.
2. Cleaning your database: A victory for your deliverability
It may seem counterintuitive, but reducing the size of your list can boost your ROI. Why? Because of the deliverability.
Email providers (Gmail, Outlook) monitor the behavior of your recipients. If you send massive amounts of emails to people who never open them, your sender reputation collapses. As a result, your emails end up in spam, even for your most loyal customers.
An effective re-engagement campaign has two healthy outcomes:
- The user wakes up.
- The user is removed: You clean up your base, your opening rate increases and your routing costs decrease.
3. The “Win-Back” Method: A 3-Step Sequence
Don't settle for an isolated email. To break through the bubble of indifference, you need an automated sequence.
Step 1: The Value Reminder (The “Friendly Check-in”)
The aim is to give before asking. Send high value-added content: a practical guide or a new feature.
- Signature tip: Take advantage of this email to integrate a Signitic banner which highlights a video tutorial or a customer case. It is less intrusive than a commercial link in the text and it generates high-value “passive” clicks.
Step 2: The “Punch Out” Offer (The Incentive)
If pedagogy is not enough, switch to the incentive: exclusive promo, free month or gift.
- The Signitic advantage: Thanks to campaign programming, you can align your signature banners with your current promotions on a temporary basis. As soon as the offer expires, the signature automatically returns to normal.
Step 3: The breakup email (The “Goodbye Mail”)
Make it clear to them that you are going to unsubscribe them so as not to clutter them up. Often, the fear of losing access to information triggers a reactivation click.
4. Copywriting: How do you write objects that hit the mark?
The object represents 80% of the performance.
- To be banned: “Any news?” , “Newsletter No. 42", “Exceptional promotion”.
- To be tested: “Is [Topic] still a priority?” , “We kept that aside for you”, “Should we say goodbye?”.
Be direct and speak in the first person. Humans attract humans.
5. Why is an email signature your secret re-engagement weapon?
This is where your strategy really becomes “quality”. The signature is the most underexploited space in digital marketing. Unlike the body of the email, it is perceived as an informational element and not an advertising element.
The power of dynamic segmentation
With Signitic, you are not broadcasting the same banner to everyone. This is where the real added value lies:
- For your inactive people: Display a “We've changed, discover what's new” banner.
- For your loyal customers: Show a referral program. The tool allows you to segment your signatures based on your user groups synchronized from your CRM (Hubspot, Salesforce, etc.).
Measuring to progress
You can't improve what you can't measure. Signitic integrates detailed analytics that allow you to see exactly which signature banner generated the most reactivations. This allows you to test various calls-to-actions (CTAs) and refine your approach without trial and error.
6. Automation: Work with your CRM
For this strategy to be profitable, it must be automated through your CRM workflows. For example:
- D+30 of inactivity: The CRM changes the user's tag.
- Immediate impact: Signitic updates its signature to show an appointment button with a Success Manager. It is the fusion between data and visual communication.
Conclusion: Be useful or be invisible
Re-engaging users is not an administrative chore, it is an opportunity for growth. By treating your contacts like humans and using subtle communication tools such as email signatures, you are rebuilding a lasting relationship of trust.
The consistency of your brand image, from the subject of the email to the banner at the bottom of the page, will prove to your user that you deserve their place in their inbox again.
Ready to turn your outgoing emails into a re-engagement channel? Contact us !
