Iterable Sunset Flow @ Speakers for Schools

16 November 2024

Iterable Sunset Flow @ Speakers for Schools

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How do you re-engage an audience that’s gone quiet while keeping your email list healthy?

At Speakers for Schools, I faced the inevitable challenge all marketers encounter, a growing list of inactive contacts.

It wasn’t just about clearing out disengaged subscribers, it was about giving them a chance to reconnect and making sure every email we sent brought value.

Here’s how I approached the task.

Brief:

To re-engage inactive contacts and clean the email list by unsubscribing those no longer interested, within two months.

Challenges:

Inactive contacts aren’t just a vanity issue, they impact deliverability, skew analytics, and risk being marked as spam.

The biggest challenge? Finding the balance between clearing out unengaged users and giving them one last opportunity to rejoin.

Our list was full of potential, but the key was identifying who wanted to stay, and who was ready to leave.

Strategy:

I created a two-email Sunset Flow in Iterable to engage inactive contacts and simplify unsubscribing. The strategy prioritised clarity, respect and transparency:

Emails with straightforward messaging and clear calls-to-action.

Acknowledging the value of subscribers’ time and preferences.

Making it easy for them to stay or leave without guilt or pressure.

Workflow diagram of an Iterable sunset flow for inactive contacts. The flow begins with scheduling inactive contacts, followed by a 7-day time delay before sending the first email. A yes/no split determines if users interact with the email. Engaged users remain on the list, while inactive users receive another email after another 7-day delay. If there is still no interaction, they are automatically unsubscribed from marketing channels. The diagram includes explanatory sticky notes providing additional context about the decision points and criteria used for segmenting inactive contacts.

Implementation:

The Sunset Flow featured two key touchpoints:

Email 1: ‘Stay Connected with Us!’

A warm and understanding message acknowledging inactivity.

Clear options to update preferences, remain subscribed, or unsubscribe.

Email 2: ‘Your Last Email from Us, Unless You Want to Stay’

A final message with a friendly tone.

A subtle nudge to engage or opt out before being automatically unsubscribed.

Each email was optimised for simplicity, including concise copy, a single CTA, and dynamic personalisation to keep it relevant.

Re-engagement email from Speakers for Schools, sent to an inactive subscriber. The email, addressed to Codrin, informs the recipient that they have not interacted with emails recently and offers an option to update preferences or unsubscribe. The message reassures the recipient that no action is needed if they still want to receive updates. A call-to-action button labeled 'Update preferences' is prominently displayed. The footer includes Speakers for Schools' charity registration details, contact address, and social media icons for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), along with an unsubscribe link.

Final re-engagement email from Speakers for Schools, notifying an inactive subscriber that this may be their last email unless they choose to stay subscribed. Addressed to Codrin, the message acknowledges that interests may have changed and reassures that no action is required to continue receiving emails. A call-to-action button labeled 'Update preferences' allows the recipient to manage their subscription. The email footer includes Speakers for Schools' charity registration details, contact address, and social media icons for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), along with an unsubscribe link.

Tracking & Reporting:

To measure the effectiveness of the flow, we tracked key metrics:

Open rates to identify interest levels.
Click-through rates to gauge engagement with the “Update Preferences” button.
Unsubscribes to monitor list-cleaning progress.

I analysed these metrics after each email to make data-driven decisions for optimisation.

Optimisation:

Testing and tweaking the flow made all the difference:

Subject lines
I ran A/B tests to increase curiosity and urgency.
CTA design
Enhanced visibility and simplicity of buttons.
Timing
Adjusted email delays for better engagement.

The iterative approach ensured the next email performed better than the previous.

Results:

26%

inactive contacts re-engaged

17%

list unsubscribed

57%

automatically unsubscribed

26% of inactive contacts re-engaged, opening at least one email.
17% of the list unsubscribed, leaving behind a healthier, more engaged audience.
57% of inactive contacts were automatically unsubscribed due to long inactivity, improving deliverability and boosting open and click rates in future campaigns.

Takeaways:

Building trust starts with respecting user preferences and making it easy for subscribers to either stay or leave. Metrics are invaluable for guiding decisions and ensuring continuous optimisation.

Clarity and simplicity in communication are essential, and transparency is key to achieving better re-engagement results.

Skills:

Recommendation:

Codrin stepped into the shoes of our full time digital marketer for a maternity cover. He learned the ropes quickly and utilised his deep knowledge of the tactics and strategies to lead on some complex projects such as the rollout of a new email marketing platform and employer lead generation campaign. He quickly integrated himself into the team and generated some great results.