Everyone’s chasing new.
New donors.
New customers.
New followers.
But here’s the truth: the most valuable people in your ecosystem are already in it – they’re just not currently paying attention.
At chillibeanmedia, we build strategies with three non-negotiable pillars: acquisition, re-engagement, and engagement. Most teams obsess over the first, struggle with the third, and completely ignore the second.
This article is about re-engagement – the fastest, most cost-effective way to turn cold lists into active communities again.
Why Re-Engagement Deserves Your Attention
Let’s look at the numbers:
- The average cost to acquire a new supporter or customer is 5x higher than the cost to retain or reactivate an existing one.
- In Australia, only 26% of donors give to the same charity two years in a row – not due to dissatisfaction, but because the follow-up was weak or missing.
- For eCommerce, email open rates on re-engagement flows are 40–60% higher than broadcast emails.
Whether you’re selling, fundraising or building community – re-engagement is under-utilised and undervalued.
Who Needs Re-Engaging?
Re-engagement isn’t about the unreachables – it’s about the almosts.
You’re speaking to:
- People who clicked but didn’t convert
- Past donors or buyers who haven’t returned
- Newsletter subscribers who stopped opening
- Followers who haven’t interacted in months
- People who abandoned checkout, cart or donation
These aren’t cold leads. They’re lukewarm – and they’re far more likely to respond than someone brand new.
How to Build a Re-Engagement Strategy That Works
Here’s our proven framework at chillibeanmedia – used for brands, charities and campaigns that care about outcomes.
1. Segment Ruthlessly
You can’t send one email and hope for a miracle. First, split your lapsed list into behaviour-based groups:
- Opened but didn’t act
- Bought/donated once, but not since
- Abandoned cart/form
- Inactive for 90+ days
Each of these groups needs different messaging, tone and CTA.
2. Lead With Relevance, Not Guilt
People don’t respond to desperation – they respond to relevance.
Bad: “We haven’t heard from you, and we need your help.”
Better: “We’ve just launched something we think you’ll love.”
Best: “You supported [X] in the past – now here’s how you can see the impact.”
If you’re running a charity, show the outcome. If you’re a brand, show what’s new or improved.
3. Automate, But Make It Feel Human
Set up short re-engagement sequences, but write them like they’re being sent from a person — not a system.
Structure:
- Email 1: Acknowledge the gap, offer something relevant or exclusive
- Email 2: Tell a story (success, transformation, customer/donor journey)
- Email 3: Add a time-based nudge (limited offer, campaign deadline, event)
Use SMS as a follow-up if relevant – especially for product-based or event-led engagement.
4. Give People a Reason to Re-Engage
You can’t just ask for attention. You have to earn it. Try:
- Exclusive content or early access
- A product restock or new launch
- A donor impact update or behind-the-scenes
- An invite to something live or interactive
- A cheeky “we miss you” offer that actually delivers value
Quick Wins You Can Launch This Week
For brands:
- A “We saved this for you” campaign for abandoned carts
- A “Back by demand” promo featuring your most clicked product
- A referral bonus tied to reactivated customers
For charities:
- An “Update your preferences” email that lets people choose how they engage
- A one-off “Look what you helped achieve” visual campaign
- A peer-to-peer “Your friend re-engaged – want to come back too?” trigger
What We Do at chillibeanmedia
Re-engagement is the middle engine of every strategy we build – because that’s where the leverage is.
We work with brands and causes to:
- Design automated re-engagement flows across email, SMS and social
- Re-segment data so content feels targeted, not generic
- Build creative assets (videos, carousels, landing pages) that speak to why people stopped paying attention – and why they should come back
The best part? These strategies don’t require more media spend. Just smarter thinking.
Final Word: If You’re Not Re-Engaging, You’re Bleeding Value
Growth doesn’t just come from acquiring more people – it comes from reconnecting with the ones who already showed up.
If your acquisition costs are climbing and your engagement’s dropping, it’s time to look at your re-engagement flow – because the goldmine’s already sitting in your list.
Need help mapping out a re-engagement strategy for your brand or campaign?
Let’s make it work: info@chillibeanmedia.com