4 Re-Engagement Strategies to Win Over Your Customers

As we approach the peak season, winning back lapsed customers and reigniting their excitement is more important than ever. Now is the perfect time to fine-tune your re-engagement strategies and make sure you're on the customer’s radar before the holiday rush kicks in. With a mix of creative tactics and data-driven personalization, these four strategies will help your brand reconnect with customers in time for Cyber Five and beyond.

Strategy #1: Use Polls to Get Ahead of Customer Needs and Re-Target Relevant Offerings

Want to better understand your customers’ current interests? Polls are a fantastic way to gather zero-party data while making customers feel like their opinions matter. By asking simple questions about upcoming shopping intentions, you not only gain insight into their preferences but also open the door for future retargeting.

Take Schuh for example. In preparation for Black Friday, they sent an email poll asking customers what products they planned to buy when prices dropped. This data allowed them to retarget customers with relevant offerings, ensuring each shopper saw products aligned with their preferences. To take it a step further, an abandoned cart reminder was displayed alongside a curated grid of trending shoes. Individualized recommendations have been shown to improve purchase intent, with 80% of customers loving the tailored touch. This strategy is a win-win for reconnecting with those who haven’t engaged in a while.

Why it works for re-engagement: Polls give your audience a chance to interact while providing data that helps you meet their needs in the future. Tailored offerings based on this data keep your brand top of mind as peak season nears.

Strategy #2: Enhance Your Promotions for Less-Engaged Customers

Everyone loves a good promo, and adding an interactive element makes it even more appealing. Gamified discounts invite customers to engage in a fun way while searching for a deal. For less-engaged customers, this can be the perfect strategy to pique their interest and get them exploring your offerings. 

Hair Cuttery took this approach with their Black Friday Savings Event campaign by including a scratch-off feature in the hero image. This increased click-through rates by 192%, as customers were eager to uncover their exclusive reward. Once the sale ended, the module switched to a message inviting users to sign up for SMS notifications, keeping future promotions within easy reach.

Why it works for re-engagement: Including an interactive twist to your promotions draws attention and can motivate less-engaged customers to engage out of curiosity, particularly when combined with valuable offers they can’t resist.

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Strategy #3: Drive Promo Urgency with Personalized Countdown Timers

When time is running out on a great deal, customers tend to act fast. Combine that urgency with personalization, and you've got a recipe for engagement success. 

Virgin Atlantic tapped into this winning combo during last year’s Black Friday event. They sent a tailored email featuring a boarding pass with the recipient’s name and a countdown timer, building excitement while subtly urging customers to make a purchase before the deal expired. This small but effective detail kept the brand relevant to customers who might have otherwise skimmed past the email.

Why it works for re-engagement: Countdown timers create urgency, while personalization reinforces a deeper connection with the customer, giving them that extra push to engage before time runs out.

Strategy #4: Create a Value Recap to Highlight What They’re Missing

There’s no better way to remind customers of your value than by showing them what they’ve achieved with your brand—whether they’ve been highly engaged or not. Year-in-review emails are the perfect way to tailor content for all levels of activity, giving each customer a personalized snapshot of what they’ve done so far and spotlighting the features and offerings they might not have explored yet. It’s a great opportunity to showcase why sticking with you matters.

Michaels perfected this by sending loyalty members a detailed year-in-review email. At the top, customers were greeted with their rewards progress and how much they needed to spend to unlock their next voucher. As they scrolled, they saw data about their most visited store, favorite item, and even how many rewards they’d redeemed. This highly personalized experience not only showcased what the customer had gained but also created excitement for future shopping trips.

Why it works for re-engagement: Value recap emails remind customers of the benefits they’ve enjoyed and enhance their connection with the brand, creating a compelling reason for them to re-engage.

Re-engagement isn’t just about reconnecting with old customers—it’s about showing them the value your brand still offers. From fun, interactive promotions to personalized value recaps, take a cue from these success stories and make this peak season your most rewarding yet.

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