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Email Marketing · Re-engagement and sunset policies

Re-engagement campaigns checklist for 2026

Short answer

A complete re-engagement campaigns checklist has 4 setup items and 2 things to audit against. Work through setup in order, then schedule a quarterly review.

Setup checklist#

  • ☐ Define inactivity: no clicks or replies in 90 days is a common threshold.
  • ☐ Send a 2 to 3 message win-back series with a clear ask to stay subscribed.
  • ☐ Suppress anyone who does not engage after the series.
  • ☐ Keep a record of suppressed contacts for compliance and future opt-in.

Audit checklist#

  • ☐ Confirm you are not: never sunsetting because list size is a vanity metric.
  • ☐ Confirm you are not: using 'We miss you' subject lines that read as spam.

Ongoing monitoring#

  • ☐ Weekly: review provider dashboards (Postmaster Tools, SNDS) and bounce logs
  • ☐ Monthly: re-run the setup verification after any vendor or DNS change
  • ☐ Quarterly: full audit against this checklist

Frequently asked questions#

Will sunsetting hurt my revenue?

Rarely. Inactive contacts produce little revenue, and improved placement for engaged contacts usually offsets any loss.

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