Retargeting isn’t just for ads—it’s a powerful email strategy. Sending follow-up emails based on subscriber clicks converts interest into action, boosts revenue, and avoids overwhelming your list.
Why Retargeting Emails Work
Like abandoned cart flows, retargeting emails remind subscribers of their interests without spamming. They leverage first-party data to deliver relevant, high-impact messages. Simone Verde, COO of Stacked Marketer and founder of Conversion Accelerator, proved this with a 2024 Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) campaign.
Case Study: Stacked Marketer’s BFCM Success
Verde’s newsletter promotes a paid membership with courses, guides, and reports. Previously, promotional emails lacked structure. For BFCM, Verde used retargeting emails based on ad clicks in daily newsletters.
Strategy
- Angles and Hooks: Targeted multiple products with varied messaging to resonate broadly.
- Frequency: 2 emails/day for 5–6 days, then 4/day for the final 3 days.
- Content Approach: Early emails promoted content; later ones used urgency.
- Monitoring: Minimal frequency oversight—more emails drove more sales. Complaints led to list removals.
Results
Retargeting emails increased revenue nearly 4x compared to sporadic ads and promos. Verde applied this to coaching and self-improvement niches with similar success.
Testing
With a list under 5,000, Verde skipped A/B tests, analyzing click-to-open rates (CTOR) and conversions post-campaign to refine future emails.
How to Implement Email Retargeting
Follow this playbook:
- Choose Promotions: Use existing newsletters or promos with ads.
- Craft Angles: Test multiple hooks, using AI tools like ChatGPT for efficiency.
- Plan Cadence: Start with 2 content-focused emails/day; end with 3–4 urgency emails/day.
- Manage Engagement: Remove unengaged subscribers. Ignore complaints—replies boost deliverability.
- Analyze Performance: Track CTOR and conversions to identify top performers.
- Optimize: Reuse successful angles and emotions in future emails.
Key Takeaway
Email retargeting is a low-effort, high-impact way to drive conversions across industries. Don’t fear high frequency—focus on relevance and action.