Why Do I have So Many Inactive Recipients?

We put so much energy into delivering engaging, relevant messages to our subscribers. Yet, many of them are turning out to be less loyal than we’d hoped. ‘Inactive subscribers’ are those that don’t respond to our emails…Or in the least click on or open them.

A question arises: do you know why you have such low engagement levels with your recipients? At CommuniGator, we’ve seen customers achieve a 2% average B2B CTR, and 21% average open rate. If you’re not hitting these numbers, you’ve got to figure out what’s happening with the rest of your subscribers. Why aren’t more of them converting? If your answer is “I have no clue!”, then you’ve got to figure out the reasons behind your results.

Below is a list of the top 5 reasons why many subscribers become ‘inactive’ recipients that for one reason or another aren’t warming up to you.

1. Sending emails too frequently

Are you sending out emails too frequently? This might be your downfall. Our job as marketers is to elicit a positive response from our subscribers. We want them to be in continuous engagement with us. Top performers have achieved a fair balance between email overexposure and underexposure. Their goal has become to avoid appearing as though they are spamming inboxes, or else, subscribers become what’s called ‘emotional unsubscribers’ – they may not opt-out, but they delete or send the emails to the junk folder. Don’t send emails too frequently. Send in a sequence, but give some time between each send.

2. Lacking personalisation

CommuniGator customer, Brakes Bros, found that by adding dynamic content to their campaigns, their click through rate increased to over 15%. No more batch and blast emails. Standing out in a crowded inbox means creating personalised messages. The more personalised your messages, the warmer the conversation. In order to elicit a positive response, make your emails target subscribers on an individual level.

3. Delivering the wrong offer

Your sales cycle is made up of subscribers that are at different stages of the buying process. That’s why it’s hard to tailor messages according to each one. However, this shouldn’t be deterring you from sending out customised messages. The solution? Segment your lists to compliment the needs of each subscriber.

4. Inaccurate subscriber data

Having correct customer data at every touchpoint is vital because it ensures that your messages look like they are tailored to the needs of each subscriber. This is what’s referred to as ‘data hygiene’. Whether website opt-ins, social media or the mobile, you need to make sure that each profile carries the right information about the subscriber. The message that you have to convey is that you are paying attention to who each subscriber is and what it is they need. That means keeping all customer data updated and accurate.

5. Bad first impressions

Entering a relationship with your subscribers is all about first impressions. Your emails are a reflection of your brand. This 1:1 channel of engagement needs to strike the right cord with subscribers from the very beginning. Ensure that you have brand integrity: from design to copy, you have to make your emails inviting from the onset in order to get your subscribers to engage with you throughout your campaigns.

If you’re seeing that your unsubscribe list is getting longer, it might be time to take a look at your overall email marketing strategy.