Campaign Guide

Customer Reactivation Campaign

Past customers are the easiest new revenue. This campaign re-engages lapsed customers with a relevant offer.

Customer Reactivation Campaign

A customer reactivation campaign identifies lapsed customers, segments them by past behavior, and sends a relevant re-engagement offer to bring them back.

Past customers are the easiest new revenue. This campaign re-engages lapsed customers with a relevant offer.

Problem definition

Customer reactivation targets past customers who have not purchased or engaged in a defined period, turning dormant relationships back into revenue.

Observable symptoms

✓Past customers not returning
✓No visibility into which customers have lapsed
✓Revenue concentrated in new acquisition only
✓No process for winning back former customers

Likely causes

✓No tracking of customer activity or lapse
✓No re-engagement process
✓Generic blasts that ignore past purchase behavior
✓No offer compelling enough to return

Required inputs

✓Customer purchase and activity history
✓A lapse definition by industry
✓Segmentation by past behavior
✓A relevant re-engagement offer

Recommended workflow

Follow this sequence to address the problem systematically.

✓Identify customers who have lapsed by the defined threshold
✓Segment by past purchase type, value, and reason for lapse if known
✓Craft a relevant offer tied to their past behavior
✓Send the re-engagement with a clear call to action
✓Follow up with those who respond
✓Track reactivation rate and revenue recovered

Automation boundaries

Automation identifies lapsed customers, segments, and sends. The offer design, handling of responses, and personal follow-up for high-value customers require human judgment.

Human review requirements

A person designs the offer, handles responses, and personally re-engages high-value lapsed customers where a personal touch matters.

Risks

A generic discount to all lapsed customers devalues the brand and trains customers to wait for deals. Tailor the offer and avoid over-discounting.

Limitations

Not every lapsed customer will return. Some have genuinely moved on. Reactivation improves the rate but cannot recover every relationship.

Measurement criteria

Track reactivation rate, revenue from reactivated customers, and the cost per reactivation compared to new acquisition.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before a customer is considered lapsed?

It depends on the industry and purchase cycle. Define lapse based on your typical repurchase interval, plus a buffer. A monthly service lapses faster than an annual purchase.

What offer works best for reactivation?

An offer tied to the customer's past behavior is strongest. A relevant service update, a complementary offer, or a genuine check-in often outperforms a generic discount.