How to use mailchimp resend to unopened

Introduction to Resending to Unopened in Mailchimp

In the world of email marketing, getting your message seen is paramount. You’ve crafted compelling content, designed eye-catching visuals, and segmented your audience, but what happens when your open rates are lower than expected? Mailchimp offers a powerful feature called “Resend to Unopened,” allowing you to re-engage subscribers who missed your initial email. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to effectively leverage this feature to boost engagement and maximize the impact of your campaigns.

Understanding the Benefits of Resending to Unopened

Resending to unopened subscribers is a strategic tactic that offers several key benefits:

Increased Open Rates: By targeting those who didn’t open the first time, you have a second chance to capture their attention.
Improved Click-Through Rates: Higher open rates often translate to more clicks and ultimately, more conversions.
Enhanced Engagement: Reaching out to inactive subscribers can reignite their interest in your brand and offerings.
Cost-Effective: Resending is often more cost-effective than acquiring new subscribers. You are re-engaging existing ones.

However, it’s important to use this feature judiciously to avoid overwhelming your subscribers and potentially damaging your sender reputation.

Prerequisites for Resending to Unopened

Before you start resending emails, ensure you have the following:

A Mailchimp account: You’ll need an active Mailchimp account with sending privileges.
A sent email campaign: The campaign you want to resend must already be sent and completed.
Audience segmentation (Optional but Recommended): While not mandatory, segmenting your audience based on factors like purchase history or engagement level can improve the effectiveness of your resend campaign.

Step-by-Step Guide to Resending to Unopened Subscribers

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to resend an email campaign to unopened subscribers in Mailchimp:

Navigate to the Reports Section: Log in to your Mailchimp account and click on the “Campaigns” tab. Then, select “Reports” from the dropdown menu.
Select the Sent Campaign: Find the campaign you want to resend and click on its name to view the report.
Access the “Resend to Unopened” Option: In the campaign report, look for the “Resend to Unopened” button, usually located near the top of the page. Click on it.
Customize the Resend Campaign (Subject Line and Send Time): You’ll be taken to a new campaign setup screen. Here, you can modify the subject line. Consider using a slightly different subject line to pique the curiosity of recipients who ignored the first email. You can also adjust the send time. Choose a time when your subscribers are most likely to be active.
Review and Confirm the Settings: Carefully review all the settings, including the recipient list (which should automatically be set to unopened subscribers) and the content of the email.
Schedule or Send the Resend Campaign: Once you’re satisfied, you can either schedule the resend for a later time or send it immediately.

Best Practices for Maximizing the Effectiveness of Resend Campaigns

To ensure your resend campaigns are successful, follow these best practices:

Change the Subject Line: A different subject line can make all the difference. Experiment with using a more intriguing or personalized subject line to grab attention. For example, if the original subject line was “New Product Announcement,” try “Did You Miss Our Exciting New Product?”
Adjust the Send Time: Sending the resend at a different time of day or day of the week can reach subscribers when they are more likely to be engaged. Analyze your audience demographics and typical online behavior to determine the optimal send time.
Segment Your Audience (Optional but Recommended): If possible, segment your audience further before resending. For instance, you could segment based on location, past purchases, or website activity. This allows you to tailor the message to specific groups.
Don’t Overdo It: Avoid resending too frequently, as this can annoy subscribers and lead to unsubscribes. A single resend is usually sufficient.
Review Your Content: While you typically won’t need to completely rewrite your email, review it for any outdated information or broken links. You can also consider adding a brief recap of the key points or highlighting a different benefit.
A/B Test Your Subject Lines: Experiment with different subject lines for your resend campaigns to see which ones perform best. Mailchimp’s A/B testing feature can help you identify the most effective subject lines.

Analyzing the Results of Your Resend Campaigns

After sending your resend campaign, it’s crucial to analyze the results to understand what worked and what didn’t. Mailchimp provides detailed reports that track key metrics such as:

Open Rates: Compare the open rates of the original campaign and the resend campaign to see if the resend was successful in reaching more subscribers.
Click-Through Rates (CTR): Analyze the CTR to see if the resend campaign drove more clicks to your website or landing pages.
Unsubscribe Rates: Monitor unsubscribe rates to ensure that your resend campaigns are not causing subscribers to opt-out of your list.
Conversion Rates: If you’re tracking conversions, see if the resend campaign led to more sales or other desired actions.

Use these insights to refine your resend strategy and improve the performance of future campaigns.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Here are some common issues you might encounter when resending to unopened subscribers and how to address them:

Low Open Rates on Resend: If your resend campaign still has low open rates, consider revising your subject line, send time, and email content. You may also need to re-evaluate your overall email marketing strategy.
High Unsubscribe Rates: If you see a spike in unsubscribes after a resend, it could indicate that subscribers are finding your emails too frequent or irrelevant. Reduce the frequency of your emails and ensure that your content is targeted and valuable.
Delivery Issues: Check your sender reputation and ensure that you are following best practices for email deliverability. This includes authenticating your domain and avoiding spam triggers.

Advanced Tips and Strategies

Beyond the basics, consider these advanced strategies to further optimize your resend campaigns:

Personalization: Use Mailchimp’s personalization features to add a personal touch to your resend emails. Address subscribers by name and tailor the content to their specific interests.
Segmentation Based on Engagement: Create segments based on subscriber engagement levels. Target highly engaged subscribers with exclusive offers and prioritize re-engaging those who have been inactive for a longer period.
Automated Resend Campaigns: Set up automated resend campaigns that trigger automatically when a subscriber doesn’t open a specific type of email. This can save you time and ensure that you’re consistently re-engaging your subscribers.
Integration with Other Marketing Tools: Integrate Mailchimp with other marketing tools, such as your CRM or e-commerce platform, to gain a more comprehensive view of your customer data and personalize your resend campaigns even further.

Conclusion

Resending to unopened subscribers is a valuable tool in any email marketer’s arsenal. By following the steps and best practices outlined in this article, you can effectively re-engage your audience, boost your open and click-through rates, and ultimately drive more conversions. Remember to analyze your results, refine your strategy, and always prioritize the subscriber experience. With a strategic approach, you can transform unopened emails into opportunities for engagement and growth.