Every business loses customers. That’s just the reality of commercial enterprises. Now and then, a business may blunder and cause a mass exodus of customers. Perhaps most unfairly is when macro factors negatively impact businesses through no fault of their own. Such as with our client JD Gyms when they lost customers during the pandemic lockdowns.
Here’s where loyalty programmes are your friend. They can help you deliver win-back campaigns and restore customer retention. For example, we’ve seen win-back campaigns result in a reactivation rate of over 50% of churned customers. These results were achieved by JD Gyms with their rewards programme playing a key role.
In this article, we’re going to show you everything that you need to know about win-back campaigns. You might already have an in-house loyalty programme in place for acquiring new customers. Or you might be considering one to bring back churned customers. Whatever your circumstance may be, just know, you’re in the right place to win back the customers your business deserves.
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Contents:
Key Takeaways
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Win-back campaigns can generate exceptional returns - JD Gyms reactivated over 50% of churned customers. |
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Timing is more important than sophistication. Always-on rewards and experiences that consistently engage and add value to your customers are better than reactive discounts after customers have mentally checked out. |
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Multi-channel approaches work best - email as the foundation, supported by SMS, push notifications, and social media retargeting. |
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Segmentation is crucial - distinguish between at-risk and fully churned customers, prioritising high-value segments through RFM analysis. |
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Personalisation beats generic messaging - avoid "We miss you" templates and focus on customer value rather than business needs. |
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Timing matters more than frequency - test optimal intervals for each channel and customer segment to avoid being pushy or too passive. |
What is a Customer Win-Back Campaign?
Win-back campaigns re-engage lapsed customers. These are individuals who – for a variety of reasons – have stopped interacting with the brand. Usually, win-back campaigns are delivered via email campaigns. Communications are always personalised to recipients and must offer them incentives.
The aim of a win-back campaign is to reactivate inactive customers, restore retention and even drive acquisition through referrals once that customer is happy.
What are the Key Definitions and Core Concepts of Win-back Campaigns?
Core concepts of win-back campaigns include:
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Customer segmentation - This is where you categorise customers into different groups based on their behaviour patterns. For example, if a customer left, you would label them as a lapsed customer. |
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Trigger events - These are moments when specific actions take place in your win-back campaign, and they’re essential for setting up effective timeframes. |
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Personalisation - Tailors the messages to the individual you send them to, factoring in their history, behaviour and preferences. |
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Incentive strategy - This is where you plan your offers, each one must be a compelling reason for customers to re-engage, return or bring new customers aboard. |
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Measurement metrics - Last but certainly not least, the means with which you track your win-back campaign to understand how well it’s working. |
What’s the Difference Between Retention, Reactivation, and Acquisition in Win-back Campaigns?
Win-back campaigns serve a few key metrics – mainly reactivation. However, they’re also effective tools for boosting retention and acquisition. But there are some nuances here:
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Retention - Win-back campaigns can be a part of a larger retention strategy. Based on your segmentation criteria, you may identify customers losing interest in the brand. Therefore, the goal of win-back is to restore the customer’s interest before losing them all together. |
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Reactivation - On the other hand, the goal of reactivation is to actively reach out to lapsed customers with a compelling offer that convinces them to return to the brand. This is the main function of a win-back campaign |
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Acquisition - Brands that get their win-back campaign on point should attempt an acquisition play. If metrics are positive and show a boost in retention and lapsed customers returning, you could offer an additional incentive to the customer if they bring someone else to the brand. |
Do Win-back Campaigns Matter for Customer Lifetime Value?
Absolutely. Consider retention, reactivation and acquisition. If your win-back campaign is effectively optimised, you could see a significant uplift in customer lifetime value.
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With the right campaign retention rates can be improved, and analysis by Marketing Metrics suggests in this case, the probability of selling to a lost customer again is around 20%–40%
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The same article claims in terms of reactivation, win-back campaigns have been shown to recover between 20-30%.
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Reactivated customers have been shown to stick around and are more open to advocating the brand to their friends and family as a result of improved satisfaction.
Nearly half of reactivated customers go on to spend more than they did before leaving. In some cases that means doubling their lifetime value. Which shows why in-back campaigns are one of the most efficient ways to improve CLV.
How JD Gyms Reassured Customers During the Covid Crisis
Let’s look again at JD Gyms. Before the Covid lockdowns, their 30 sites across the UK were seeing strong growth. As the Government tried to mitigate infection rates, people were told to stay at home. For JD Gyms customers, it made sense to cancel their direct debits if they couldn’t attend the gym to workout.
But that’s where JD Gym’s activated their strategic pivot. Instead of offering fitness content in their communications, they prevented direct debit cancellations by automatically freezing payments. This boosted customer convenience when so many had so much else to contend with during those challenging times, helping to boost retention and loyalty.
The Psychology Behind Successful Win-Back Campaigns
Win-back campaigns respond to two main psychological drivers. The first being the reason why customers leave in the first place. There’s more than one reason and for many customers there can be several reasons why they left.
Secondly, win-back campaigns are a great tool for leveraging specific elements of temporal psychology in the interest of better retention and uptake. Reaching out too soon can feel pushy, while waiting too long risks losing the customer permanently.
Understanding Why Customers Leave
According to several sources (Slack and Salesforce) the main reasons why customers leave businesses are due to:
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Poor experiences and support
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Misalignment between price and value
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Competition
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Product gaps
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Frictions in onboarding and billing
Of course, if any of these issues keep popping up there’s bigger challenges that need resolving. If that’s the case for you, make sure your explanations about the improvements you’ve made are central in your messaging. These issues will need resolving before any win-back campaign can convince customers to return.
Knowing When to Time Your Win-back Strategies
After you’ve resolved any issues, plan the timing of your win-back campaigns. This is where temporal psychology takes precedence. Here’s just a couple examples of what you need to consider:
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Kairos - the concept of the right moment for action
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Temporal framing - how the timing of messages affects their reception
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Recency bias - how recent events influence decision-making
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Peak-end rule - how people judge experiences based on their peak moment and how they ended
The best method for mastering timing is data. When you know what works and why it works, you can begin to take away insights into your target audience. This will lead to more accurate timing.
How JD Gyms Combined Issue Resolution with Strategic Timing
JD Gyms showed how through careful timing they created an effective win-back campaign that responded to the collective psychology of their audience. They understood their members wanted to leave due to financial pressures and concerns of not being able to use facilities.
However, following timing principles, they were engaging customers in ways that made sense. They reassured customers through proactive convenience, contributing to the peak-end rule, thus boosting customer retention.
How Do You Build A Win-Back Campaign?
Before you press the button for your win-back campaign to go live there’s several areas you need to prepare. Just so you know, you will need datasets ready, consideration of all your existing channels, and an angle for winning back lapsed customers.
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The first step involves reviewing your data. This is where you will segment your audience into categories that should include:
Your at-risk customers will show declining engagement patterns but remain active. Churned customers on the other hand will have completely stopped interacting. Monitor metrics like login frequency, purchase intervals, and support ticket volume. These will help you distinguish between groups, and prioritise your intervention strategies further down the line. |
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The more channels you’ve got, the better. Today’s consumers use several channels in their customer journeys. Typically any given customer will have their preferred channel. Email will be the main pillar in your win-back strategy. However, some customers will prefer to hear about special offers on your products or services via SMS.
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Finally, craft a value proposition that gives customers no choice but to come back, to stick with you, or bring new customers to your brand. Case in point, let’s look at JD Gyms. In addition to conveniently freezing payments whilst their members couldn’t use their facilities, they gave them access to partnered brands. This meant that JD Gyms members could access discounts and special offers with brands like Sainsbury’s, Tesco, John Lewis and JD Group. As long as they kept their memberships, otherwise they would lose access. It’s this type of offer that drives up the value proposition because they’re gaining access to exclusive offers they won’t find anywhere else. |
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Email Campaign Tactics That Work
Once you’ve got your segments in order, prepared your channels, and crafted an irresistible value proposition, your attention should turn to the various mechanics within the win-back campaign. This is where we zoom in. We’ll look at best practices around subject lines and email sequences.
Analyse Subject Lines
Earlier we recommended joining your competitors’ email lists. After you’ve subscribed, put all the subject lines you like (and the ones you don’t) into a headline analyser such as Coschedule Headline Analyzer . Analyse these. What is it about them that you like? What could be improved upon?
Once you’ve collected enough and you’ve improved upon them, test out variations in A/B split tests. You want at the very least a 5% click-through-rate (CTR). An excellent CTR is anything 8% or higher. If your back-end metrics show this, you know you’re onto a winning subject line. Do these tests before you launch the real thing.
In your subject lines you need to consider several things:
Subject line length - 40–60 characters is the sweet spot – that’s around 8–10 words.
Even shorter on mobile - Mobile cut off subject lines at around 35 characters. That’s why it’s important to put your hook first.
Avoid all caps — Most email service providers (ESPs) penalise all cap subject lines, and besides, they look spammy to customers. Any other forms of sensationalism are also frowned upon e.g., overuse of exclamation marks, and emoji spam.
Avoid certain words – Some ESPs (especially Gmail) have cracked down on specific words. Their spam triggers block emails whose subject lines contain: "Free", "Buy now", "Act fast", "100% off", "Click here", "Lowest price", "Guaranteed".
Name in subject – Avoid including the user's first name in the subject line — Gmail increasingly flags this as “mass personalisation” and may classify it as promotional or spam. It used to help, but now it's being penalised, especially when paired with trigger words.
And then there’s the usual copywriting tips. Lead with the benefit as it immediately shows value to your readers, or create a sense of intrigue with curiosity-led copy, reinforce exclusivity, pose a question to make the tone conversational (which also humanises the brand), or try reinforcing recency that builds a narrative and emotional bridge. Your imagination’s the limit.
Campaign Sequences and Messaging
From our table above you’ll know that loyalty and marketing experts suggest sending 3 to 5 emails. You’ll also know to send a win-back email every 3-5 days. There’s no concrete number. Remember, these are just industry averages. Your best results will come from insights gathered from your own data. That’s why it’s important to test.
And since ESPs are cracking down on subject lines with name tags, there’s another personalisation opportunity. Again, this will depend on the strength of your tracking data. With an effective loyalty programme, you should be able to integrate your datasets and automatically collect vital information on customer past behaviours. This will allow you to tailor offerings to individual preferences.
You might even find that there’s entire segments with the same preferences. This will lead to hyper-segmentation. For example, further segmenting at-risk customers based on their past purchases or feedback. You can then bulk send win-back emails with offers that will resonate with them.
What Are the Best Practices for Using Multiple Channels in a Win-back Campaign?
The table above provides best practices around the regularity and number of messages sent in any given win-back campaign on various channels. In this section, we’re going to look at how these channels support one another within campaigns as well as recommended content.
SMS and Push Notifications
SMS and push notifications are vital in multi-channel win-back campaigns. This is mainly due to them being immediate formats, which are best used when timing adds value – such as instant loyalty rewards, time-sensitive perks, or important account updates.
As we know, today’s customers prefer your SMS and push notifications to be relevant and concise. Avoid sending generic promotions. A good rule of thumb is to use SMS and push notifications as follow-ups that reinforce the core message of your main email sequences. For example, an email may introduce a loyalty benefit, followed by an SMS nudge or app push to prompt action. All these different parts work in tandem as a cohesive sum of all parts – which is effectively a well-integrated campaign.
Just remember that the key here is context. Use immediate channels when the message warrants immediate attention, and always keep the tone, timing and offers consistent. When automation connects your CRM, email, and messaging tools, your customers will feel that these moments show the brand is attentive, interested and driven to provide the best possible experiences.
Social Media Retargeting
Social media is another powerful supportive channel in win-back campaigns, especially when used for paid retargeting. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok extend your reach to lapsed customers who may have ignored emails or SMS.
As always, ads should feel native instead of pushy. Therefore, highlight what’s changed. This could be:
- New features
- Loyalty perks
- Improvements based on customer feedback.
Tailor creative to platform behaviour. Visual storytelling works best on Instagram, short-form content thrives on TikTok, and service updates feel at home on LinkedIn. Your goal here is to rebuild familiarity without applying pressure. Subtle, benefit-led messaging like “See what’s new” or “We’ve made some changes” works better than direct discounts.
How Should You Measure the Success of Your Win-back Campaigns?
The main metrics you want to track are as follows: reactivation rates, CLV improvements, and the campaign ROI calculation.
Let’s consider JD Gyms’ results. As we mentioned earlier, their win-back campaigns managed to achieve:
- Over 50% of their paused customer base reactivated
- They also seen a 5,900% uptake in premium memberships
- Plus, 40,000 referrals into the wider JD Group through retained and reactivated customers
So, what’s the long-term impact? We’ve seen JD Gyms retention rates and customer lifetime value continue to improve post-campaign. This is due to high customer satisfaction and loyalty. All in all, we’d say it’s been a win-win when it comes to successful win-back campaigns.
What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Win-Back Campaign?
After all your preparation, you want to make sure that your win-back campaigns are textbook successful. To do that, you need to know what pitfalls to avoid. Here they are:
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Timing Errors
Bombarding recently inactive customers with daily messages comes across as desperate. This often results in churn. Conversely, waiting six months to reach out gives competitors space to jump in and claim lost customers. Finding the sweet spot requires testing frequency against customer tolerance levels. Not considering segment-specific timing: High-value customers deserve immediate attention within weeks, while low-engagement users can wait months. B2B customers need longer decision cycles than B2C, and seasonal businesses must align campaigns with natural buying patterns rather than arbitrary schedules. |
Messaging PitfallsGeneric communications: Mass emails starting with "We miss you" feel impersonal and lazy. Customers have grown savvy in recognising template messaging. As a result, open rates reduce as well as brand perception.
Messages centred around company achievements or sales targets flat out ignore what customers actually want—solutions to their problems. And that’s essential in a win-back campaign. Focus instead on better experiences, or genuine value propositions that benefit them directly. |
Your Win-Back Campaign Action Plan Awaits
And there we have it. You've got all the necessary information you need for shaping your win-back campaign. Remember the fundamentals, like segmenting your audience thoughtfully, timing your outreach strategically, and prioritising (always!) customer needs over business goals. Avoid the common pitfalls of generic messaging and poor timing that plague most campaigns. And you’ll be a winner.
Your next step? Start with your data. Identify your highest-value churned customers, craft compelling offers that address their specific departure reasons, and test your approach before full deployment.
Need help implementing your win-back campaign or building a loyalty programme that drives real results? Get in touch with our team—we'd love to help you turn any lost customers you may have into your biggest advocates.
FAQs
What is a customer win back campaign?
A customer win back campaign is a targeted marketing strategy designed to engage lost customers who have stopped interacting with your brand. These campaigns use personalised messaging and incentives to reactivate churned customers based on their behaviour patterns.
How effective are win back email campaigns?
Win back email campaigns can be highly effective when properly executed. Studies show they can recover 20-30% of lapsed customers, with some achieving over 50% reactivation rates. The key is personalised messaging and compelling value propositions.
When should I start a win back campaign?
Start win back campaigns 30-90 days after last customer activity, typically around day 45 for email. SMS works best at 60-75 days, while push notifications should trigger at 7, 14, and 30 days of inactivity based on usage thresholds.
What's the best way to engage lost customers?
To engage lost customers effectively, segment them based on departure reasons, craft personalised value propositions addressing their specific needs, and use multi-channel approaches. Avoid generic "we miss you" messages and focus on real benefits.
How many emails should I send in a win back campaign?
Send 3-5 win back emails spaced every 3-5 days. This frequency allows sufficient touchpoints without overwhelming customers. Test different sequences with your audience, as optimal frequency varies based on customer segments and industry.
Should win back campaigns target all churned customers?
No, prioritise high-value churned customers based on RFM analysis. Focus on customers with recent purchases, high frequency, and strong monetary value. This approach maximises ROI and ensures resources target segments with greatest potential return.
What incentives work best in customer win back campaigns?
Effective incentives address specific departure reasons - exclusive access, loyalty perks, service improvements, or partner discounts. Avoid generic discounts. JD Gyms succeeded by offering convenience and exclusive brand partnerships rather than fitness content.
How do I measure win back campaign success?
Track reactivation rates, customer lifetime value improvements, and campaign ROI. Successful campaigns should achieve 20-40% reactivation rates. Monitor long-term retention to ensure reactivated customers remain engaged beyond the initial campaign period.
What are common win back campaign mistakes?
Common mistakes include timing errors (too aggressive or passive), generic messaging, focusing on business needs over customer value, and ignoring segment-specific requirements. Always personalise based on customer data and test frequency tolerance levels.
Can social media be used for customer win back campaigns?
Social media works as supportive retargeting for customers based on their engagement history. Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram for paid ads highlighting improvements. However, avoid direct win back messaging on social media as it defeats personalisation objectives.
Author Bio, Written By:
Mark Camp | CEO & Founder at PropelloCloud.com | LinkedIn
Mark is the Founder and CEO of Propello Cloud, an innovative SaaS platform for loyalty and customer engagement. With over 20 years of marketing experience, he is passionate about helping brands boost retention and acquisition with scalable loyalty solutions.
Mark is an expert in loyalty and engagement strategy, having worked with major enterprise clients across industries to drive growth through rewards programmes. He leads Propello Cloud's mission to deliver versatile platforms that help organisations attract, engage and retain customers.
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