Win back email sequence for customers who stopped buying
Some customers bought once or twice and then went quiet, or cancelled their subscription. Winning them back usually costs less than finding new ones. This prompt has your todo.is agent read your website, look at what lapsed customers bought, and write a three-email win back sequence: a friendly "we miss you" with what is new, a reason to come back, and a final offer with a real deadline.
The prompt
- Write a 3-email win back sequence for [YOUR BUSINESS AND WEBSITE]. The customers are people who [WHO COUNTS AS LAPSED]. Read my website and mention what is new since they left: [WHAT IS NEW]. Email 1 (day 0): a friendly check-in with what is new, no discount. Email 2 (day 5): one strong reason to come back, like a best-seller or a customer story. Email 3 (day 12): a final offer, [YOUR OFFER], valid until a clear date, plus a one-click way to say "not interested". Each email under 110 words with 2 subject line options and a preview text. Match my brand voice: [BRAND VOICE]. Deliver it as a Word document I can paste into my email tool.
What to change
- [YOUR BUSINESS AND WEBSITE]: E.g. "Hilltop Coffee Roasters, hilltopcoffee.example". Your agent reads the site.
- [WHO COUNTS AS LAPSED]: E.g. "have not ordered in 120 days" or "cancelled their coffee subscription".
- [WHAT IS NEW]: E.g. "a decaf range and free shipping over 30 euros". Write "find it on my site" if unsure.
- [YOUR OFFER]: E.g. "15% off the next order" or "a free bag with the first box back".
- [BRAND VOICE]: E.g. "warm, a little playful, never pushy".
Example result
- Email 1 (day 0): what is new
- Subject: It has been a while / New beans since your last order
- Preview: Plus a decaf we are proud of
- Hi Clara,
- It has been a few months since your last bag of Hilltop coffee, so we wanted to share what has changed. We now roast a Swiss Water decaf that tastes like the real thing, and shipping is free on orders over 30 euros.
- Your old favourite, the Ridge Espresso, is still here, roasted every Tuesday.
- Take a look: (shop link)
- Ben at Hilltop
- Email 2 (day 5): a reason to come back
- Subject: The bag our regulars reorder most / Why 1 in 3 orders is this one
- Preview: Chocolate, cherry and a smooth finish
- Hi Clara, if you only try one thing, make it our Harvest Blend. It is the coffee our subscribers reorder most, and it works in a moka pot, a filter or a French press. (shop link)
- Email 3 (day 12): final offer
- Subject: 15% off, until Sunday / One last thing from us
- Preview: Then we will stop asking
- Hi Clara, we would love to roast for you again. Here is 15% off your next order until Sunday 23 November, code WELCOMEBACK. If you are happy where you are, no hard feelings: click here and we will stop sending these.
- Win back basics
- • Define "lapsed" from your buying cycle. Coffee might be 60 days; furniture could be 18 months
- • Lead with value, not discount. Save the offer for the last email
- • Exclude people who just complained or asked for a refund; they need a personal reply
- • Track reactivation rate: customers who buy again within 30 days of the sequence
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your business, who counts as lapsed and your offer.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen. Your agent reads your website first.
- You get the three emails in a Word file, each with subject lines and preview text.
- Paste them into your email platform as an automation. Ask your agent for a version for a second segment, like high spenders.
Tips for a better result
- Time the sequence to your product. Start it when a customer is clearly past their usual reorder time.
- Use one offer and a real deadline. Endless discounts teach customers to wait.
- Always include an easy way to opt out. It protects your sender reputation and respects the reader.
- Attach a CSV of what each lapsed customer bought, and ask your agent to suggest a product line per segment.
win back email: FAQ
- What is a win back email? An email sent to customers who stopped buying or cancelled, to remind them of your value and invite them back, often with a final offer.
- When should I send a win back email? When a customer is well past their normal buying cycle, for example 2 to 3 times the usual gap between orders.
- Should a win back email include a discount? Not always. Start with what is new or a strong product, and keep any discount for the last email of the sequence.
- What is the difference between win back and re-engagement emails? Win back emails target customers who stopped buying. Re-engagement emails target subscribers who stopped opening, to wake them up or clean your list.
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