Right, let’s talk about something that keeps every email marketer up at night: churn. You nurture your list, craft compelling campaigns, and then… poof! Subscribers vanish. But what if you could see that churn coming and stop it in its tracks? That’s where AI comes in, and to get the lowdown, I had a chat with Poppy, a total whiz in the world of email marketing. She’s been diving deep into AI-powered churn prevention, and her insights are seriously game-changing.
“So, Poppy,” I started, “tell me, what’s the biggest hurdle you see people facing when tackling email churn?”
“Honestly,” she said, leaning forward, “it’s usually a lack of proactivity. Most companies react to churn. Someone unsubscribes, and then they might look into why. AI allows you to predict who’s at risk and do something about it before they hit that unsubscribe button.”
That makes total sense. Waiting until it’s too late is like trying to bail water with a teacup when the ship’s already sinking. So, how do we actually put this predictive power into action? Poppy explained it beautifully:
Step 1: Data, Data, Glorious Data
“The first step is getting your data ducks in a row,” Poppy emphasised. “AI thrives on data, so you need to feed it information about your subscribers’ behaviour.” This includes things like:
- Open and Click Rates: Are they consistently opening your emails? Clicking on links? A sudden drop-off is a red flag.
- Website Activity: Are they visiting your website? Browsing specific products or pages? This shows continued interest, even if they’re not directly interacting with your emails.
- Purchase History: Recent purchases indicate engagement. Stalled purchases or abandoned carts might signal frustration.
- Feedback (or Lack Thereof): Are they responding to surveys? Leaving reviews? Silence isn’t always golden; it can mean they’re losing interest.
- Support Tickets: Complaining customers are still customers, but unresolved issues lead to churn fast.
Essentially, you want to paint a holistic picture of each subscriber’s interaction with your brand.
Step 2: Identifying the Churn Risks
“Here’s where the AI magic really happens,” Poppy grinned. “You feed all that data into your chosen AI tool, and it starts to identify patterns and predict which subscribers are most likely to churn.”
AI algorithms analyse the data to spot correlations. For example, someone who hasn’t opened an email in 30 days, hasn’t visited the website in a month, and has an unresolved support ticket might be flagged as a high-risk case. Different AI platforms exist that can help here like, for example, platforms like ‘Optimove’ or ‘Bloomreach’, which are built for this very purpose. Remember to weigh up the cost with the benefits!
Step 3: Proactive Engagement: The Personalised Rescue Mission
Once you’ve identified your at-risk subscribers, it’s time to roll out the rescue mission. But this isn’t about sending generic “We miss you!” emails. It’s about crafting personalised messages that address their specific needs and concerns.
“Personalisation is key here,” Poppy stressed. “AI not only identifies who is at risk but also why. This allows you to tailor your messaging accordingly.”
Here are a few ideas:
- Personalised Incentives: Offer a discount on a product they’ve been browsing or a free trial of a premium feature.
- Targeted Support: Reach out to subscribers who have unresolved support tickets with a personalized offer to help solve the issue.
- Exclusive Content: Provide at-risk subscribers with access to exclusive content or resources that address their specific interests.
- Feedback Request: Directly ask why they’re losing interest and what you can do to improve.
Poppy shared a great example: “One company noticed a pattern: subscribers who abandoned their online design tool after struggling with a specific feature. The AI identified these users, and the company sent them targeted tutorials and one-on-one support, significantly reducing churn.”
Step 4: Automated Email Sequences
This doesn’t mean you need to write each email manually. Automated email sequences can be triggered based on the AI’s churn predictions. The trick is to make those sequences dynamic and personalised.
For example, an at-risk subscriber might receive a series of three emails:
- Email 1: “We noticed you haven’t been around lately. Is everything okay?” (Simple and empathetic)
- Email 2: “Here’s a helpful tutorial on
- .” (Targeted support)
- Email 3: “We’d love to hear your feedback. Take a quick survey and get a [discount/freebie].” (Incentivized feedback)
The best part? The AI can track the subscriber’s response to each email and adjust the sequence accordingly. If they engage with the tutorial, the sequence can shift to highlighting advanced features. If they ignore all the emails, you might consider a final “goodbye” offer or a final request for feedback. It’s about tailoring your output to get the best outcome.
Implementing predictive churn prevention with proactive engagement takes some effort, but the payoff can be huge. By leveraging AI, you can not only identify at-risk subscribers but also craft personalised experiences that re-engage them and keep them coming back for more. It’s about moving from reactive damage control to proactive relationship building, one personalised message at a time.
