Reactivating long‑inactive users to increase profitably
Two real‑world examples that show why contacting “dead” leads (12+ months inactive) can still deliver measurable revenue - when done on an isolated, deliverability‑first stack.
OptiKPI ran a reactivation program targeting recent inactives.
+27.3% login uplift after the campaign window - clear signal that targeted messaging to lapsed users drives action.
Primary CRM stayed conservative: users inactive for 1–3 years were excluded to protect sender reputation.
Why that matters?
Traditional CRMs (Customer.io, etc.) protect your main domains and IPs - which means older dormant users remain untouched . That’s safe, but it leaves money on the table.
Our angle
We run on fully isolated domains & IPs - zero exposure to your primary domains.
We can target players inactive for 12+ months with reply‑led sequences and daily reminders.
If they engage, we hand them back to your CRM for life‑cycle marketing.
Result to expect: Not every brand sees a +27.3% increase in logins - but you will reach users your CRM couldn't touch; without risking your sender reputation.
Login uplift after reactivation wave (inactive <6 months, illustrative).
Key takeaways
Dormant users respond strongly when the offer timing and creative are right.
Older dormants are left out by CRMs due to being considered a deliverability risk .
Running a separate cold stack lets you reach them safely and yields good results.
How R2.bet differs
There is no age limit to deliverability and leads
Everyone who ever engaged with your platform can be considered a fresh lead
If a user missed all your emails due to deliverability - we will land in their inbox with your offer once more
They set up a separate sending infrastructure for their dormant segment (>12 months inactive).
They got a second chance to engage with an audience that forgot they existed.
Any engagement was moved back to the main CRM for ongoing marketing.
Results
3.5M customers reactivated (from 20M dormants).
~22% open rate on win‑back emails across the campaign
~7:1 ROI on dedicated reactivation efforts.
Re‑engaged buyers had similar AOV to never‑dormant customers.
Program sustained a 2.3× ROI over four consecutive years.
Reactivation performance metrics (illustrative).
What this proves
Year‑long inactives are not automatically worthless.
With the right approach, they can be reintroduced at a profit .
Once re‑engaged, they go through the same cycles as active users.
Risks & how we mitigate them
Deliverability risk → use isolated IPs/domains , warm‑up & limit mass sending.
Compliance risk → Communicate unsubscribes so they can be removed (keeps your CRM list fresh as well).
Brand risk → reply‑led sequencing reduces perceived spam and allows users to engage more naturally
Conclusion - Why a separate cold stack pays off
Your primary CRM does its job: protects your sender reputation so you can deliver to active users.
That has a trade-off of letting many users slip through the cracks of what is considered "active". We reach those for you .
Inbox placement first: With our proprietary server and IP combination, we will land your retargeting offers in the inbox - increasing conversion, retention and brand awareness.
Metric
Customer.io
Return2.bet
Audience
≤ 12 months inactive
12–36+ months inactive
Limitations
Everything older than 12 months is considered dead
None
Reputation risk
Moderate (need to constantly maintain engagement)
None
Handoff
On average - 60% open rate
100% delivery rate - up to 80% open rate due to inbox placement