We tend to get comfortable when we’re around the same people often enough. Whether it’s a partner, friends, or colleagues, there’s a level of comfort that sets in after a certain point. While it’s great to be in common company that knows what you’re all about, it’s important to rekindle these relationships so that the other side knows they’re still valued.

The same goes for your email subscribers. Of course, your subscriber knows what you’re all about and is still feeding into your campaigns. The problem is, you don’t really know who is paying attention, who is sort of checking out, and who doesn’t exactly remember that they signed up, to begin with. These are all different stages of an exit cycle. This is what you don’t want.

In order to retain hard-won subscribers, use the month of gratitude and giving to show them that you’re thankful for their audience. There are a few ways to do this.

The simplest way is to send the thank you email campaign speaking directly to your subscribers from the heart. Treat this a bit like the year-end Christmas letters your great aunt Geraldine might have sent. Except, we’re going to twist it up. We’re going to keep it have 500 words; we’re going to make it punchy and segmented. The intro will talk about your gratitude, and the second segment will cover the achievements through the year and how your subscribers played a part in that success. Keep this section short. Nobody likes a glory hog. The third section uses key language and phrasing in order to show authority on the topic at hand. Your goal is to make sure they’re not bored, so do that by dropping some seeds about what’s coming up that might be privileged information. If you can, release an article or product that is only accessible to subscribers as a token of your thanks. This directly gives your subscribers something to show off with – something only they have and can share or purchase through you.

As you’re crafting this campaign, remember that your audience is forgetful. They won’t automatically know of wins or shareables. They’re not always in the loop even if they are part of your campaign. They need nudging and directing. That goes for social channels too. A lot of times, subscribers will be all about your email campaigns and Facebook page, but they’ll forget you have a strong Twitter presence or are launching weekly Instagram videos. Whatever it may be, there’s a good chance even your most loyal audience members have been too busy to keep up with it. The thank you email is a good opportunity to nudge them about what else is going on and how they can stay connected.

Unlike newbie subscribers that you’re just directing to the most popular calls to action, veteran subscribers can step it up. You might want to segment your list based on this tier and ask for greater involvement from your senior subscribers. Maybe there’s a new philanthropy initiative you think your best brand ambassadors (oldest customers) might be a perfect fit for? Perhaps there’s a segment of your audience that’s very socially active and they can start acting as digital ambassadors making it a point to share one piece of content per week. This is the time to not only thank subscribers but to activate them as well. Show then you’re thankful by being as inclusive as possible.

Author Bio:

by Shireen Qudosi

Shireen Qudosi is Benchmark Email's Online Marketing Specialist and Small Business Advocate. An Orange County based writer, Shireen specializes in online marketing and public relations. She has written for over 75 publications and has launched nine successful new media campaigns to date. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Denver Post, the Oklahoman and Green Air Radio, among others.