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Marketing Academy · Field Work●Copywriting
All projects·From: Email Copywriting
CoreBuild the Asset· 45 minutes

Build a Win-Back Email End to End

Mailchimp

Objective: Write a complete win-back email, subject line, PAS body copy, one behavior-based personalization insert, and a single first-person CTA, using real subscriber data.

You're the lifecycle marketing writer at Mailchimp's internal team, building a win-back email for subscribers who haven't opened in 60 days and have an item sitting in an abandoned cart.

Draft the full email using the lesson's formulas, then verify it against the personalization and single-CTA rules before calling it done.

Before you start

What you'll need

Free path (everything below is enough to finish)

Google Docs
FreeDraft the subject line, body copy, and CTA

Free, shareable, sufficient for a written deliverable

Google Sheets
FreeLook up the subscriber's real cart-abandonment data for personalization

Free, matches the CRM-export workflow used in the personalization step

Paid upgrades (optional, faster/deeper)

Free tools are enough to complete this project end-to-end; Klaviyo only matters if you want to actually send the email.

Klaviyo(optional)
FreemiumSend the finished win-back email with behavior-based segmentation

Built-in behavioral triggers and segment tooling that match the personalization step

No access? The Google Docs draft is the graded deliverable; a sending platform is optional for this exercise

The process

4 steps

Step 01 of 04

Subject Lines: The Gate to Everything

Belkins' 2025 study found 41-50 character subject lines hit 17.57% CTR, and question-format subjects reached 46% open rates.

Write a subject line for a 60-day-lapsed subscriber using the question formula, staying within the 41-50 character range.

Google Docs— Draft in the subject-line field of the campaign brief doc.

Procedure

  1. Draft 3 candidate subject lines using the question formula
  2. Count characters, keep the shortlist to lines between 41-50 characters
  3. Pick the one with the most specific, credible outcome
Sample output
Candidate: 'Still deciding? Your discount expires Friday' (46 chars)

Healthy

The chosen subject line is a specific question tied to a real deadline, within the 41-50 char band.

Unhealthy

Shipping a vague subject like 'We miss you!' with no specific hook or length discipline.

What this means

Subject line length and format aren't style choices, they're the highest-leverage open-rate lever documented.

So what do I do about it?

SymptomActionEffort
Subject line drafts are all over 60 charactersCut to the single sharpest clause and re-count5 min
YouYou can do this yourself, no engineering access required.

Step 02 of 04

The PAS framework

PAS names the Problem precisely, Agitates why it matters now, then introduces the Solution as the natural resolution.

Write 3 sentences for the body, one per PAS stage, for a subscriber who abandoned a cart 60 days ago.

Google Docs— Body section of the campaign brief doc.

Procedure

  1. Write one Problem sentence naming the specific abandoned item
  2. Write one Agitation sentence stating what they're losing by waiting
  3. Write one Solution sentence introducing the win-back offer
Sample output
Problem: The wireless earbuds in your cart sold out twice since you last looked.
Agitation: The current batch has 6 left in stock.
Solution: Here's 15% off to lock in a pair before they're gone again.

Healthy

Each PAS sentence is specific and references the reader's own behavior, not generic copy.

Unhealthy

Writing a single vague paragraph that doesn't name the specific product or urgency.

What this means

PAS only works when Problem and Agitation are concrete; vague versions of either stage collapse the structure.

So what do I do about it?

SymptomActionEffort
Body copy reads as one generic paragraphSplit it into 3 explicit PAS sentences with specifics5 min
YouYou can do this yourself, no engineering access required.

Step 03 of 04

The personalization multiplier

Personalization beyond first names, behavior triggers, segment-specific copy, dynamic content blocks, drives the 26% open-rate and 133% reply-rate lifts Campaign Monitor documented.

Add one behavior-based personalization element to the draft using the subscriber's actual cart data.

Google Sheets— Cross-reference the subscriber's cart-abandonment row in the customer data export.

Procedure

  1. Look up the subscriber's exact abandoned item and date from the export
  2. Insert the specific item name and days-elapsed into the body copy
  3. Confirm the personalization references real behavior, not just a first name
Sample output
Row: subscriber_id 4471, item 'Wireless Earbuds Pro', abandoned 60 days ago -> inserted into subject and body

Healthy

The email references the exact product and timeframe pulled from real subscriber data.

Unhealthy

Personalizing with only '{{first_name}}' and calling it done.

What this means

First-name personalization is table stakes; behavior-based personalization is what multiplies engagement.

So what do I do about it?

SymptomActionEffort
The only personalization token is {{first_name}}Pull one behavior data point from the CRM export and write it into the copy30 min
YouYou can do this yourself, no engineering access required.

Step 04 of 04

CTAs: One Action, Maximum Clarity

Moosend/WordStream data shows single-CTA emails generate 371% more clicks; the CTA should complete the sentence 'I want to ___'.

Write one button CTA for this win-back email, and confirm there are zero competing links in the draft.

Google Docs— CTA section of the campaign brief doc, final review pass.

Procedure

  1. Draft a CTA completing 'I want to ___' in first person
  2. Scan the full draft and remove any secondary links or buttons
  3. Confirm exactly one button CTA remains
Sample output
CTA button: 'Get My 15% Off'
Secondary links removed: 'Browse New Arrivals', 'View Account Settings'

Healthy

The final draft has exactly one CTA, first-person, tied directly to the offer.

Unhealthy

Keeping the win-back CTA plus a 'Browse New Arrivals' link 'just in case'.

What this means

Every additional link is a vote against the one action that actually matters.

So what do I do about it?

SymptomActionEffort
The draft has 2+ buttons or links competing for attentionDelete every link except the single primary CTA5 min
YouYou can do this yourself, no engineering access required.

Final deliverable

A complete win-back email draft: subject line, PAS body copy with one personalization insert, and a single first-person CTA.

See a reference example
Sample output
Klaviyo win-back email draft (excerpt)

Subject: 'Still deciding? Your discount expires Friday' (46 chars)
Body: Problem/Agitation/Solution referencing the subscriber's cart
CTA: 'Get My 15% Off' (single button)

Success criteria

You're done when you can:

  • Subject line falls within 41-50 characters and uses a real formula
  • Body follows Problem-Agitation-Solution with one concrete detail per stage
  • Includes one behavior-based personalization element beyond first name
  • Exactly one CTA appears in the final draft