10 Unsubscribe Email Examples to Pull Back your Subscribers

[This post was originally published on 15th Oct 2021. It has been updated on 14th July 2022.]

The methodology with which you handle your email unsubscribes is way too important than what meets the eye. Rather than making your unsubscribe emails or opt out email examples look messy or letting people unsubscribe without a second thought, you should attempt to make things easy for people who are bidding goodbye to your email campaigns.

Remember, if people are not able to seek the unsubscribe email text or link in your email, they’d certainly mark it as spam. If your email marketing campaigns are getting more and more email spam complaints, it’s high time you started scrutinizing your unsubscribe process from close quarters. Failure to do so might lead to your HTML email deliverability score taking a hit in the long run.

Check our infographics on email deliverability best practices.

In order to retain subscribers, it becomes vital to figure out the reasons that motivate them to unsubscribe from your communications in the first place. 

So, let’s figure out how you can as a marketer win the hearts of your subscribers, and keep them from severing ties with you. In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the most effective unsubscribe templates out there. Hopefully, these unsubscribe examples will provide you with the inspiration that you’re looking for! 

1. JetBlue- Acknowledge Them Your Importance

The unsubscribe email template from JetBlue consists of new preference forms to accommodate the changing interests of the customer, an unsubscribe button, and, of course, socials buttons. The key aspect of this unsubscribe email sample is that it provides the readers with key navigation to update email preferences.

Just to make sure that the email reaches out to every cross-section of its audience (age, gender, location, etc.), JetBlue in its email HTML has aptly used modern fonts and graphics subtly stating all the reasons why subscribers should not unsubscribe from their newsletter. What is worth mentioning here is the inventive way in which they have summarized their salient features towards the bottom of the email, telling their customers what they stand to gain from JetBlue should they remain subscribed to its services. 

2. Puma – Add An Emotional Touch

Want to do something different from traditional approaches of email opt out examples? Take a look at this unsubscribe email template from Puma, which is bound to make people think twice before they part ways with the brand. The copy contains a thoughtfully crafted emotional message that perfectly encapsulates the brand’s remorse at losing one of its subscribers. This simple unsubscribe message template also contains a cleverly written line towards the end that encourages customers to “rejoin” should they happen to reciprocate the same feelings of remorse as Puma.

3. Charity: Water – Laughter Is The Best Way To Bond

Want to make someone think twice about ditching you? Make them laugh in your unsubscribe examples. No, seriously. After all, what subscribers would want to disengage from a brand that’s tickling their funny bones every now and then? Don’t believe us? Well, we’ve numbers backing our claim!. According to MillwardBrown, 69% of successful ads have used humor to captivate the imagination of their customers. 

Charity: Water put this philosophy to good use in their opt out email template over here. They designed an unsubscribe message template that offered users a choice to either watch a video of how their CEO got ambushed by water balloons or unsubscribe from their newsletter without watching it. Don’t know about you but our curiosity would certainly motivate us to click on the CEO water balloon video for sure.

4. Fab – Be To The Point

Embellished with great design features, Fab crafted one of the most unique unsubscribe email examples that allow subscribers to easily decide on what action they want to take ahead. To make it convenient for the customers, they decided to display the unsubscription message on the top of the email.

Rather than forcing or luring them by some offers, this unsubscribe email template simply gave them two options to choose from. Only goes to show that keeping things simple is never a losing tactic, even for opt out email examples.

5. Marine Depot- Inspire Them To Follow You On Social Media

This is the email HTML of Marine Depot that you’ll come across after unsubscribing from their newsletter. Rather than painting a sorry picture of themselves, Marine Depot decided to send a well-crafted unsubscribe confirmation email.

The confirmation opt out email template has all the links to their social handles. Even after unsubscribing from the email newsletters, they insist on maintaining relations through social media platforms. In the current scheme of things where social media dominates nearly every tangible aspect of our lives, this is actually a pretty smart move. Even if someone does decide to unsubscribe from your emails and newsletter, ensuring that they remain connected with your social media handles could prove to be beneficial for you in the long run.

6. Return Path- Be Playful And Precise About What You Conveying

A playful tone to amend your subscribers’ minds can be one of the best ways to reduce the number of unsubscribes. Return Path has kept it short yet playful with cute cartoon characters in this to-the-point email.

Instead of making it cheesy by melodramatic sentences, they have attempted to tell the user how much they missed them, and how they wished to engage them with more informative emails in the future.

7. Vimeo- Give Leverage To Choose What’s Better For Them

By using adorable robot figures and mind humor, Vimeo gets to the point right away in their unsubscribe email. They have allowed subscribers to set their preferences, thereby making their inboxes less messy. Sending each subscriber just one email per month is better than losing the subscriber completely.

8. Beta List- Consider Making Tasteful Use of Pop Culture References

Writing unsubscribe emails is never easy. While on one hand, you’ve to convey your regret and remorse, on the other you also have to let your customers know that you respect their decisions and feelings, no questions asked. So, how do you strike the right balance in the opt out email examples? Consider using a few pop culture references. The beauty of pop culture is that it is a universal language that needs no translation and hence including them in your unsubscribe emails is always a smart tactic. Who knows, if your reference strikes the right chords, it can very well cause your customers to do a double-check regarding their unsubscription decision.
Over here, Beta List makes use of the iconic “Toy Story” franchise to compose their unsubscribe email.

Image Source

9. Readymag

Readymag sends one of the best email opt out examples. The hero image itself suggests negation, rejection, and end of something. It is followed by a catchy headline that lets the recipients know that they have not opened any of their recent newsletters. Subsequently, the brand has informed the readers how they strive to keep their emails helpful. They have mentioned that they will unsubscribe them in a week and encouraged the recipients to stay subscribed. The CTA is actionable and draws the subscriber’s attention, persuading them not to unsubscribe.  

10. Myles Apparel

Last in this list of opt out email examples is the one by Myles Apparel. They have metaphorically referred to the subscriber’s inaction as being ghosted. It is a good idea to bring a smile on their face and get them to stay subscribed. In the email footer, they have reinforced their mission and USPs to attract the recipients. Besides, they have also shared their Instagram and Strava links to boost their social media visibility. All in all, it is one of the most powerful email opt out examples to get click-throughs.   

Some Quick BEST PRACTICES For Unsubscribe Email Campaigns:

Here are the top 7 tips you can use to create effective unsubscribe emails:

1. Muster some feedback if you can
2. Keep it simple, but relevant
3. Set expectations
4. Provide option to rejoin or re-subscribe
5. Stay connected through social media with your subscribers even after parting ways
6. Bring them to a well-crafted unsubscribe landing page
7. Don’t burn your bridges

Wrapping Up

Remember, just because someone has unsubscribed, it doesn’t mean your game is over. Give your best shot to change their mind or at least make their exit memorable. Set yourself apart and show them why it is necessary for them to receive emails from you.

One of the best ways to reduce your overall unsubscribes is to understand what prompted the subscriber to unsubscribe. Talk to our campaign management experts to help improve the conversion process.