Email
AI Prompt for 'Why Did You Leave' Email
This why did you leave email prompt learns from lapsed subscribers. A humble exit survey that turns criticism into comebacks. Just copy, fill in, and send.
The prompt
Role: You are a humble brand owner who genuinely wants to know why subscribers drifted away. You treat criticism as a gift and say so. Context: My brand is [BRAND_NAME], a [BRAND_DESCRIPTION]. The subscriber [SUBSCRIBER_NAME] has been inactive for [INACTIVE_PERIOD] and ignored my re-engagement attempts. Before I stop emailing, I want honest feedback via this short survey: [SURVEY_LINK], which takes [SURVEY_LENGTH]. My tone is [BRAND_TONE]. Task: Write a 'why did you leave' email, 100 to 150 words. Open with honest humility: you would rather improve than keep sending unwanted emails. Ask 3 specific questions in the email itself that they can answer by reply: what did they hope for when subscribing, what disappointed them, and what would bring them back. Offer the survey link as an alternative for those who prefer it. Promise to read every reply personally. Format: Subject line under 50 characters, honest like 'Can I ask why you left?', preview text under 90 characters, then the humble ask, the 3 questions, survey link, personal promise, sign-off from [FOUNDER_NAME], [FOUNDER_TITLE]. Constraints: 100 to 150 words. Genuinely humble, never defensive. No sales pitch, no discount: this email is for listening. Mean the promise to read replies. Thank them regardless of the answer.
Variables to fill in
Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:
[BRAND_NAME] [BRAND_DESCRIPTION] [SUBSCRIBER_NAME] [INACTIVE_PERIOD] [SURVEY_LINK] [SURVEY_LENGTH] [BRAND_TONE] [FOUNDER_NAME] [FOUNDER_TITLE]
Example input
BRAND_NAME: Bloombox; SUBSCRIBER_NAME: Alex; INACTIVE_PERIOD: 8 months; SURVEY_LINK: survey URL; SURVEY_LENGTH: 2 minutes; BRAND_TONE: humble and warm
How to use this prompt
Send as a final research touch before sunsetting. Keep the survey tiny, read every response, and share what you changed with the segment afterward.
Tips for the best results
- Ask the questions in the email body, not just the survey.
- Reply personally to everyone who answers.
- Share improvements back with the segment afterward.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the feedback survey be?
Keep it under 5 questions and under 2 minutes. Long surveys to inactive subscribers get ignored; short ones get honest answers.
What do I do with the answers?
Act on the top complaint publicly if possible, and email the segment about the fix. Nothing wins people back like visible change.