How to measure a lead reactivation campaign

01

Freeze the eligible cohort

Choose a start date, relationship type and reason for selecting the records. Deduplicate the list, then record how many are eligible, suppressed or held for review. Check channel permissions, preferences, opt-outs and applicable contact rules before making an attempt.

Set an outcome window that fits the sales cycle and define a qualified conversation before outreach. Assign each record an identifier so replies and sales can be matched without counting a person twice.

02

Calculate rates with named denominators

Hypothetically, 150 eligible prospects enter a campaign and 120 receive an attempt. Within 90 days, 30 of the attempted prospects reply, 12 have a qualified conversation and 3 of those become customers. The reply rate among attempted prospects is 30 ÷ 120 = 25%; the sale rate among attempted prospects is 3 ÷ 120 = 2.5%. The sale rate among qualified conversations is 3 ÷ 12 = 25%.

The 30 replies include refusals unless the team categorizes them separately. Report the 30 eligible but unattempted prospects, opt-outs and complaints as separate counts. Do not call an appointment or a reply a sale.

03

Interpret the result carefully

Wait for the outcome window to close before comparing cohorts. Keep eligibility, message, definitions and follow-up window consistent, and show counts when groups are small. Record staff time and campaign costs alongside results to decide whether another run merits the effort.

A sale after a message does not prove the message caused it. If a valid comparison is needed, consider a suitable holdout group selected in advance, with the same eligibility rules and observation window. Review whether withholding contact is appropriate for the relationship before using one.

04

Build a review sheet

Give every campaign a row for the selection date, eligible count, attempts, reply categories, qualified conversations and confirmed sales. Record the outcome window beside the figures. Add campaign spend and staff hours as separate measures, and keep the cost of handling existing customer issues separate from acquisition activity.

At the review, ask whether replies received a timely response and whether opt-outs were applied across the relevant systems. If the list has inconsistent source records or a large share of unattempted contacts, resolve those gaps before comparing its results with another campaign.