How do “cold triggers” differ from real-time sends?

Cold triggers target recipients based on historical data or time lapses rather than recent activity:

Examples of cold triggers:

Re-engagement emails to dormant subscribers. Anniversary emails based on past dates. Replenishment reminders based on purchase history. Winback campaigns for lapsed customers.

Real-time triggers:

Respond to actions just taken. Recipient demonstrated current interest or need. High probability of engagement.

Deliverability differences:

Cold triggers inherently target less engaged audiences. Engagement rates typically lower than real-time triggers. Higher risk of hitting inactive accounts or spam traps. Reputation impact more likely negative.

Risk mitigation:

Limit cold trigger volume relative to real-time sends. Use engagement filtering even for cold triggers. Monitor cold trigger performance separately. Consider cold triggers carefully in reputation management.

Cold triggers reach into the past. That past may include addresses that have become problematic since last contact.