There are many reasons someone may have moved on from your company, some being out of your immediate control. There may have been no reason they stopped doing business with you, but you haven’t heard from them since their last transaction. If this is the case, your past client probably wants you to stay connected. If you disappear after a successful transaction, do you think your customers will be likely to call you when they or their friends need your services?
There are also a handful of situations in which something precise is the cause of someone ceasing to do business with you. This list may include a change in a customer’s circumstances, such as their income, job, or a change in address. Maybe they reacted when you offered a great deal or discount, but weren’t interested enough to continue doing business with you, or perhaps they had a bad experience with you. Although these may seem like dead-end situations, it’s important to send mail to your past customers and we’ll explain why.
1. You have the power to bring them back.
When dealing with a personal conflict, it’s often helpful to reach out to the friend or family member, apologize, and ask if there is anything you can do. Maybe you would offer to take them out to their favorite restaurant or to talk it out. In the business world, someone may have had a bad experience with you, but if they are greeted with radio silence after that experience, there’s no chance of them ever coming back. By sending a conversational email or deal, passing along a piece of information that is useful to them, or even mailing a mystery package (think creative campaigns), you reopen the line of communication in a pleasant way and invite them to come back to you. If the reason for their leaving was a mistake on your end, this can often times mend the predicament and send them back your way.
2. They need what you are offering.
Each of your customers came to you for a reason. They needed your services before and may still need them now, but for some reason fell off the wagon: they became too busy, their disposable income decreased, or they just shifted focus. With a clever and timely email campaign, you can have them back on your ship in no time. People like to be followed up with, and they appreciate persistence. It will speak volumes regarding the integrity of your business if you make it a priority to keep in contact with past customers. You likely have at your fingertips a goldmine of past clients who can easily become customers of yours again, and all it takes is a little rekindling.
3. They already have their foot in the door.
It is a lot easier – and cheaper – to re-engage past clients than it is to gain new clients. Past clients understand what you have to offer, they are familiar with you, and they probably like you as a person if they chose to do business with you in the past. You can ask them for a testimonial, which will cause them to reflect on their experience with you, and which may remind them of why you are beneficial to them. Alternatively, if they had a bad experience, you can ask them to complete a survey or interview in which they tell you the problems they faced or the reason why they are no longer working with you. If you get the chance to talk with them, you have the opportunity to offer solutions to the problems they encountered and to make things right. This could be done with a few emails or phone calls and is generally a lot less expensive than trying to obtain new clients through direct mail or a creative campaign, which leads a higher ROI for you.
We can help.
It’s important to remember that clients came to you for a reason – they see the value in your company and have a need for your business or service. With a little awareness and knowledge, you can tap into the abundance of past clients who are most likely open to working with you again. Fill out our web form to have an agent contact you within the hour (Monday-Friday, 9-5 EST), or check out our blog post on Direct Mail Secrets to Building Customer Loyalty for more information on how to maintain relationships with your current clients. We look forward to hearing from you!
