An under looked but often effective place to look for new customers is in old customers. Old clients are an excellent source for picking up new business, gaining referrals, and testing the waters with a new product or service.
You might have a list of old customer contact information stuffed away in a drawer, in an Excel spreadsheet, or in a little black book.
Find this list and take the time to reconnect. They already know who you are. They like and trust your company enough to do business with you, so why not see if your service can help them once more?
More than likely, you’re a little hesitant. Maybe you don’t want to seem like a salesman, or maybe you feel a little embarrassed by contacting them after two years of virtually no communication. Either way, you have to realise the true business potential that comes with connecting with old customers, and you must take the first step.
Establishing a Connection
Many business professionals are timid about connecting with old customers because they’re concerned that an email or call from out of nowhere might come off as a little desperate or pushy.
Don’t worry, this isn’t the case–not if you do it correctly anyways.
In order to avoid having the customer think “What is he/she after?” you need to genuinely think about how you can help the customer before you contact them.
Ask them how they’re doing, ask about their business or new projects they have. Try to have a real conversation and rebuild the customer relationship you once had.
A good way to re-establish yourself with an old customer is to add extra value that goes above and beyond the service or product they experienced in the past. Give them something new and exciting that they can benefit from right then and there.
Act
An embarrassment-free way to connect with old customers is to offer them a helpful “freebie” that relates to their line of work. This could be anything like a free report, how-to guide, or a discount on a service. Gather the names of the people who took advantage of this freebie and give them a call or email. Accepting your freebie means they’re still interested in what you have to say.
A few other viable ways to connect with old customers is to:
1. Send out attractive cards through email or snail mail. Make the card stand out with superior graphics that will grab their attention and leave an impression.
2. Phone calls can be just as effective as greeting cards. If you know the old customer fairly well then this can be an excellent way to reconnect.
3. Create an annual “Customer Appreciation Day” and send out invitations out to all past and current customers inviting them to take advantage of new products, services, or deals.
So give it a try. Connecting with old customers should never be under looked, no matter how well your business might be doing. And if you’re interested in the graphic card idea but aren’t too good with graphic development, feel free to drop by Virtual Elves and we’ll set it up for you.
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