Before you do anything to bring in new clients, your next marketing project should be to win back former clients and engage or re-engage prospective clients with whom you’ve lost touch.
Former clients know, like, and trust you. Prospective clients may not trust you yet, but they know who you are and have given you permission to contact them.
Send them one or more emails. Reintroduce yourself and your services to people who can hire you or refer you, immediately or down the road.
It’s one of the most effective marketing strategies you can use.
What do you say to them?
Some clients left because they were unhappy about something. They should probably be called and you should be prepared to apologize and make amends. A surprising number will come back and forget all about their differences.
Most clients don’t have an issue, they simply drifted away. So, hearing from you again, even if you don’t say anything special, may be enough to get them re-engaged.
And, you can write about almost anything. Here are some ideas to grease your wheels:
- Just checking in/How are you?/Thinking about you (It’s amazing how well this works)
- It’s time. . . (to update something)
- Have you moved? (Verify their contact info)
- Check out this (article, video, post)
- Happy birthday (or holiday)
- It’s our anniversary (of working with you)
- I’d like your opinion about (something)
- I have a question for you
- A client success story
- A client who didn’t (do something and got hurt) story
- A gift to you (free ebook, training, form, checklist)
- Let’s connect (your social media channels)
- I’m sorry (for not staying in touch)
- News (about you, your services, a legal issue) that can affect them
- An invitation to an event
- Yeah, just about anything
A few guidelines:
- Write from “you,” not “the firm”
- Be yourself; speak plainly
- Build on what they already know and value
- Consider including a special offer
- Tell them what to do (call to action)
- Invite them to join or re-join your newsletter (so you can continue to stay in touch)
You invested time and money to bring in these clients and connect with these prospects. What might happen when you connect with them again?
You might find one or two former clients who hire you again or send you a referral.
You might find a handful of prospective clients who decide they’re ready to get started.
And you might find yourself smiling all the way to the bank because you’re bringing in an additional ten or twenty or fifty thousand per month that would have otherwise passed you by.
Why not write a few emails and find out?
