Remember the Jackson 5 hit “I Want You Back?” Michael and his brothers sing, “Oh baby give me one more chance (show you that I love you). Won’t you please let me (back in your heart)?” You should add this song to your marketing playlist.
Reach out to your former customers and tell them you want them back. It can be one of the most cost-efficient ways to increase sales – especially in a down economy.
Here’s how:
1) Search your database for lapsed customers. For example, you might find those who made purchase in the past three years but not in the past six months.
2) Send an email that says, “We want you back.” I received such an email this week from a video editing and hosting service called Animoto. The subject line: “We miss you – free Animoto.” The email offered me 18 months of service for the price of 12 if I renewed within one week. It also described great new features (with links for more information).
3) Use an email marketing system that tracks who opens the email and clicks links and then follow-up. For example, you can call or send another email to those who click a link but don’t renew by the deadline.
4) Include a survey that asks lapsed customers where they’ve been, why they left, and what you can do to win them back.
Take these steps at least once a year, and you’ll win back customers who would otherwise be lost forever.
This article by MarketVolt’s Tom Ruwitch originally appeared in St. Louis Small Business Monthly
Remember the Jackson 5 hit “I Want You Back?” Michael and his brothers sing, “Oh baby give me one more chance (show you that I love you). Won’t you please let me (back in your heart)?” You should add this song to your marketing playlist.
Reach out to your former customers and tell them you want them back. It can be one of the most cost-efficient ways to increase sales – especially in a down economy.
Here’s how:
< ! [if !supportLists] >1) < ! [endif] >Search your database for lapsed customers. For example, you might find those who made purchase in the past three years but not in the past six months.
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< ! [if !supportLists] >2) < ! [endif] >Send an email that says, “We want you back.” I received such an email this week from a video editing and hosting service called Animoto. The subject line: “We miss you – free Animoto.” The email offered me 18 months of service for the price of 12 if I renewed within one week. It also described great new features (with links for more information).
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< ! [if !supportLists] >3) < ! [endif] >Use an email marketing system that tracks who opens the email and clicks links and then follow-up. For example, you can call or send another email to those who click a link but don’t renew by the deadline.
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< ! [if !supportLists] >4) < ! [endif] >Include a survey that asks lapsed customers where they’ve been, why they left, and what you can do to win them back.
Take these steps at least once a year, and you’ll win back customers who would otherwise be lost forever.
