Losing a customer is one of the worst feelings a business can experience. It’s hard to gain a customer, to begin with, and then when you can’t retain them, it can feel like a personal hit.
Should you just forget about the customers that leave you? Does it make sense to try and gain them back? Let’s look at five of the most effective ways to win back lost customers. Even if you are able to grab one or two of them back, it’s better than nothing!
Effective Ways To Win Back Lost Customers
When trying to win back customers, some methods work and others just cause you and the customer frustration. Here are a few of the ways that you can use to ensure you give yourself a chance at getting their business.
Give Them A Reason To Come Back
Sometimes it takes an incentive to get a customer back. Maybe you offered a new neighbor 20% off service, and now your old customer is upset. Offer them the same incentive!
Although it may take a little while for you to be as profitable with their account, in the end, you will make it back because of the longevity of having that customer in the place.
Another reason to come back may be a discount on the next purchase or something similar. You know the specifics of your business and what will work to get customers to come back and feel as though they are valued.
Personalize Your Approach
Sending generic letters and notes is not a way to win back a lost customer. Instead, it makes sense to personalize the approach and offer handwritten note cards or yellow letters asking for their business back.
Be smart about when these are sent and exactly what they say.
Make sure you acknowledge that a conversation may need to be had to get the customer to come back. Put a post-it note on the letter asking them to give you a call directly.
All of this can be done by Yellow Letters Complete to ensure it is done the right way.
Re-Engagement Direct Mail and Emails
Smart business owners put together a strategy to contact every lost customer. This can include a series of direct mail solutions (or drip campaigns) and emails.
Again, these are different from the information and outreach sent to a new lead. The direct mail must acknowledge that they were once a customer and you would like to win them back.
This process can work with both emails and direct mail. All businesses should be set up with a system that starts this process as soon as a customer is lost. Tweak the process and the individual components if you feel as though it is not working to engage the lost customer.
Are You Sure They Are Really Gone?
Sometimes you may think you have lost a customer when you may still be able to regain them. One of the best approaches to take here is to improve your customer service.
Customer service is a very important part of retaining a customer. Using customer surveys and making sure you stay in connection with customers will give you a heads-up if you may be on the brink of losing someone.
Depending on the situation and circumstances that caused someone to choose a different business over yours, you may want to ask for their business back.
Take a Chance, and Make a Change!
Have you considered your business processes or services and ensured they are truly the best for your customers and clients? Sometimes losing a customer could show you that your business needs some improvements.
If you make a change, let the customer know that your business has taken appropriate steps to fix the issues, and they may want to reconsider using your services.
Final Thoughts
Losing customers is tough. Try to be smart about how things go at the end; there is a good chance you can earn them back. Establish some best business practices to reduce the number of unhappy customers you may have.
