It’s well-known that it is more expensive to acquire new customers compared to retaining your existing ones, but what about when you try to win back former clients?
Mary Grace Shisler, marketing leader for Ziehler Lawn Care, based in Centerville, Ohio, says it is generally easier to regain former clients versus bringing in brand new clients because they are already familiar with their brand, approach and company culture.
“We are typically trying to find the right time that fits the client’s lives where they realize they need lawn care with us again, that could be due to financial reasons, testing out other companies, etc.,” Shisler says. “It is also easier to win back former clients as opposed to new due to the information we already know about the former customer and what they are looking for.”
Shisler adds this is a cost-effective audience from a marketing standpoint as they have a higher response rate.
Why Clients Leave and What Brings Them Back
Christian Judd, sales and marketing manager for Weed Man, says one of the most important aspects of their business is customer service so they always want to understand the reason behind a customer leaving. He says they will make detailed notes at the time of a cancellation so they can respond appropriately when they reach out during a win-back campaign.
“People buy on emotion, and then people also stop on emotion as well, which also can be very annoying, but that’ll play a super pivotal role,” Judd says. “We want to approach each interaction with understanding and being able to work with them.”
Judd says often these former clients simply want to be heard and listened to.
Tabitha Coker, director of sales and marketing for King Green, based in Gainesville, Georgia, says typically their customers don’t leave due to dissatisfaction. Rather it’s because of poor communication, timing, budget, or temporary circumstances.
“If we did a great job before, there’s a strong foundation to rebuild trust and re-earn their business,” Coker says.
Shisler adds they can be more specific and personal in their marketing outreach with former clients because they understand why they left in the first place.
Addressing past customers’ issues is the key to bringing them back to the fold.
“If their experience was generally positive, and their reason for leaving was something like timing or cost, they’re often open to returning,” Coker says. “That said, earning back their trust — especially if they had a service concern — requires a more thoughtful, personalized approach than with a brand-new prospect.”
Common Mistakes of Win-Back Campaigns
While the concept of winning back previous clients is a no-brainer for your business, the execution of your win-back campaign does require careful consideration.
Judd says failing to listen to the former client is one major mistake.
“A lot of companies that I see that are very, very quick to, rather than hearing the customer out, just start throwing offers at a customer, like, ‘Hey, I’m going to give you X, Y and Z, if you come back on board with me,’” Judd says.
Shisler agrees you shouldn’t just assume the only way to win back a client is through elaborate discounts.
“For example, if a previous customer wanted to try out a competitor, we would not assume it was just for better pricing, but maybe the expectations of results were not being met, maybe communication could have been more streamlined, etc.,” Shisler says.
Coker stresses you should avoid sending generic messages that don’t address why the client left in the first place.
“Our customer service staff works hard to try to get the answer at the point of cancellation,” Coker says. “When we’re doing our win-back campaign, we typically know the reason for cancellation.”
Another mistake with win-back campaigns is either reaching out too late or too frequently.
“While it is smart to remain top of mind, it should never come off as desperate or pushy, so spreading out communication at the right times and not flooding their inbox or mailbox with meaningless discounts should be limited,” Shisler says.
Retaining Former Customers Long-Term
Once you do manage to convince a customer to give you a second chance, you don’t want your efforts to be all for nothing.
All three companies say they make a point to provide the highest level of service to all their customers, regardless of how they were acquired. However, their client notes system can help them proactively address any issue that was problem in the past with returning customers.
“Our team is very good at taking notes on each account so we know the specific reason why someone left so we can address that head on when they sign back up,” Shisler says. “This also goes for any active customer, if something arises, we are quick on our feet to make it right.”
Shisler says their cancel rates have being improving year-over-year while also increasing their win-backs, indicating those who return are not changing their minds.
“If we address their original concerns and set clear expectations, most stay with us,” Coker says. “We focus heavily on onboarding and follow-up in those early months to ensure satisfaction.”
Judd says what matters most is how your company addresses customer pain points as it builds more loyalty.
“In the experience that I have, they typically return stronger and more stable, because we’ve already worked with them through some pain points that they had,” Judd says.
