Stay in touch, stay top-of-mind with customers

By Anh-Minh Le

Out of sight, out of mind.

When it comes to your business, that’s definitely not a sentiment that you want to ring true. So it’s important to stay on your customers’ radars—that way, if they need a service or repair, your name will be the first one that comes to mind.

• Anniversary: Even if the service you provide isn’t an annual occurrence, consider contacting your customers on the anniversary of your last visit with them. It’s a good excuse to reach out. And who knows? Maybe they were thinking of scheduling an appointment, but just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

• Follow-up: A great way to keep a customer is to show that you care whether or not they’re satisfied with the work you did. Follow up a week or a month after your appointment, to make sure everything is going smoothly. There’s nothing like good customer service to turn a one-time deal into repeat business.

• Tips: Let’s say you’re a professional chimney sweep. In between suggested annual visits with your customers, send them an email with some maintenance tips and reminders. For example: If they have a wood-burning fireplace, suggest that they keep an eye on any signs of soot buildup. Offer recommendations on which types of wood are best to burn. Perhaps it will prompt them to call you out for an additional visit. Or, like the follow up, it’s something that may exceed their customer service expectations, which is always good.

• Promotions: It’s not uncommon for folks who work in seasonal industries to offer specials and discounts during slower periods. If you do so, make sure you get the word out to your customers—perhaps through direct communications and social media.

• Slow seasons: If applicable, send reminders to customers that the off-peak season is a great time to take care of routine maintenance that may help avoid bigger and more expensive problems later. And for routine stuff, it doesn’t hurt to schedule an appointment before the demand increases. For example: Waiting until the summer months to have your air-conditioning unit checked may mean delayed service, since everyone else is thinking the same thing when it’s hot out.

Of course, you don’t want customers to feel like you’re bombarding them with emails and calls, either. Just a handful of communications throughout the year can go a long way in staying top-of-mind with customers.