Most of my sales strategies are focused on actually identifying new business. But what about those existing customers, those people that already have worked with you they know you, you probably have plenty of customers who have for one reason or another just become disengaged with you. And it’s not necessarily through any fault of your own, they’ve just become disengaged. In this chapter, I’m going to share with you seven easy sales strategies to engage those existing customers, check it out.
Number one, call with a purpose. We never just want to call on an existing customer who’s become disengaged, just to check in, we want to bring value. So next time you call on that prospect, bring to them some type of an industry Insider, tell them about a new product or service that you have to offer.
Number two, take them to lunch or breakfast. You know, there is one trait that every single one of your customers have in common, and it is that they all have to eat. It’s amazing how when you offer to take them to lunch or breakfast. Suddenly, those people who’ve been tough to get through to are willing to give you a little bit more time.
Number three, send them a birthday card. I recently sent someone that I know a professional acquaintance a birthday card, and he actually sent me a message back saying that I was the only person besides his mother, who had thought to send him a birthday card. It’s amazing how you will get through. And nowadays with social media and the internet, it’s actually pretty easy to find someone’s birthday.
Number four, send them a relevant article, or book by mail with an accompanying handwritten note, maybe the note, all it has to say is, hey, John, this article just reminded me of you or I thought you really enjoyed this book. Truly, Mark.
Number five, this is one of my favorites, invite them to an exclusive customer event. What this means is that I challenge you to host private customer event at a local hotel or restaurant where you invite just your best customers and maybe a couple of even your top prospects to come together. And you are going to share with them some really useful industry insights to them. Everyone wants to come to an event, invite them and make them feel a part of something that’s special, something that’s exclusive.
Number six, ask for referrals and introductions. It’s actually amazing how when we suddenly ask for referrals or introductions from a client, an existing client who thinks highly of us, it’s amazing how we can often use that opportunity to actually re-engage that existing client, because now we’re getting to think about all of the great outcomes, all the great results that they had as a result of working for us. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals and introductions, not just in order to get those referrals and introductions, but also as a way to re-engage some of those clients who may have at one point or another become this engaged. Number seven, get feedback on what they see is actually changing in their industry, use it as an opportunity to gather some of their insight. And we don’t always have to be the 100% experts. Sometimes our clients have a lot of really useful information. Use this as an opportunity to find out what they see is going on in the field.