Win Back Past Customers With One Short Text This Week

Think about the last ten customers you served. How many of them have heard from you since? If the answer is none, you are sitting on the cheapest source of new work you have. These people already know you, already trust you, and already paid you once. All you have to do is say hello.

I talk to a lot of Peoria and West Valley owners who spend their energy chasing strangers. Meanwhile their past customer list sits untouched in an invoice folder or a phone. Here is a simple way to fix that this week.

Why past customers are worth a message

A past customer does not need to be convinced you exist. They do not need to compare you to five other businesses. If the first job went well, you are already the safe choice. The only thing missing is timing. Most people forget who they hired last spring until something breaks again or they need the same service. If you reach out at the right moment, you are the name they remember.

Build your list in 20 minutes

You do not need software to start. Open your phone contacts, your invoices, your texts, or your email sent folder. Write down the name, the phone number, and the month of the last job for your last 30 to 50 customers. A simple notes app or spreadsheet works fine. Only include people who were happy with the work. If a job ended badly, leave that person off.

Send one short, honest text

Keep it personal and keep it short. You are not running a sale. You are checking in. Here is a message you can change to fit your trade:

Hi Maria, it is Barry from Sureway. I wanted to check in and see how everything is holding up since we last worked together. If you need anything, just reply here and I will take care of you.

Use the person’s first name and mention the actual job if you can. A message that sounds like it came from a human gets answered. A message that sounds like a mass blast gets deleted. Send it from your own business number, one person at a time, or in small batches so you can reply quickly when someone writes back.

Make it easy to answer

Ask nothing hard. Do not ask for a big commitment. A simple “reply if you need anything” lowers the pressure. If you get a reply, answer it the same day. Speed matters here for the same reason it matters with new leads. I wrote about that in why texting back beats voicemail, and the same rule applies when an old customer answers you.

A few things to avoid

• Do not text people who asked you to stop contacting them.
• Do not send the same message to your whole list in one hour and then go quiet.
• Do not make big promises you cannot keep.
• Do not use the message only to ask for a favor. Offer help first.

If you want a review while you are at it, send that as a separate message a few days later, not in the same text. I explain how in how to ask every customer for a review without feeling pushy.

Your task for this week

Pick ten past customers who were happy with your work. Send each one a short, personal check-in text by Friday. Keep track of who replied and what they needed. That is it. Ten messages, about half an hour, and you will learn quickly whether this works for your business.

Want help knowing where to focus?

If you are not sure whether your next hour is better spent on past customers, your Google profile, or your website, I can look at it with you. My free marketing report shows where your business stands online and what to fix first. There are no contracts, and you can stop at any time.

You can also call or text me at 602-492-6970. Sureway Marketing is at 8173 W Gelding Dr in Peoria, and I am happy to talk through your situation.

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