**article updated on 22 January 2019**
It can be easy to fall into the trap of prioritising new leads over inactive customers. Whilst generating new opportunities is crucial, nurturing customer loyalty should also be of high importance.
Inactive doesn’t have to mean lost
Customers that have become inactive can often be classed as a “lost opportunity” as businesses fail to initiate further contact. However, re-engaging with past customers can allow businesses to reconnect with anyone that has previously shown an interest. Those with an identified interest may be more likely to purchase the good/service in future.
Customer satisfaction and insight surveys can be an effective platform for initiating communication with anyone you have lost touch with. Checking in with lapsed customers can enable you to establish why they stopped using your business. This is valuable information for any company wanting to reconnect with inactive customers. This helps identify if previous customers have begun using competitors and if so, why they did not choose you.
Communication is key
Inactive customers may have been in a challenging financial position when they first communicated with you and it is important to check if this situation has improved since. Failure to check may cause you to miss an opportunity to reconnect with a customer that could now be in a position to purchase.
Communication is key to maintaining customer loyalty whilst also remaining on their mind. To put it in a marketing term, you want to remain in their ‘evoked set’ or the group of brands that the customer thinks of first. This can be achieved through regular communications such as offers and advice. Persuading the consumer that you have their interests at the heart of what you do will help to encourage a favourable response towards your brand. Although this may not reap financial rewards straight away, it is a method of lead nurturing and will help you stand out against competitors.
To put it in a marketing term, you want to remain in their evoked set or the group of brands that the customer thinks of first
Building a relationship with each prospective customer can take time and require you to go off script in order to develop rapport on the call. This is why at Enhance we do not use structured scripts. We work with our clients to develop key talking points to be discussed. This allows each member of the team to approach the call in a way that is natural to them. We are all human and often those receiving your calls will welcome a friendly conversation that goes beyond the standard sales pitch.
Join in the conversation
Making the time to communicate with inactive customers can re-open opportunities previously thought to have been lost. This initiation of contact may just sway the indecisive customer to you. It is important not to disregard customers that don’t purchase straight away. Instead nurturing potential customer relationships until they are ready to purchase.
Do you have any tips to help re-engage with inactive customers? Let us know in the comments below or join in the conversation on social media @enhanceconsult
