Somewhere in your records is a list of people who paid you, were happy, and would probably buy again. Most small businesses never contact them, and then spend money advertising to strangers.
The maths nobody does
Winning a new customer means being found, being chosen over competitors, and building trust from zero. Winning repeat work from someone who already likes you means sending a message.
The cost difference is enormous, and yet marketing effort in most small businesses is aimed almost entirely at strangers.
The question that usually lands: when did you last contact a customer who wasn't currently mid-job? For most small businesses the honest answer is 'never, unless they contacted me'. That's a list of warm, proven buyers being left completely idle.
Why it doesn't happen
- It feels like selling — and nobody wants to be the pushy one
- There's no obvious reason to make contact — "hello, remember me?" feels thin
- The list doesn't really exist — names are scattered across invoices, phones and memory
- Writing something takes time you'd rather spend on paid work
- You assume they'd call if they needed you — often they've simply forgotten your name
That last one is worth dwelling on. Customers rarely leave. They drift, and when the need arises again they search rather than remember.
Step one: build the list
An afternoon's job, once. Pull every past customer into one place — name, contact, what you did, roughly when. A spreadsheet is entirely adequate.
Do check your position on contacting them under UK marketing rules, particularly for anyone who's never been told you'd be in touch. Existing customers you've done business with are generally a more comfortable footing than cold contacts, but it's worth being deliberate rather than assuming.
Step two: find a reason that isn't selling
The trick to staying in touch without feeling pushy is having something to say that's useful on its own.
- Seasonal reminders — the thing they had done needs checking, servicing or refreshing
- Genuinely useful advice — how to get more life out of what you installed or supplied
- Something new you now offer that solves a problem they mentioned
- A heads-up — a price change, a busy season, book early if you want a slot
- Just checking it's still all fine — remarkably effective and completely non-salesy
That last one converts better than any offer, because it's the only message most customers ever get that isn't trying to sell them something.
Step three: make writing it a non-event
The reason this dies is that writing a decent message takes an hour you don't have, so it never reaches the top of the list. Drafting it is now a five-minute job — which is the difference between a good intention and something that actually goes out. See email that sounds like you and writing newsletters faster.
How often, realistically
Three or four times a year is plenty for most trades and service businesses. Monthly is right for some retail and hospitality. The failure mode isn't too often — it's stopping after two.
Pick a frequency you'll genuinely maintain and put it in the diary. Quarterly, done reliably for two years, beats monthly abandoned in March.
What to expect
Not a flood. A handful of replies, a couple of jobs, and — the underrated part — customers who remember your name next time. The compounding effect matters more than any single send, which is why consistency beats brilliance here.
And it's the cheapest work you'll ever win. See the jobs you lose without knowing.
Sitting on a list you never use?
Getting back in touch with past customers is usually the fastest work available. AskColin works with small businesses on exactly this — low-cost monthly support with one-to-one help whenever you need it. No jargon, no hard sell, and we'll tell you honestly if we can't help.
Have a free, no-obligation chatFrequently asked questions
Why should small businesses contact past customers?
Because winning repeat work from someone who already likes you means sending a message, while winning a new customer means being found, chosen over competitors and trusted from zero. The cost difference is enormous, yet most marketing targets strangers.
What do I say to past customers without sounding salesy?
Have something useful to say on its own — a seasonal reminder that what you did needs checking, genuine advice on getting more life from it, a heads-up about busy periods, or simply checking everything's still fine. That last one converts best because it's the only non-selling message they get.
How often should I contact past customers?
Three or four times a year suits most trades and service businesses; monthly works for some retail and hospitality. The failure mode isn't contacting too often — it's stopping after two. Quarterly done reliably beats monthly abandoned in March.
Do customers leave or just forget?
Mostly they forget. Customers rarely make a decision to go elsewhere — they drift, and when the need arises again they search rather than remember your name. Staying in touch is mainly about being remembered.