Sales is a huge part of growing your small business, but it’s so easy to only think about selling when it comes to potential customers and leads. We tend to forget that your sales process can still apply to the customers and leads you already have paying attention to you. And in fact, it absolutely should.
Because the truth is: you already have enough information about your existing customers to know what they need, and you have a direct channel of communication with them. They are the easiest pool of people to sell too.
If you’ve been neglecting this audience, it’s time to do more with the people you have. Read more to learn how, including:
- Why you should focus on existing leads and customers
- Strategies to generate more sales with existing leads and customers
- Lead and customer retention best practices
- How Enji can help you maximize your leads and customers
Why You Should Focus on Existing Leads and Customers
The biggest benefit of focusing on existing leads and customers: Money! As you’re growing your business, it’s so important to get the biggest ROI with your sales and marketing, and following up with existing leads, paying attention to customer retention and increasing your customer lifetime value (CLV) are all great ways to do that.
In fact, retaining an existing customer can cost five to seven times less than converting a brand-new customer. That’s a huge benefit when it comes to maximizing your budget and getting the biggest ROI from your sales efforts.
Along with saving money, you’ll save time as well. When you’re marketing to a brand new lead, it can take 20+ touchpoints before they convert to a client (depending on your industry… and honestly this number is probably low), but with an existing customer, it might only take 7-10 touchpoints.
That’s a lot of time back to do other things.
Strategies to Generate More Sales with Existing Leads and Customers
If you’re thinking… uhh, that’s great, but how do we do that? Don’t worry, we aren't gatekeeping. Though selling to your existing leads and customers takes less money and less time, you still need a specific strategy.
If you use the same sales tactics that you’re using to attract brand new people into your world, you’ll probably overload your existing customers with too much information and risk losing their recurring business.
Instead, here are some ideas to generate more sales with your existing people:
Re-Engage Inactive Leads
If you look at your email lists today, you probably have a ton of potential customers that just need a little push. All of these people who downloaded your opt-in or joined your newsletter list can use a reminder about your services and something to excite them about you again, like a special promotion or offer.
Create Nurture Campaigns for Warm Leads
Once your leads have a good understanding of your brand and business, it’s time to nurture them to convert. If you don’t have nurture sequences set up for your warm leads, you’re missing out on that final piece of their sales journey. With a series of emails, you can introduce the value behind your offering and encourage them to take action. You can find five email sequences to improve your marketing here!
Upsell and Cross-Sell to Current Customers
Next, let’s take a look at your existing customer base. Could they benefit from additional services or add-ons? Chances are they definitely can (because your stuff is the best stuff, right?). Upselling and cross-selling additional offers is a win-win since you both can get more bang for your buck!
Leverage Testimonials and Referrals
With every customer you work with, you should be asking for a review or referral (no excuses!). The worst that can happen is they don’t reply with one, but you’ll definitely have customers who are eager to help you out. You can even automate the whole process with an email toward the end of each client’s project–that way, you don’t even have to think about it!
Then, actually do things with those reviews. If they leave you a review on Google, that’ll help boost your SEO already. But if they just share words with you (or leave a review on another platform), screenshot and share on social media!
Create a Loyalty Program
If your existing customers enjoy working with you, all it can take is a little sweetening of your deal to get them to book again. With a loyalty program, you can offer discounts for customers who book more services. Building loyalty is a great way to extend your customers’ retention and lifetime value with your business.
Lead and Customer Retention Best Practices
As you’re building your sales strategy for leads and customers, keep these best practices in mind:
- Focus on value-driven content: Especially when it comes to selling to your leads, you want them to see the value behind your services. Unlike brand awareness campaigns, now is the time to communicate the solutions you’re offering.
- Be consistent in your communication: Part of the reason why leads never convert is because they just simply forget about you (we know, it’s a little harsh). But with consistent, valuable communication like a lead nurture, you’ll stay top of mind.
- Offer open feedback loops - One of the best ways to re-book clients is by offering an amazing experience. In order to do so, it’s important to continually gather feedback and make changes based on what your customers say. That way, they’ll know you’re creating the best experience for them long-term!
- Prioritize community building - With a sense of community comes loyalty. That doesn’t mean you need to build a Facebook group or online community (though that can definitely be helpful!)–your community can also come from your loyalty program, client newsletter, and other ways you create a unique experience for them. Head here for more ways to build a community around your business!
How Enji Helps You Maximize Your Leads and Customers
With Enji, you can keep an eye on your existing customers and leads to better understand how valuable they are. In particular, the KPI Dashboard will help you track your customers’ Average Order Value (AOV) as well as their Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
With these KPIs, you can better determine who to sell to and what types of customers are more likely to re-book with you.
Plus, the visual dashboard makes it easier to monitor your goals and stay on track! Start a free trial today to see how Enji helps you grow your business.
