How to reactivate old customers before autumn

Finding a new customer takes effort. They have to find you, compare you and decide to trust you.

A past customer has done all that. What stands between them and booking again is mostly that they have not thought about it.

Early autumn is a good time to remind them. The garden needs work before winter, and the rush has not started yet.

• Pull a list of customers you last saw 9 to 18 months ago.
• Pick one seasonal job to offer each one, based on what you did before.
• Send a short personal message with two dates.
• Follow up once, a week later, and then leave it.
• Include a way to opt out, and respect it.

Nine to 18 months is the useful window. More recent than that and the job is probably not due. Much older and they may have found someone else, though they are still worth one message.

Start with yearly jobs: the hedge you cut last September, the lawn you treated last autumn, the borders you cleared.

Then customers who had a one-off job and seemed pleased with it.

Leave out anyone who was slow to pay or hard work. This is your chance to choose.

One job, not a list. Tie it to what you did for them and to the season.

For gardening, September and October suit:

• Hedge cutting, now the main bird nesting season has ended.
• Lawn repair: scarifying, aerating and overseeding while the soil is still warm.
• Cutting back and clearing borders.
• Leaf clearance, booked ahead as a regular visit.
• Planting bulbs, trees and shrubs.

Mention the last job by name. "I cut your beech hedge last September" shows it is a real message, not a mailshot.

These are marketing messages, so the rules on marketing texts and emails apply.

In short: only message customers who gave you their details when they bought from you or asked for a quote, only about your own similar services, and give them an easy way to opt out every time. They should also have had the chance to opt out when you first took their details.

If someone says stop, take them off the list and keep a note, so you do not message them again.

The ICO's guidance on direct marketing sets out the detail.

One message, then one follow-up a week later. Then stop.

Two messages is a reminder. Four is pestering, and it costs you the goodwill you were relying on.

Anyone who replies "not this year" goes on next year's list with a note.

Say you message 40 past customers and 8 book a job averaging £120. That is £960 of work for an hour of texting.

Anyone who books again next year costs you one more text.

Compare that with the time and money it takes to find eight new customers from nothing.

• Build the list from your diary, bills or phone.
• Write one message per job type.
• Send ten a day, so you can keep up with the replies.
• Put the follow-up date in your calendar.

Hi [name], it is [your name]. I [cut your hedge / treated your lawn] last [month] and it will be about due again. I am booking autumn work now and have [day] or [day] free near you. Would you like one of those? Reply STOP if you would rather I did not message.