5 Email follow-ups guaranteed to win you more sales

So many service business owners spend most of their valuable time and energy trying to acquire new clients.

But what if right under your nose was an easier, more efficient way to grow your bottom line?

That’s right. The clients you already have.

Your existing client relationships are invaluable. Instead of constantly having to chase after new business, consider how your current clients represent the most cost-effective way to generate more income.

Think about it. They already know you. They’ve booked with you before.

And so they’re the most qualified candidates for a proper upsell or cross-sell.

Whether your clients are “one-offs” or regulars, growing your income means thinking about how you can maximize each and every purchase someone makes.

McDonald’s boosts their bottom line by millions year after year by simply asking “Would you like fries with that?” That’s the power of an upsell in action.

Upsells don’t have to be complicated, nor do they have to be pushy, by the way.

It’s all about popping right offer at the right time.

How to score more sales with follow-ups

As a service provider, there are two primary ways you can squeeze more out of your current clients.

1) Sell them more of your time by encouraging more bookings in the future

or

2) “Supersize” your service with relevant upsells and cross-sells

But ideally, you can do both.

A totally free and simple way to do both is through a quick email follow-up. Remember: your clients already know who you are and so they’re highly likely to open any messages you might send them.

You’ve already done the legwork of building a relationship and getting their attention: all you need is the right offer to reel them in.

And if you’re looking for the right offer, you’re in luck! Below we’ve outlined five examples of simple yet power email templates you can roll out to win more business time and time again.

1. The “cross-sell” follow-up email

Storytime!

A few weeks ago, I hired a freelancer to help me out with a newsletter project I was working on.

The project was short and sweet, and the developer did a fine job.

However, the developer surprised me with a follow-up offer via email after our initial project was over. She noticed that I didn’t have an electronic business signature on my emails and offered to create me one at a price I couldn’t resist.

This is a perfect example of an offering being presented at the right place and the right time. My developer managed to seal the deal by recognizing a pain point I wasn’t even aware of. Since she followed up so quickly, her previous job well done was already fresh in my mind so I was confident she’d knock our next one out of the park.

You should strive to do the exact same with your own clients. Here’s an example of a cross-sell follow-up you can use yourself if you’re a web professional such as a designer, developer or online marketer:

When You Should Send It:  Immediately after your initial project is completed, or within a day or so.

2. Reactivate & re-engage follow up email

Some former clients just need a little “push” to become active clients again.

This is especially true if you work in a business that’s primarily seasonal.

For example, imagine that you’re a tax consultant that wants to ensure a past client returns to file their taxes with you again. The key to sealing the deal is reminding that past client just how satisfied they were with your success in the past.

Maybe you saved your client major money or time. Perhaps you were there during an important milestone in their life.

By reminding them of your positive results in the past, you can guarantee that your next interaction will be just as successful (or hey, even better).

When Should You Send It: Depending on the seasonality of your business, you could wait anywhere between a few weeks to a few months. Ideally, you should time your emails based on when someone might be in need of your services again. For example, if you’re a florist that did business with a new client during Valentine’s Day, it would make sense to re-engage with them around Mother’s Day.

3. The upsell follow-up email

Upsells provide businesses the most “bang for your buck,” especially if the service you provide is only occasional during a client’s lifecycle.

For example, roofers or carpet cleaners might interact with customers as infrequently as a few years, meaning that your initial meeting might be the only opportunity you have to upsell.

If your business falls into this category, it only makes sense to “supersize” every deal by offering something extra to clients. This could mean charging more for “emergency” or time-sensitive service or offering a “comprehensive” service package as an upsell.

When Should You Send It: Right after your initial conversation with your client, preferably before you send a price estimate so they can “okay” your upsell offer beforehand.

4. From “one-off to regular” follow-up email

If you’re looking to fill your calendar and rely on less “one-off” clients, this one’s for you.

Let’s say you’re a hairstylist. The beauty (pun intended) of your business is that your clients will always require your service at some point in the future. After all, hair has to grow back, doesn’t it?

As a result, that same stylist would just need to follow-up with her walk-ins and one-off clients via email to create repeat business. This is why acquiring the email addresses of your clients, even the ones you might only see once, is so valuable.

These sorts of emails are ideal for anyone who provides any “evergreen” service. That is, a service that taps into people’s’ long-term needs and desires such as saving money or losing weight.

These needs will never go away, and therefore any one-time client has the potential to be a long-term one. It’s all about highlighting your clients’ pain points and addressing needs that’ll keep them coming back.

For example, let’s say you’re a nutritionist. If a client comes in for a single consultation, you might discuss a general plan for their health. But you’ll likely also talk about individual points that can be addressed for future appointments such as watching their cholesterol, improving their blood pressure or the results of eliminating certain foods from their diet.

Each of those points can sow the seeds of their next appointment, but it’s up to you to bring them to light. With a follow-up email, making those points known is easy.

When Should You Send It: It’s all based on your typical frequency with clients. If you usually meet with clients every two weeks, send it within two weeks. If it’s every two months, wait a month or so. The point is to send your offer at a point where that client might be in need of your service. When in doubt, assume that you should send your messages sooner rather than later, though.

5. The “just be nice” follow-up email

Making a memorable impression on your clients isn’t just a courtesy: it’s a prime way to encourage future business.

What makes a service provider memorable often doesn’t have as much to do with your service itself, but the emotional connection you make with clients.

Think about how life coaches provide a service that can truly transform a clients’ life. Through showing genuine support and investing yourself in their success, treating your clients with warmth builds trust and makes them look at you as more than just a business.

Establishing this kind of relationship is going to make clients ten times more likely to recommend you to their friends.  That’s why you should always touch base and follow-up with clients on a regular basis, especially those who’ve been pleased with your work.

If possible you should personalize such messages with an anecdote or specific reminder of your history together. This not only brings good feelings rushing back but reassures your client that you’re not just sending a one-size-fits-all message.

When Should You Send It: Within four to eight weeks after initially working together. After all, you don’t want to come across as desperate or pushy.                                                        

Now it’s time for you to conquer cross-selling and upselling

By focusing on upsells and cross-sells, you can spend less time chasing clients and more time building relationships with the ones you have. The result? More time on your hands and more money in your bank account.

Upsells and cross-sells should be an integral part of any service business’ long-term strategy. Given how easy it is to craft and send follow-up emails, especially with the help of vcita’s simplified email marketing solution, getting more out of your current clients is easier than ever!