Let's talk client reactivation!

[Catsftw]

Client reactivation doesn't seem to be my strong point so I'm looking for some tips and stories of how it has worked well for others.

Here is what I currently do to stay prominent in clients minds:
- Welcome to the practice greeting card to new clients (I only recently started doing this, shame on me for not starting sooner!)
- Monthly e-newsletters (these are popular with clients)
- Occasional special offers, events, announcements via email
- Annual holiday card greetings with hand-written messages
- Occasional postcard mailings for special offers
- As needed greeting cards (new baby, sympathy, get well)
- Birthday greeting with coupon for month of birthday via email

I'd like to implement some type of system where I am sending out reminder emails or postcards (or something!) for clients after three months has lapsed between their last appointment. However I am not excited about the suggested wording some printers suggest. They sound too much like the postcards your dentist sends and I don't want to be in the same category as the dentist.

Since my practice is primarily clinical (mostly women's health), I encourage maintenance sessions based on their goals and the health concerns they present with. But I know that life happens and when enough time goes by between sessions it is easier to forget to rebook. I want something that comes in at this point to serve as a "hey we've missed you" that isn't intrusive, is friendly, and that I can plug in a few personal items (i.e. how's your son's freshman year in college?). I'm sure it would be lovely to send really long emails to every client I've ever seen but that's too much time, too much information for a busy client, and why do I send out a newsletter if I'm going to do that? :

What are some ways that others have found to efficiently, yet remaining personable, remind their clients to come back after a hiatus? Do you find people respond easier to postcards, greeting cards, emails or something else?

 

[My Time Is Now]

Oh, and here's the suggested wording Sharper has

It's been a long time since we've seen you! Our records show that your last visit was ____________. We've missed you and are concerned about your health. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

It's been a long time! Our records show your last visit was ___________. We've missed you and are concerned about your health. As you know, regular care is important in maintaining your health. We also wonder if we should keep your records on active status. Please call us today to let us know or to book an appointment. Thank you.

We miss you! Our records indicate that you last visit was _________. As you know, regular massage therapy contributes to your total health and wellness. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

I don't really love any of them. They're just too generic and the tone isn't one that sits well with me.

 

[Jerv M]

Oh, and here's the suggested wording Sharper has

It's been a long time since we've seen you! Our records show that your last visit was ____________. We've missed you and are concerned about your health. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

It's been a long time! Our records show your last visit was ___________. We've missed you and are concerned about your health. As you know, regular care is important in maintaining your health. We also wonder if we should keep your records on active status. Please call us today to let us know or to book an appointment. Thank you.

We miss you! Our records indicate that you last visit was _________. As you know, regular massage therapy contributes to your total health and wellness. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

I don't really love any of them. They're just too generic and the tone isn't one that sits well with me.

You could get a postcard like this one:
http://www.ebodylogic.com/beofma15.html
That lists the benefits of massage, and just put a short note on the back saying something like the whole "We've missed you!" with an incentive to book- "$5 off your next appointment if you come in before "

 

[Tom H.]

Sounds like you need to write your own letter or postcard since you aren't happy with the preprinted ones.

You do a lot of contact, so are you sure that more then 3 months go by that a client isn't contacted by you already?

I guess a have a warning about to much contact. I find it annoying to get to much.

 

[funky]

Sounds like you need to write your own letter or postcard since you aren't happy with the preprinted ones.

Yep, I agree and am working on that.

You do a lot of contact, so are you sure that more then 3 months go by that a client isn't contacted by you already?

I guess a have a warning about to much contact. I find it annoying to get to much.

Hmmm, it didn't seem like too much contact for the average client but you may be right. I'll poll a couple of my regulars and see what their thoughts are. The average client hears from me once a month by e-newsletter (while I have a higher than average open rate for consumers it is only 30-50%), and a few times a year for specials (including the birthday e-card) and then at the end of the year with a holiday card. Then of course my pregnant clients have babies so they get a card in the mail from me and sometimes a client suffers the loss of a loved one enough to mention it during a session so I send a sympathy card then too. Does that sound like too much? I've certainly tried to stay away from being spammy. It sure is a heck of a lot less frequent than spas and retail stores email me. :

 

[MzTique]

Those special cards should never be excluded since they are personal.

I am weird about companies sending to much and imagine I am not the only one like that.

Let's see what others have to say! I am curious too because I am always worried about sending to much, whether it be email or letters.

 

[Punkbmxer69]

Honestly I have found a phone call to be MUCH more effective than a postcard when touching base with a "long lost" client. I'll just call and say "I know you enjoy coming in pretty often and I noticed it's been over two months since your last visit. Did you want to try to get in this week? I still have openings Saturday afternoon or we can try to put something together for next week." And that leaves the ball in their court but also allows them the chance to hear our voice which has been MUCH more effective than a postcard.

I find clients tend to just toss those little cards so other than my bimonthly newsletter I don't mail postcards. Well - I mail a welcome postcard to each new client, I send a thank you note for referrals and like others entioned - acknowledge special events in someone's life.

But other than that I touch base via phone.

I've even had clients say "OK Angela - If I go longer than a month without calling you please call me so we can schedule something". Which is great becuase then I know their time frame - some clients I would call after two weeks becuase they usually try to come each week. Others I wouldn't call until closer to three months.

But seriously - it doesn't take that long to call and say "I've just got a minute but I wanted to touch base with you...." Which is a GREAT way to open becuase 1-you set them at ease that you won't take up a lot of their time and 2-you establish to the "chatty-Kathy's" that you don't have much time to talk. :-D

Fully half the clients I call book right then and there and thank me profusely for touching base. 25% check their schedules and call me back within the week. The other 25% of the clients I call don't call back and I won't either at that point.

That small handful of clients are the ones I might consider sending a postcard to but I figure if they aren't motivated enough at THAT point it would be better to focus on my regulars and make them feel good about coming in.

My client retention rate is 90% back within 3 months - 95% back within 6 months. That's pretty good for our little rural area and I'm happy.

Anywho - I'm rambling. That's just what I do.

Angela

 

[TheMacGamer]

My suggestion is to send actual greeting cards or postcards for:
*thank you/welcome to the practice
*special events including birthdays, new babies, sympathy, get well, etc.
*Nov/Dec holiday greetings
*We've missed you/reactivation

Then do e-mail for all your other points of contact (newsletters, specials, announcements, etc).

I suggest this way for two reasons:
1. The actual cards they get in the mail hold a higher perceived value than e-mail, and may end up on their refrigerator.
2. With e-mail info, the client is in control of how much he/she reads and how much he/she deletes. So they are in control of how much contact you actually have ... That being said, I would advise to only send one (max 2) e-mail(s) per month so that they get read. If someone 'over e-mails' me, I begin to read them less often; as opposed to the monthly newsletter which I always read.

Regarding the 'what to say' topic....

Don't worry about it!
What we are really talking about here is relationship marketing. In relationship marketing it is not about you - it's about the client. So, if I haven't seen a client in while, I send a card with a funny picture or humorous saying on the front and put a non-marketing message inside. When possible, I try to tie it in with something we talked about. For example...

'Hi Jim. I was just talking to a client about warm, sunny vacations and I remembered that we talked about you going on a cruise. I hope you had a great time and it wasn't too difficult coming back to winter in Northampton.
Think spring!!'

Or something like that. Again, the words aren't important. It is the feeling the person gets when they receive and read your card that is important. If you 'market' in your card, they will feel like they are being 'marketed to' and will dismiss your card with all the other junk mail. Use cards wisely to build a relationship. That's what brings people back and gets them talking to others about you.


Brian

 

[That Other Dude]

That being said, I would advise to only send one (max 2) e-mail(s) per month so that they get read. If someone 'over e-mails' me, I begin to read them less often; as opposed to the monthly newsletter which I always read.

Yes, this makes a lot of sense to me. I too can't stand getting too many emails myself. At a recent Constant Contact seminar they recommended the following email format (which is basically what I have been doing, and even less on the promotion side than they suggest):
- Newsletters - send monthly - have 80% be content and at the most 20% promotion
- Promotions - send bi-monthly or less frequent
- Announcements/Invitations - event-driven

Regarding the 'what to say' topic....

Don't worry about it!
What we are really talking about here is relationship marketing. In relationship marketing it is not about you - it's about the client. So, if I haven't seen a client in while, I send a card with a funny picture or humorous saying on the front and put a non-marketing message inside. When possible, I try to tie it in with something we talked about. For example...

'Hi Jim. I was just talking to a client about warm, sunny vacations and I remembered that we talked about you going on a cruise. I hope you had a great time and it wasn't too difficult coming back to winter in Northampton.
Think spring!!'

Or something like that. Again, the words aren't important. It is the feeling the person gets when they receive and read your card that is important. If you 'market' in your card, they will feel like they are being 'marketed to' and will dismiss your card with all the other junk mail. Use cards wisely to build a relationship. That's what brings people back and gets them talking to others about you.

Brian

Thank you! Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for.