How to Approach a Previous Client for Referrals
I'm often asked how to approach a previous customer that you hasn't communicated with for a couple of years to ask for referals.
The first stepis to re-connect with this past client. Certainly don't immediately try to approach them for referrals as that will come off as nothing but trying to milk an old client for new business--which is exactly what it is. Rather, spend some time--months--re-connecting with the client. The first item of business should be a phone call to make sure that the customer is still satisified with the previous sale and to do some customer service if needed. Take some time to get to know what has happened with the client since your last communication. Inquire as to if there is anything that you can do for them in terms of customer service, not in terms of an additional sale.
Once the initial phone reconnection has happened, make a concerted effort to "touch" them at lease once a month, hopefully once every three weeks, with a letter, an email, a postcard or some such. Make sure your communications with them are client focused. Send only items that focus on things that they will find interesting or useful.
After several months of reconnecting and once you have reason to believe there is some reconnection of the relationship, then you can begin to slowly bring referrals into the conversation. Prior to beginning to train your past client of your desire for referrals, make another phone call to see if there is anything at all you can do for the client and to get an idea of the old client's attitude toward being re-appraoched.
Typically, most previous clients will welcome a reconnection if your original sale went well and if you center all of your attention on them during the reconnection period. This isn't an overnight process. Take your time and move slowly. The last thing you want is to appear that your only interest is seeing if you can find a way to get more business from them either through an additional sale or referrals. Clients want and need to be appreciated for themselves, not just for what they can do for you.
Since this is a fairly long-term process to reconnect, take several previous clients--say 20 to 25--and begin the process with that group. Once you have them back in the fold, take another reasonably sized group and do the same. Over the period of a couple of years you should have most all of your old disconnected clients back home.
