If you’re anything like me, you’re starting to think about goals and plans. I’m thinking about shiny new planners, and figuring out where I want to take my business next year. And yet I’ve also found that this is a perfect time of year to look back and evaluate. And that evaluation usually gives me more than a few reasons to reconnect with past clients.
It’s obviously important to continuously find and land new clients (and I know you’ll do plenty of pitching in the coming months). At the same time, it’s so much easier to get more work from clients you already have a great relationship with.
Re-pitching clients at the end of a project is an effective strategy to continue that relationship. But what if more time has elapsed? Or if you haven’t thought of another idea to pitch?
An Email is All it Takes to Reconnect With Past Clients
This is an absolutely ideal time of year to pop onto a past client’s radar. And this simple—yet genuine—gesture on your part may get the wheels turning for a new project.
Think about it: businesses are busy. Sometimes they get so caught up in the day-to-day operations that they don’t have time to think about new opportunities. Reaching out with a friendly holiday greeting will remind them of the great work you did for them previously. And it may spark the next great idea.
Start With a List
Sometime before the end of December, write down all the clients you’ve worked with this year. Depending on how busy you’ve been, this could take anywhere from half an hour to an hour. Go back through your client tracker spreadsheet and pull out the relevant contact information.
Next, Personalize Each Message
Sending a nice note in the mail is a great touch. Who doesn’t prefer receiving a card over a bill? And a handwritten card is definitely going to help you stand out from the crowd.
But even if you don’t have notecards or their mailing address, you can still reach out. Send an email instead!
Truly, the important thing here is to take the time to send a personalized message to each person on your list. Here’s a template you can use as a starting point:
SUBJECT LINE
Happy New Year, [Client’s Name]!
BODY
Hi [Client’s Name],
I wanted to wish you a happy New Year—I hope business gets off to a strong start in 2022!
I thoroughly enjoyed working on [insert project you worked on] this past year. I always have a great time collaborating with [business name].
I’d love to set up some time to chat in January to catch up and talk about other ways I can support [business name]. Would [insert date] work for you?
Talk soon,
[Your Name]
Obviously feel free to adapt this to your tone, but the point I want to stress is it can be super simple! Obviously, if you set up time to chat, come prepared with an idea or two.
How to Reconnect With Past Clients—If You Don’t Have Any
If you’re new to freelancing and you haven’t landed any clients yet, you can modify this idea. Send warm wishes to any new contacts you’ve made this year.
It just feels good to be appreciated and remembered. You can be the service provider who stands out from the crowd because you took the time to deepen your relationship with these potential clients.
Is It Worth Your Time to Reconnect With Past Clients?
This idea is extremely simple and easy, but it does take a small investment of time. And even though time is a finite resource, there’s no downside to spending some of it on this task. The outcomes are all positive:
- You may get more work right away.
- You may get work down the line.
- Your client will remember you fondly.
Your turn! Will you take time to reconnect with past clients? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on July 1, 2023.
