Filling the dead months from your own customer list
What this fixes: Seasonality problem · Dead in fall and winter · No maintenance selling · Too dependent on referrals · Not enough leads
The cheapest work your company will ever get is from people who already paid you once. Most contractors never contact a past customer again unless something breaks.
Four emails a year to your whole past customer list, sent from your normal email, plain and personal. Not a newsletter. Not a template with a header image.
Late summer: netting and winterization
Subject: Time to think about leaves
Hi [name],
Leaves will start dropping in the next few weeks, and that is the single biggest thing that causes water quality problems over winter.
If you want us to handle netting and winterizing this year, reply and I will get you on the schedule. If you are doing it yourself, here is what matters most: [link to the fall article].
the owner your phone number
Late winter: spring cleanout
Subject: Spring cleanout scheduling
Hi [name],
We are booking spring cleanouts now. They fill up fast once the weather turns, so I wanted to give you first shot at a slot.
If you want on the list, just reply with a rough preference for early or late spring and I will sort out the details closer to the time.
the owner
Early summer: the check in
Subject: How is the pond doing?
Hi [name],
Just checking in now that things have warmed up. How is it looking this year?
If you are seeing green water or string algae, it is the most common thing we get asked about in June and it is usually fixable without much drama: [link to the algae article].
If you want us to come take a look, let me know.
the owner
Late fall: the upgrade note
Subject: Worth thinking about over winter
Hi [name],
Winter is when we do most of our planning for the following year, so this is the time if you have been thinking about any changes. Lighting, expanding the feature, adding a stream, upgrading filtration.
No rush, and no pressure. If it is on your mind, reply and we can talk it through over the winter and be ready for spring.
the owner
Rules
Send from your own email address, one at a time or with mail merge. Not a marketing platform with a fancy layout, because those go to the promotions tab and they read like advertising.
Never more than four a year.
Reply personally to every response.
If somebody asks to stop hearing from you, stop immediately and note it.