Outbound is often associated with unwanted pushing and selling, whereas outbound – especially when combined with digital communication – is actually a great medium to connect with old customers, dormant clients, and new leads. If the message is good, the customer is actually pleased to be activated. In short, using outbound as a starting point for customer relationships and service is the launchpad for new commercial opportunities and increased revenue.
How do you wake up dormant customers?
An outbound campaign is more than just picking up the phone and starting to call. A successful campaign requires a well-thought-out plan and a professional approach. At ContactCare, we have years of experience with customer contact and setting up and executing warm outbound campaigns. In this article, I share a bit of our knowledge on this. How do you wake up dormant customers?
The preparation phase of the warm outbound campaign
A campaign stands or falls with good preparation. An obvious point? Perhaps, but too important not to mention. What elements are crucial during the preparation?
Set a goal for the campaign. Do you want to make direct sales, update your customer database, or just make an offer?
Segment and select the group you want to target.
Choose the most suitable staff to approach the customers and prepare them well.
Ensure a consistent approach and make the campaign measurable.
Create templates for follow-ups.
Provide the right technology and software to make the campaign as efficient and effective as possible.
Schedule multiple evaluation moments involving the project manager, team leader, and calling team.
The execution phase of the warm outbound campaign
After careful preparation, it's time to start implementing the campaign. Pay attention to the following points:
Ensure callers have insight into the customer's history.
As a caller, don’t immediately assume the sales role, as you could be rebuffed. For example, ask the customer first about their experience with a previous purchase.
Record feedback to improve your products or service, and plan ahead on how to resolve any complaints. Consider offering a discount on a new purchase, a small gift, a handwritten note, etc.
Remember that you rarely call at a convenient time. Customers often won’t make a purchase immediately. After your call, send them an email with a discount on a specific product or a voucher code for the webshop, or something similar.
Ensure the customer feels special and sees their treatment as unique.
For example, in the follow-up email, briefly reflect on the call:
‘Dear (customer's name),During our phone conversation, you mentioned that the garden hose you bought from us last year is working very well for you. That's great to hear! As agreed, I'm emailing you a code that gives you a 10 percent discount on a new extension with a mechatronic ecological spray nozzle with a timer. Of course, you can try this product and return it free of charge if you don't like it!’
When the warm outbound campaign is segmented on customers who have purchased a certain product in the past, this seems like a very personal email to the customer, while in reality, you have several templates ready.
Keep improving the process throughout the campaign. Which questions or approaches work well and which don’t? Feedback from callers to management and among colleagues ensures the campaign gets refined and improved during execution. The role of a team leader is crucial here, guiding the calling team and ensuring quality.
What can ContactCare do for you in this?
ContactCare is a specialist in customer contact and relationship management with extensive experience in outbound telemarketing. The goal, the results, and the manner in which outbound telemarketing is carried out will be performed in close consultation with you as the client. Additionally, due to its experience in the call centre industry, ContactCare can act as a sparring partner, coaching and advising the client. Want to learn more about our services? Please contact us.
