Picture this:
You're a creative agency owner who's been pouring every last ounce of energy into your business. But despite all your hard work, you just can’t sign new clients quickly enough. Bills are piling up with no new revenue in sight.
You need to bring in $50,000 in the next 30-60 days just to keep the agency’s lights on. Panic sets in as finding and closing a new client in time seems almost impossible. You feel stuck in an endless feast-or-famine cycle, with no way out.
Can you relate?
It's a tough situation that many creative agency owners have faced at one time or another. Between sourcing new leads, booking sales calls, and sending the first invoice, it can take weeks (or even months) to infuse more money into your bank account. But what about when you need to generate revenue in as little as 30 days?
The solution may be right in your pipeline. Lost and prior clients who were once interested in your services but haven’t yet signed with your agency can hold a wealth of new opportunities for your business. By giving some attention to these prospects, you can transform panic into fast revenue and financial stability for your agency instead.
What causes a no?
When you are in the business of selling services, it's common to hear "no" from potential clients - but don’t get discouraged. A “no” now doesn’t necessarily mean forever.
There are a few reasons a prospect may not be ready to buy now, but could be willing in the future:
- They are not yet aware of the problem they have.
- They are aware of the problem, but can’t justify paying to fix it yet.
- They are aware of the problem, and feeling the pain, but are not in a position to take action yet (eg. budget).
To get a signed contract with a new (or existing) client, they need to believe in themselves and in you to help them accomplish their goals.
While you are in control of how these prospects perceive YOUR business, you cannot control their belief in themselves. If a lead isn’t ready to sign with you, ensure you keep them engaged with regular communications. Email outreach, LinkedIn engagement, and check-in calls are all great ways to transform a “maybe later” into a closed deal.
The winning framework:
So how do you turn a no now into a future yes? It’s not as difficult as you may think - in fact, these types of leads (if nurtured properly) can prove to be the most lucrative, low-hanging fruit for your agency.
By leveraging a consistent outreach strategy, you can foster a relationship with your current pipeline, build credibility, and provide value to entice them to invest further in what you have to offer.
The next time you want to re-engage with a prospect who previously gave you a “no thanks” try implementing this 14-Day outreach strategy:
Day 1: Start with a follow-up email. Keep it short and sweet, and express genuine interest in how their business is doing.
Day 3: Call them to check in.
Day 5: Send them a LinkedIn connection request.
Day 8: Place a second call.
Day 10: Comment and engage with a recent post of theirs on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.
Day 14: Send a final email. Remind them to reach out at any time if/ when their situation changes.
This proven outreach schedule will not only re-engage your lost and prior clients but will also increase your meeting booking rate by 30-50%, generating revenue opportunities in as quickly as two weeks.
By using a consistent outreach strategy, you can foster a relationship with your current pipeline, build credibility with them, and provide value to entice them to invest further in what you have to offer.
From "No Thanks" to "Yes Please": Conversation Starters to Close More Deals
Reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while may feel a bit awkward.
With the right conversation starter, you can organically reignite a conversation and encourage the prospect to re-engage with you.
Show genuine interest in how things are going for them to get the conversation started like:
- "I came across a blog post that made me think of you. I thought you might find it interesting. Can I share the link with you?"
- "I remember you mentioned that you were interested in [a specific service]. Was this something we could help you with?"
- "I noticed that your company has recently won [an award or recognition]. Congratulations! How has that impacted your business?"
Re-engaging lost and prior clients is a powerful strategy for generating fast revenue in as little as 30-60 days. By using this 14-day suggested outreach cadence, you can fill your pipeline quickly without having to find even ONE new lead.
Don't let your lost and prior clients slip away – start nurturing them today and see the results for yourself.
