Your Best Leads Are Past Customers: How to Reconnect and Win More Work
If you’ve been in business for a while, you’re sitting on your most valuable marketing asset: people who already paid you and were happy enough to move on with their lives. Past customers cost less to reach, trust you faster, and are more likely to say yes than someone who has never heard of you.
The problem is that most small home service businesses don’t track customer history consistently—so the list fades, phones get replaced, and repeat business goes to whoever shows up first in Google.
Summary
Best for: Roofers, landscapers, HVAC, plumbers, pavers, tree companies, cleaners—any business with repeat or lifecycle work
Fastest win: Build a simple “past customer list” and send a short “check-in + update” message this week
Simple rule: The easiest sale is to someone who already trusts you
Why past customers convert better than new leads
Past customers are often your best leads because:
They already believe you’re real
They’ve seen your truck, your crew, your work, and your follow-through.
You’ve already earned trust
Trust is the #1 hurdle in home services. With past customers, you’ve cleared it.
They’re often at the next decision point
Homes change over time. So do maintenance cycles, budgets, and needs.
- Repeat work: seasonal maintenance, tune-ups, cleanings, reseals
- Lifecycle work: roofs aging, HVAC nearing end of life, asphalt wearing down
- Adjacent work: “we now also do…” upsells without feeling spammy
- Referrals: happy customers know neighbors who need the same thing
Step one: keep track of customers (CRM or spreadsheet)
You don’t need fancy software to get started. The key is consistent records.
The minimum fields to store
- Name
- Phone + email
- Address
- Job date
- Job type (roof repair, mulch install, driveway seal, etc.)
- Notes (pet on site, preferred contact method, special details)
- Last contact date (so you don’t over-message)
Spreadsheet vs CRM: what to choose?
| Option | Pros | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet (Google Sheets/Excel) | Fast, free, flexible | Solo operators or small teams getting organized |
| CRM (Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, HubSpot, etc.) | Automations, reminders, pipelines | Growing teams who want repeatable follow-ups |
| Hybrid | Spreadsheet now, CRM later | Most businesses—start simple, upgrade later |
Tip: The best system is the one your team will actually update.
The magic is timing: reach out when the customer is most likely to need you
A smart follow-up isn’t random—it’s aligned with typical home maintenance cycles.
Examples by business type
Roofing: 10–20 year lifecycle
A roof often becomes “top of mind” as it ages.
- If a customer had a roof installed or major repair 15 years ago, that’s a perfect time to send:
- A “free roof check” offer
- A storm-season reminder
- A photo-based inspection report option
Landscaping: seasonal and “life happens”
Customers come and go based on work schedules, family changes, new babies, aging parents, etc.
- Reach out:
- Early spring: cleanup, mulch, edging, planting
- Mid-summer: maintenance, irrigation check
- Fall: leaf cleanup, winter prep
HVAC: tune-ups and replacement windows
Many systems last 10–15 years. Even if the unit isn’t failing, people want efficiency.
- Reach out:
- Before heat season
- Before AC season
- “Energy saving” reminders
Paving / driveway sealing: 2–4 year maintenance cadence
Sealcoating, crack filling, and minor repairs are recurring.
- Reach out:
- Every 2–3 years after prior work
- After harsh winters or freeze/thaw seasons
Tree companies: risk-based timing
Storm seasons and insurance concerns create urgency.
- Reach out:
- Before storm season
- After storms
- When customers notice hanging limbs or shade issues
“We now offer…” is one of the easiest upsells (when done right)
Past customers are the perfect audience for new services, because you’re not a random company.
Example: Landscaper adds tree work
A simple announcement can unlock a whole new category of jobs:
- “We’re now offering pruning, removals, and storm cleanup.”
- “Same team. Same quality. Same local service.”
Example: Roofer adds gutters or skylights
Customers already trust your roof work. Upsell adjacent services:
- gutter guards
- chimney flashing
- skylight replacements
- attic ventilation improvements
Tip: Keep it simple: one new service, one benefit, one call to action.
What to say: 3 outreach templates you can copy
1) Friendly check-in (low pressure)
“Hi [Name] — it’s [Your Name] from [Company]. We did [job type] for you at [address] back in [year]. Just checking in to see if everything is holding up well. If you ever need anything, we’re here and happy to help.”
2) Time-based reminder (high converting)
“Hi [Name] — quick note: we did your [roof/driveway/HVAC] about [X] years ago. Around this point many homeowners start thinking about [maintenance/replacement/inspection]. If you’d like, we can do a quick check and send a short photo summary.”
3) New service announcement (clean upsell)
“Hi [Name] — this is [Your Name] at [Company]. We worked with you on [past job]. Just letting you know we now also offer [new service]. If you’d like an estimate, reply ‘YES’ and we’ll reach out.”
Use direct mail to reconnect (especially when numbers change)
Past customer phone numbers change. Emails get ignored. But addresses stay put.
Direct mail works extremely well for past customers because:
- They recognize your name
- They remember your work
- You can time the message to a known lifecycle (roof age, sealcoat schedule, etc.)
Example: Roofing “15-year” postcard
A roofing company can send postcards to customers whose roofs were done ~15 years ago:
- Headline: “Is your roof nearing 15 years?”
- Offer: “Free roof check + photo summary”
- CTA: “Text us ROOF to [number]”
- Optional: “Priority scheduling for past customers”
Example: Landscaping new services postcard
A landscaper can announce “Now offering tree services” to past customers:
- Photo of your team or a clean before/after
- Short bullet list of services
- “Past customer discount” (even small: $25 off)
Common mistakes vs better approaches
| Common mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Waiting until you’re slow | Build a predictable follow-up schedule year-round |
| Messaging everyone the same | Segment by job type + year + neighborhood |
| Sounding salesy | Sound helpful: “quick check-in” and “happy to help” |
| No record of last contact | Track it so customers don’t feel spammed |
| No next step | Always include a simple CTA: text, call, or booking link |
A simple plan you can run every month
This is a “set it and forget it” repeatable routine.
- Export your past customer list (CRM or spreadsheet)
- Filter one segment (e.g., “roof jobs 12–18 years ago”)
- Reach out with one message (text/email + optional postcard)
- Offer one easy CTA (reply YES / text keyword / schedule link)
- Log outcomes (interested, booked, not now, wrong number)
Final recommendation
Start simple:
- Create a list of your past customers (even if it’s messy at first)
- Pick one segment you can help right now (by job type + time)
- Send a short “check-in + helpful offer” message this week