A past customer who trusts you closes at 70–85%.
A cold lead from ads closes at 15–25%.
Most contractors spend all their marketing budget chasing the 15–25%.
The 5 Touchpoints
Touchpoint 1: One-Week Post-Job Check-In
"Write a message to [NAME] one week after completing their [SERVICE]. Check everything looks great, remind them of the warranty, let them know we're available. Brief and warm."
Touchpoint 2: 90-Day Seasonal Reminder
"Write a message to past [TRADE] customer [NAME] as [SEASON] approaches. Recommend a [RELEVANT SERVICE — tune-up, inspection, check-up]. We last served them [X] months ago. Helpful and brief."
Touchpoint 3: Annual Check-In
"Write an annual check-in to past customer [NAME] who we served about [X] months ago. Thank them for their business, ask how everything is holding up, mention we're available. Warm and professional."
Touchpoint 4: Seasonal Campaign (4x/Year)
"Write a seasonal campaign message to send to all past [TRADE] customers. Theme: [SPRING/FALL/SUMMER/WINTER PREP]. Offer [RELEVANT SERVICE or INSPECTION]. Helpful, brief, genuine."
Touchpoint 5: Equipment Milestone
"Write a message to [NAME] whose [EQUIPMENT — water heater/HVAC system/roof] we installed [X] years ago. Note that average lifespan is [YEARS] and theirs is approaching that window. Offer a free assessment. Helpful, not alarmist."
The Math
- Without a retention system: ~20% of customers come back within 3 years
- With 5-touchpoint system: ~60% come back within 3 years
- Difference: 40 additional jobs from 100 past customers
- At $4,000 average: $160,000 in additional revenue from existing customers
Setting It Up
- Save the 5 prompts to your phone's notes app
- Set a recurring Friday reminder to send any pending 7-day follow-ups
- Add seasonal campaign dates to your calendar (Feb, May, Aug, Nov)
- Track customer service dates — note equipment install dates for milestone messaging
Get All Retention Prompts + Complete Playbook — $47
The Contractor's AI Playbook has all 5 retention touchpoints plus the full sales system for any trade.
Get the Playbook — $47