Emailing Clients?

Okay, so I'm getting a lot of repeat calls from last year, so here is my question. Is it a good idea to email clients from the previous year about a month or so before their events this year?

This will be my second year painting, so I'm not sure how to handle this. Do any of you send out reminders?

I remember Shannon saying she keeps a whole data base of past clients and potential clients and she does and postcard marketing campaign once or twice a year to them.
here is no way I could stay that organised - give me a couple of years ...lol

I like emailing. I also send a personal note.

I always send a personalized email, stating how much I enjoyed doing their event last year and how I would love to be apart of it again this year. I send it at least two months in advance, so I can remind them about me, and they don't go and hire another painter.

How do you guys keep track of your previous clients?

I think it's not only a good idea, but also vital - it shows them that you enjoyed being there just as much as hopefully they enjoyed having you there. There is nothing at all wrong with staying in contact, as long as it's not overkill like that one silly little face paint website that emails you like every 10 minutes. I'm not saying any names, but the place is just very "silly". I say go for it, they may even be looking forward to hearing for you since they may have misplaced your contact information.

I keep a list on my computer, use handwritten notes too... while I am computer friendly I like paper records still.

I use dual copy invoice books for my billing so all the information on ALL my clients is recorded there, I then transfer the info into my database. Making a note of birthdays or occasions I was booked for... and the names, ages, etc.

I then make lists for each mailing as I target different segments everytime and handwrite my postcards. I then record on the lists any responses I get for each mailing.

I'll sit and write postcards while watching CSI or Dr Who...

I save them on my contact group using Microsoft Works, then I write on notes when I was hired. I check that often and I send them postcards about a month and 1/2 before the date I was hired.

Shannon can you sit and write my postcards too?

I'm constantly amazed by all the things you get up to and where you find the time?
reading your blog is enough to make me want to go back to bed!

I created email folders by month/year. Since I started in Aug 2009, I just started to see the benefits of this method.

This July I went to that Aug 2009 folder and contacted everyone in the folder that I worked for last year AND the ones that had contacted me, but didn't hire me.

Of the five events I did in Aug 2009, 3 of them re-hired me this August and of the 4 who didn't hire me last year, 1 of them did hire me this year.

It's so worth the effort to keep a client log and like Shannon, I keep notes about all the events I work on my computer's calendar where I schedule all my gigs(there's a notes section when you enter an event in the calendar.)

I keep notes on things like how old a child turned, the parents and sibling names, memorable things said and so on. For corporate gigs, I make notes on the appropriate contact names, if they require a W9 or proof insurance, obviously the event type and how prompt they were with payment.

I'm getting my Fall mailing ready... reminding clients to book for Halloween and Christmas NOW, not later!!

I do not initiate by email... I will follow-up with it. I send out the postcards to ALL clients and potential clients, but will follow-up with the corporate clients/organizations that I have email communication with AFTER the postcards go out... the visual helps remind them, and then the email generally gets an affirmative response/confirmation back from them.

Make it easy for them to make the booking!

I'm not that organized. I just use my Daily Planner & get the info from there. I usually send an email, but might just try making Post Cards & mailing them out. Don't forget to send to your Belly Painting clients about babies 1st birthday. I do a lot of 1st birthdays where I'm really painting all the relatives kids.

I think it's a great idea. I do this with some of my clients who hire me every year, but are not the best at planning ahead. I do this via email too, and word it in a way so that I am asking to be sure to keep myself available to them again on their date, so that somebody else doesn't book me. That way it comes across as taking special care of your regular clients. You'd hate to have a good, regular gig you can count on, and then lose it for future years because you let someone else book you for that date first!