The CRM says 4,000 customers. Eleven hundred last bought in 2022.

Dormant customers are usually the cheapest revenue a business owns and the least likely to be worked. The obstacle is a definition problem, not a marketing one.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The CRM says 4,000 customers. Eleven hundred last bought in 2022.

Most businesses that have traded for more than five years are sitting on a customer base considerably larger than their active one. The CRM record, the accounts package, the booking system: all of them count anyone who has ever paid an invoice. The management conversation, meanwhile, is almost entirely about acquisition: cost per lead, conversion rate, whether the channel is still working. The gap between the two numbers is rarely examined, and when it is, it tends to be examined once, in the form of a blanket email to everyone…

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Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

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