What email to past customers actually returns

You’ve probably seen the stat that email marketing returns about $36 for every $1 spent. It gets repeated so often that it’s easy to tune out. So let me explain where it comes from, why email to past customers tends to do better, and what a realistic result looks like for a contractor.

Where the $36 comes from

That’s the average return Litmus reports for email marketing as a whole. It’s high because email is cheap to send and it goes to people who chose to hear from you. Compared to paying for a stranger’s attention with an ad, you’re starting from a much better place.

Why the trades beat the average

Most businesses email people who signed up for a newsletter. You have something better: people who paid you to fix a problem in their home. It’s hard to find a warmer list than that.

It works even better when the email isn’t generic. An email that says the same thing to everyone competes with every other promo in the inbox. An email that mentions the work you did, when it’s relevant, reads more like a note from a business that remembers the customer, and that’s what pushes results above average.

What a realistic result looks like

• A good first send to a warm list can book jobs directly. We’ve seen it happen, especially when the offer matches what a past customer actually needs.
• But that’s not the main thing to measure. The main job of regular email is staying top of mind, so when a customer has a problem six months from now, they call you before they search for someone new.
• Anyone who promises you a specific dollar return from email is guessing. Results depend on your list, your history with those customers, and how long it’s been since they heard from you.

How to find your own number

Benchmarks are useful, but every list is different. The $599 trial tests it on your actual customers before you commit to a year. We send one personalized email, and you see who opens, who clicks, and who books.

For more on why your past-customer list matters so much, read this post. If you’re ready to see what yours is worth, the trial is the place to start.