Why lapsed customers are your best January list
After the holidays, inboxes are full of 'dry January' messages and most wineries go quiet. That silence is an opportunity. Customers who bought from you a year or two ago didn't necessarily stop liking your wine. Life got busy, a favorite bottle sold out, or nobody reached out. A personal call reminds them why they ordered in the first place.
These customers are also cheaper to bring back than new ones are to find. You already have their name, their purchase history and usually a phone number. All that's missing is a conversation.
Step 1: Define 'lapsed' for your winery
- Pick a window, such as customers who ordered in the last 24 months but not in the last 12.
- Include former club members who cancelled for reasons other than a complaint, such as budget, moving or too much wine at home.
- Separate high-value lapsed buyers (large past orders or library purchases) so they get your most experienced callers.
- Remove anyone who asked not to be contacted, and anyone with an open service issue you haven't resolved.
Step 2: Lead with a reason to call, not a discount
'We miss you' is fine, but a real reason is better. Tell them about the new vintage of the wine they bought before, a small library release, or an invitation to a spring event. An incentive can close the order, but it shouldn't be the opening line.
The goal of the first thirty seconds is to sound like someone from the winery, not someone reading from a list.
Step 3: Keep the offer short
- Three to five wines, ideally including one they've bought before.
- A clear, time-limited incentive, such as complimentary shipping through the end of the month.
- An easy club re-join path for former members, with no pressure if they just want to buy bottles.
Step 4: Run it like a campaign
A reactivation effort works best as a focused two-to-three-week push, not an occasional task someone gets to between tasting room shifts. Set a revenue goal, track contacts, conversations and orders every day, and follow every call with a short email that recaps the wines discussed.
Expect voicemails. A short, warm voicemail followed by an email with a direct number to call back still moves people, and it sets up a second attempt a few days later.
Step 5: Learn why they left
Even customers who don't buy will often tell you why they stopped. Record the reasons. 'Shipping costs too much', 'I had too much wine' and 'nobody told me about the new release' each point to a fix you can make for the rest of your customers this year.