Back in March 2025, PWIPM and TPCA hosted the webinar Marketing 101, Best Practices for Small Business Owners. It was presented by Jackie Lott, Marketing Manager of Bug Busters. Across the next several issues of this TPCA newsletter, Jackie's marketing wisdom will be featured. 

Win-Back Marketing Strategies: Reclaiming Lost Customers

"This (win-back campaign) has been successful. We've been running this now for over a year. It's one of the first campaigns that I launched when we started using HubSpot and it's been successful. We've had quite a few customers that we've gotten back using the win-back strategy." - Jackie Lott

Customer churn is a reality for every service business, but in the pest control industry—where seasonality, pricing sensitivity, and perceived service value often cause customers to drop off—having a strong win-back marketing strategy is essential. Unlike acquiring new leads, which can cost 5–25x more, winning back a former customer often requires fewer resources and delivers faster conversions. With strategic timing, personalized messaging, and tiered incentives, pest control companies can turn “goodbye” into “welcome back.”

The Critical Timing Window for Win-Back Success
The first 30 to 60 days after cancellation is the most crucial window for re-engagement. According to data from Invesp, companies that reach out within this period are 3x more likely to recover a lost customer than those that wait longer. Another study by HubSpot reports that 45% of customers who re-engage with a brand do so within the first month of their cancellation. The key is not just speed, but structure—well-timed, thoughtful outreach that reminds the customer why they signed up for your services in the first place and what they’re missing now.

"For folks that have limited marketing budgets and staff it really does the lion share of the work to take some of those colder leads and drive them down the funnel." Jackie emphasizes the use of automated platforms which can free up your staff's marketing workload. Platforms such as HubSpot, Mailchimp, or Klaviyo are just a handful of products on the market that range in costs and some are even free. Always do your due diligence in researching the platform that best fits your needs and budget. At Bug Busters, Jackie uses a hybrid, cost-effective method of manually pulling reports of cancelled customers and dropping them into a targeted win-back drip campaign. 

Win-Back Campaign Timeline: A Proven Email Drip Sequence

Here’s a sample win-back campaign that pest control companies can implement :

• Day 1: "We Miss You" Email
  Friendly and simple: Acknowledge the cancellation, thank them for their past business, and express that you’d love to help again. Include a small incentive (e.g., 10% off next service).
  Subject line example: “We’re sorry to see you go – here’s 10% off if you come back.”

• Day 5: "Did Something Go Wrong?" Email
  Ask for feedback. This builds trust and gives insight into why they left. Reiterate the incentive.
  Subject line example: “Can we fix this?”

• Day 10: "Why Our Customers Come Back" Email
  Include a testimonial or case study. Focus on value and peace of mind—highlight your results, guarantee, or proprietary process.
  Subject line example: “What our returning customers say...”

• Day 17: "Final Offer" Email
  This is your strongest offer—possibly 20–25% off, a bonus add-on, or a free inspection. Use urgency with a deadline.
  Subject line example: “Last chance – this offer ends in 48 hours!”

• Day 30: "Still Thinking About It?" Email
  Optional: A gentle nudge for those who didn’t respond. No discount—just a reminder and a contact link to speak directly with a service rep.

Measuring and Optimizing Your Results
A good win-back campaign can recover 10–30% of churned customers, depending on how long they’ve been inactive and how targeted the message is. Be sure to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions at each email step. For best results, segment customers by type (e.g., residential vs. commercial), service history, and reason for cancellation when possible.

For pest control companies, win-back marketing is not just a good idea—it’s a high-ROI strategy that keeps your customer pipeline healthy and reduces acquisition costs. By acting quickly, creating a clear 3–5 email sequence, and offering meaningful incentives, you can turn cancellations into second chances—and keep your routes full! 

Want to hit the easy button on creating win-back emails? CLICK HERE for samples to stir your creative juices, or copy and paste into your email platform and implement IMMEDIATELY.