When sales go quiet, the fastest route back to revenue is rarely a new audience. It's the people who already know, like and trust you. Your past clients and current clients are the warmest leads you will ever have.
Every business has quiet patches. The inbox slows, enquiries dry up and the temptation is to post more, push harder on Instagram or start discounting. I've spent 25 years in sales, including leading a global sales team, and I can tell you the businesses that bounce back quickest do something different. They stop waiting to be found and start having conversations.
If you're a female founder or woman in business, this matters even more. Many of us were taught that selling means being pushy. It doesn't. The approach below is built on relationships, generosity and genuine curiosity, which is exactly where women tend to shine.
Here's what I would do, step by step, if sales and enquiries had gone quiet in my business.
Step 1: Reconnect with previous clients
Past clients are the most overlooked source of new business. They've already bought from you, they know your value and they don't need convincing that you're credible. Yet most of us stop talking to them the moment the project ends.
- Build your reconnection list.
Go back through the last two to three years. Pull together everyone you've worked with, invoiced or had a proposal accepted by. Include people who enquired seriously but didn't buy at the time; their circumstances may have changed.
For each person, note:
• What you did for them and the result they got
• When you last spoke
• Anything you know about what's changed for them since
- Reach out with value, not a pitch
The aim of the first message is to restart the relationship, not to close a sale. A short, personal note works far better than a polished sales email. For example:
"Hi Sarah, I was thinking about the launch we worked on last spring and wondered how things have been since. How did the plan hold up? I'd love to hear how you're getting on."
That's it. No offer, no link. When they reply, and many will, listen properly. Ask what they're focusing on next and where they feel stuck. Opportunities surface naturally from those conversations.
- Ask for referrals and testimonials
Happy past clients are also your best source of introductions. Once you've reconnected, it's perfectly reasonable to ask: "Do you know anyone who's facing a similar challenge to the one we solved together?" Make it easy for them by being specific about who you help best.
If you don't yet have a testimonial from them, ask for one. It strengthens your website, your proposals and your SEO all at once.
Step 2: Grow your business with existing clients
It's widely accepted that keeping and growing an existing client costs far less than winning a new one. Your current clients already trust you, so the conversation starts from a much stronger place.
- Hold a proper review conversation.
Book a short check-in with each current client. Frame it around them, not your sales targets: "I'd like to look back at what we've achieved together and talk about what's coming up for you in the next six months."
Good questions to ask:
1. What's been most valuable about working together so far?
2. What are your biggest priorities for the next quarter?
3. Where do you feel you're not getting the results you want?
4. Is there anything you're doing in-house that's taking up too much of your time?
Their answers will show you exactly where you can help further.
- Look for natural next steps
Expanding an account isn't about upselling for the sake of it. It's about spotting the next problem you're well placed to solve. That might be:
• A deeper version of what you already do, such as a longer engagement or more support
• A related service, such as training their team after you've built the strategy
• A wider reach, such as working with another department, location or business they own
- Make it easy to say yes
Put a clear, simple proposal in front of them while the conversation is fresh. Tie it directly to what they told you they want. When a client can see the link between their goal and your offer, it stops feeling like selling and starts feeling like support.
Step 3: Build an outreach plan that doesn't rely on social media
Social media is useful, but it's rented land. Algorithms change, reach drops and you can't control who sees your posts. A resilient business has outreach channels it owns and controls.
- Channels that work without the algorithm.
Personal email is direct, private and completely in your control. Start by sending three to five personal emails a day to past clients and warm contacts.
Phone calls and voice notes stand out precisely because so few people use them any more. Make it your goal to call your top ten past clients this month.
Your email list is something you own, so no algorithm decides who sees your message. Send a genuinely helpful newsletter every two weeks to stay front of mind.
Referral partners let you borrow the trust your clients already place in other businesses. Identify three non-competing businesses that serve the same clients as you and start a conversation about referring to each other.
Networking and events build trust quickly because nothing beats a face-to-face conversation. Commit to attending one local or industry event a month.
Speaking and guest spots position you as the expert in front of a ready-made audience. Pitch yourself to two podcasts, panels or professional associations.
- Make outreach a habit, not a panic.
The real secret is consistency. Most businesses only do outreach when things go quiet, which is why they experience feast and famine. Block out time in your diary every week, even when you're busy. Treat it like a client appointment you can't cancel.
- Track what you do.
Keep a simple spreadsheet or CRM with who you contacted, when, and what happened next. Note when to follow up. Most sales come after the second, third or fourth touchpoint, so a gentle follow-up is not pestering; it's good business.
Quiet doesn't mean it’s over!
A quiet patch in sales isn't a sign that your business is failing. It's a signal to get back into conversation with the people who matter most. Reconnect with past clients, deepen relationships with current ones and build an outreach rhythm you control. Do that consistently and you'll rely far less on social media and far more on your own sales skills.
At The Female Formula, I help women in business and female founders sell with confidence, in a way that feels authentic rather than pushy. If you'd like support building your own outreach plan, get in touch and let's talk about what's next for your business.