SDRs and Install Base Retention: Unlocking the Long Tail’s Potential
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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While everyone is focused on net new business, you could be neglecting a hidden opportunity: Most teams spend less than 20% of SDR time on existing accounts, despite install base making up 40-47% of pipeline value. Yet, this segment holds massive potential for growth and retention… Your “long-tail” customers—those smaller, less active accounts.
What even is the Long Tail?
Customer retention is even more paramount in today’s dynamic environment. But with lean teams and shifting priorities. How do you efficiently serve and retain these customers or products that individually may not be your top performers but collectively form a substantial part of your revenue, such as;
- Customers using older versions of your product
- Clients with infrequent but consistent purchases
- Accounts that haven’t grown significantly but remain steady
SDR Teams Are Key to Nurturing and Retaining Your Install Base
While many teams focus their efforts on new business, the reactivation of dormant long-tail accounts and upsell or cross-sell initiatives can yield conversion rates 2x-3xs higher than cold leads. However, long-tail accounts, which are often at the highest risk of churn, frequently go untouched. In fact, silence is a churn trigger – around 20% of churned accounts are the ones with no sales outreach in 3 months. This is why a more proactive approach to existing customers is essential.
Here’s how to get your SDRs started:
1. Proactive Engagement
SDRs can proactively reach out to long-tail customers, who may not have heard from you in a while to:
- Educate them about new features or upgrades
- Provide valuable insights about industry trends
- Offer tips on getting more value from their current solutions
Campaigns featuring educational, proactive outreach lead to a 2x higher SQL conversion than standard check-in calls. Once engaged, these accounts also move through the pipeline twice as fast.
2. Needs Assessment
Uncovering needs and opportunities:
- Understand evolving customer needs
- Identify pain points with current systems
- Gather feedback for product improvement
3. Upselling and Cross-selling
Identify opportunities to upsell or cross sell:
- Recommend relevant upgrades or complementary products
- Highlight the benefits of moving to newer versions
- Create personalised offers that add value to the customer’s business
Install base accounts typically offer a stronger win rate than new logo acquisition, with a lower Customer Acquisition Cost. They also close faster and with fewer touches, making them a highly efficient revenue source.
4. Competitive Intelligence
SDRs can act as early warning systems by:
- Identifying those at risk of churning
- Understand what competitors are tempting customers with
- Provide ideas to help refine your retention strategies
Combine SDRs with Strategies for Effective Long Tail Retention
Segmentation:
Divide your long-tail customers into groups based on factors like product usage, industry, or potential for growth. This allows for more targeted engagement.
Personalised Communication:
Use data-driven insights to tailor your messages to each segment or even individual customers.
Value-Added Services:
Offer exclusive webinars, training sessions, or resources that help customers get more from their current systems.
Upgrade Paths:
Create clear, beneficial upgrade paths for customers on older systems, highlighting the ROI of moving to newer versions.
Community Building
Foster a sense of community among your long-tail customers through user groups, forums, or events where they can share experiences and best practices.
Proactive Support
Don’t wait for customers to reach out with issues. Implement proactive support measures to address potential problems before they escalate.
How to Measure Success
To ensure your long-tail retention efforts are effective, you should track metrics such as:
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
- Churn rate among long-tail customers
- Upgrade rates
- Customer satisfaction scores
- Engagement levels with your outreach efforts
Sometimes Small Fish Can Be Big Wins
Your long-tail customers represent a valuable asset that shouldn’t be neglected. With the right approach, they can be nurtured into a steady source of revenue and even growth. By leveraging SDR teams and implementing targeted strategies, you can effectively take a proactive approach with these customers before your competitors do.
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