When should electricians email past clients?

The best times are around seasonal triggers — before summer (outdoor lighting, EV charger installs), before winter (heat pump checks, wiring inspections), and before the end of the financial year when homeowners complete renovation budgets. A quarterly email cadence — four emails per year — is enough to stay front of mind without becoming noise. Each should have a specific reason to be relevant now.

What email offers work best for plumbers?

Maintenance-based offers work well for plumbers because they address anxiety homeowners already have — "is there a problem I can't see?" Offers like free visual hot water cylinder inspection with a paid service call, or a discounted drain clean before winter, give customers a concrete reason to act now rather than wait until something breaks. Referral incentives also perform well — giving a past client a reason to pass your name on.

How much should an electrician or plumber discount in email offers?

The goal is not a deep discount — it is a reason to act. A $50 off offer on a $500 job is a 10% discount that costs you $50 but generates a $450 job you might not have won otherwise. Avoid discounts that train customers to expect below-market pricing. If your standard rates are fair, a small offer on a specific service (winterisation check, switchboard inspection) is more effective than a blanket percentage off.

How do I build an email list as a tradie?

You already have one — it is your past customer contact list. Go through your job records or invoicing software (Xero, MYOB, Tradify, Fergus) and export every customer email address. That is your starting list. For ongoing collection, add a simple email capture to your website contact form and booking confirmation. After each job, confirm the email address is correct when you send the invoice.

Do I need an email marketing tool to send these offers?

Not at the start. For a list under 200 contacts, a BCC email from your own account with a personal message works fine and often converts better than branded email templates. For a list over 200, a basic tool like Mailchimp (free tier) or Klaviyo makes it easier to track who opened and clicked. The message matters more than the tool.

Logan McLaughlin·29 July 2026

Email Offers for Past Clients: Templates for NZ Electricians and Plumbers

Past clients are your cheapest source of repeat work. They already trust you, they know your quality, and they will use you again before calling someone new — if you stay in front of them. Here are done-for-you email templates for NZ electricians and plumbers that bring past clients back without discounting into the ground.

Most NZ tradies have a contact list sitting in their phone or invoicing software that they never use. Every person on that list has already hired you, already paid you, and already trusts you. That is the warmest possible lead.

The difference between a tradie who emails their list quarterly and one who never does is 10–20 extra jobs per year — without a single dollar spent on advertising.

Electrician Email Templates

Template 1: Pre-summer offer (October/November)

Subject: “Summer electrical check — [suburb] bookings filling up”

Body: “Hey [Name], [Your name] from [Business] here. Heading into summer, a lot of clients are getting outdoor lighting, EV charger installs, or switchboard checks sorted before the busy season. We have a few slots left in [month] — happy to lock one in for you if you've been meaning to get something sorted. Reply here or call [phone]. Cheers”

Template 2: Referral ask

Subject: “Know anyone who needs an electrician?”

Body: “Hi [Name], [Your name] here — we did your [job] in [suburb] a while back. Business is going well and I'm always looking for quality customers like yourself. If you know anyone who needs electrical work in [area], I'd really appreciate the referral. And as a thank you, I'll knock $75 off their first job. Cheers”

Plumber Email Templates

Template 1: Pre-winter maintenance (April/May)

Subject: “Winter plumbing checks — are you sorted?”

Body: “Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Business] here. Heading into winter, we always see a spike in burst pipes and failing hot water systems — usually from issues that were there for months before the cold hit them. If your hot water is over 10 years old or you have not had a plumbing check recently, now is a good time. Happy to come out and do a quick assessment — reply here to book. Cheers”

Template 2: Blocked drain seasonal offer

Subject: “Autumn drain clean — before the leaves do their worst”

Body: “Hey [Name], just a heads up — we're running discounted drain cleans through [month] before the autumn leaf drop. If your gutters and drains have not been cleared in 12+ months, now is a good time. [Specific price or 'quote on request']. Reply to book. Cheers, [Your name]”

The Rules for Tradie Email Offers

Do not be the tradie who only emails when they need work. Send value occasionally — a maintenance reminder, a seasonal heads-up — even when you are busy. That builds the relationship so your offer emails do not feel transactional.

Keep discounts specific to a service, not a blanket percentage off everything. Blanket discounts train customers to expect below-market rates. A $50 off an annual switchboard inspection is a different signal — it is a promotion on a specific service that gives them a reason to act now.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the review generation email system, read Email Marketing for Google Review Generation: A System for NZ Tradies. For the full email marketing strategy, read Email Marketing for Tradies: The Complete Guide.