Three Ways to Keep Customers Coming Back Time and Time Again

By Julie Short

1 DECADE AGO

Getting new customers is great, but unless your business is starting from scratch, keeping your existing ones is more important.

It's not difficult to see why: Repeat customers tend to place the biggest orders and buy the most services, are the ones who refer you to other customers just like them (shortening the sales process at the same time), and cost you the least to market to.

When you can keep them happy, you'll have a stable source of revenue that you can count on from one month to the next. When you can't, you'll always find yourself churning through marketing campaigns and digging around for new business.

So, how do you keep hold of your best customers and make sure they come back time and time again? Obviously, having great products or services, pricing fairly, and being known for customer service are good first steps. Beyond that, here are a few things you can do to tilt the odds in your favor:

1. Know, understand, and anticipate their needs. In most markets and industries, people can turn lots of places to get what they want or need. If you can save them time and energy, though, by understanding their buying motivations and anticipating their needs even before they realize them, you'll be rewarded with lots of repeat business.

2. Show them that working with you is safe. Adding things like online transaction verification, good customer reviews, and a number of different local and industry association memberships is a good way to build trust. And of course, being known for providing five-star customer service helps, too. What you really want is for buyers to know that working with you is as safe as it possibly could be.

3. Use the power of extras and freebies. There are hundreds of ways to reward loyal customers – from birthday cards to coupons and freebies for big purchases – and each of them has value. The idea is to find something that's convenient and meaningful to your buyers and then make sure they get enrolled. Remember, these people are the best friend your business can have, so make sure to treat them appropriately.

As you probably noticed, the most important point about keeping existing customers is simply putting their needs and concerns first. That's a simple idea, but one that's likely to pay dividends again and again.