Turn 1-Time Customers into Loyal Fans of Your Business

When it comes to getting customers to stick around, Todd Eby knows what it takes. This self-described “anti-consultant” launched in 2016 to help small businesses get big results. Now, after nearly 25 years in the customer success space, Todd has plenty of practical, effective tips on how to build a loyal client base.

Why you should focus on return customers

When you work for yourself, you spend a lot of time thinking about how to get new customers through the door. But Todd reminds us getting existing clients to stick around is just as important as finding new ones—and not just because it’s more cost-effective. “Retention matters as much, if not more, than acquisition, so make sure it’s a focus.”

“Don’t assume your business will be successful just because you’re acquiring new customers. If you can’t keep bringing them back, you’re more likely to fail.” When you’re solely focused on the acquisition, eventually you’ll reach market saturation, and bringing in new business suddenly gets a whole lot harder.

Want an easy first-step into customer retention? Just reach out to past clients you haven’t been in touch with recently. Announce a new service, offer a special discount or simply say a friendly “hello”.

Get your customer journey spot on

It’s easy to assume we’re providing a totally positive experience when customers engage with our business, either in person on online. But Todd warns us to be careful. Instead of simply trusting the journey is smooth, map it out. “On a piece of paper, build an engagement model to look at each one of the touchpoints in depth”, he suggests. Your map should include the first moment a customer becomes aware of your company, right up until a sale is completed. Even the smallest interactions - such as seeing an ad or liking a Tweet—count.

Why chart every single opportunity for customer engagement or interaction? Because each moment represents a chance for you to win the heart (and pounds) of a new client and secure repeat business for the future. “Once you’ve mapped out every engagement, you can start to see where you might be missing opportunities”, Todd explains.

Talk to your customers

When was the last time you talked—really talked—with your customers about how you’re doing? Chances are, it wasn’t recent enough. Todd reminds us that “small business owners have to remember to talk to their customers and never assume they’re doing a good job”.

We often learn more from customers who leave than from those who stay. “Find out where you fell short of expectations and then fix it”, Todd suggests. Here are 2 tips for getting the most from customer feedback:

• Call a customer. Ask for 15 minutes of their time on the phone—and come prepared with a list of targeted, relevant questions.
• Set up a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey to send to your existing customer base. NPS uses a very simple method to find out who is a promoter of your business, who feels neutral and who is a detractor.

Close the sale, then stay in touch

Small business owners often miss the opportunity to communicate with a customer after they’ve made a sale. Yet this “post-purchase” period is a critical time for outreach.

For example, you might send an email to 1-time customers about how to best use their new product or service. Such “lifecycle” marketing is a great way to stay engaged. Another approach: determine what repeat customers have in common and use that knowledge to inspire similar purchasing behaviour. The goal, Todd says, is to “stay top of mind and be helpful so that the next time customers have a need, they will think of you”.

Start a blog 

Another great way to stay engaged with customers is to provide helpful, relevant information on a blog or in an email newsletter. Both allow you to communicate with customers while remaining relevant and top of mind. “Blogs are particularly successful if you are helping people solve day-to-day problems related to the services you offer”, Todd explains. If writing a post or an article is daunting or too time-consuming, think about hiring a writer or brand strategist to help you share your ideas with the world.

Before you go

Todd has shared some great, specific ideas for retaining customers. What strategies are *you* going to try from this list? If you’ve got another trick up your sleeve, please share it in the comments below!

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