One of the great feelings that a person can experience as the owner of his or her own business is the thrill of encountering a repeat client. They came to you for your product or service before, and you did your very best to ensure that they were satisfied with the product or service that they received from you. After the sale, you both went your separate ways. Fast forward to some time in the future when you receive a call, email, or visit from them again – they liked what you sold them or what you did for them, and they would like more of what you have to offer. Knowing that this client has choices when they are going to buy a product or service, and that they have chosen you not once, but now again, just feels great. It is a validation that others value your work as much as you do, and everyone likes to feel validated.
Sometimes, you do not need to do anything out of the ordinary to turn your clients into repeat customers. You do your work, they love it, and they come back for more. It is helpful, though, to keep in mind what it is about the way that you do your work that turns clients into repeat customers. One thing that helps to build repeat business is consistency. Each time you provide your product or service and the client has an experience that is not only positive, but is consistent with the experiences that they have had with you before, it builds their trust that they can know what to expect when they deal with you. The result is a client that is comfortable with you and your product or service, and comfortable clients are loyal clients – after all, who wants to go elsewhere and take a chance that what you will get will not be as good as what you know you can get where you have gone before.
Another reason why your clients may be returning to you is that you provide them with the personalized service that they crave. Everyone likes to feel important, and even small details like remembering names or favorite items, and expressing sincere thanks for their business can go a long way towards letting your clients know that you care about them. As the owner of your own business, you are in a unique position to build relationships with your clients that make them feel valued. Clients that feel valued and know that when they do business with you they will always get the same great products and services not only come back to do business with you again, they often tell their friends about their positive experiences. Are your clients coming back repeatedly? If so, that’s great. If not, you may want to take a step back and look at what you could do to try and make that happen – you can do it.