Why are repeat customers so important?

There are many reasons why repeat customers play a pivotal role in your small business' marketing. Here are 3 of the best reasons:

Influencing circles of influence

Recent estimates put an average person’s circle of influence at between 50 and 300 people. That means that a repeat customer has the ability to influence up to 300 people with his/her feedback about your company. That’s why it’s so important to nurture the relationship.

Imagine the time it would take a sales rep to generate 300 potential prospects. Yet by connecting with a repeat customer, and finding ways for them to communicate to their circle of influence about your company, you’ve just expanded your sales force, without incurring additional overhead.

Repeat customers’ praise can be amplified

Testimonials. Case studies. Serving as a reference. These are all ways that a repeat customer’s influence can be magnified. Asking a repeat customer to be the focus of one of these signals to them that you really value your relationship with them. Smart marketers find ways to package their repeat customers’ satisfaction and funnel it back into the company’s marketing efforts.

Repeat customers’ offer invaluable feedback

Any good marketing company develops a feedback loop with its market. What better way to do this than by turning to your repeat customers for feedback?

Because of the special relationship these repeat customers have with your company, they are far more likely to offer your company unvarnished feedback when it needs it most. For example, if your company is considering launching a new service, why not offer an advance preview of this service to your repeats? That way you'll get unvarnished feedback from them, they'll feel a certain exclusiveness about being approached before anyone else, and some of them may be interested in  purchasing this service.