Anyone in business surely has learned the importance of making sure their customers keep coming back for more. No matter how many times you have heard it said that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers, it never hurts to hear it again (and again, and again!). In order to stay in business, any company needs to make sure this “20%” stays happy so that they will remain loyal, and they also need to make sure they know how to turn the “80%” into loyal customers as well.

One of the big ways in which businesses fail is by focusing too much on gaining new customers rather than focusing more on the customers they already have. While new customers are important, they should not be your first priority, as they are not your major source of profit.

Out of all the various ways by which you can keep your repeat customers happy, the best way is by finding out what they have to say. As you get to know your customers, you will also get to know their opinions regarding the things you are doing with your business. This is a great benefit, as you can find out what they like, and you can also find out what they dislike! If your business is too large to allow you to get to know your customers individually, create ways for your customers to voice their opinions, whether this is by customer surveys, an special email address, or online response forms.

After you have taken care of your current customers – making sure you have a solid foundation in place – you can add “new customers” to your scope of focus. Advertising is a great way to get new customers in, but advertising alone will not help you keep new customers; you need to also create a sense of loyalty. If you are a small business, you will continue to grow as long as you take the time to get to know your customers as individuals. And large companies can ensure that new customers will keep coming back if they create a sense of community and of familiarity.

It is easy for businesses to fail, but if you learn how to keep customers coming back, it is just as easy to learn how to thrive as a business!

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