First-time customers grow your business. But it’s your returning customers that keep your business thriving.

They are loyal customers and repeat buyers. They are your bread and butter. The revenue returning customers generate is what you use to attract and convert new customers.

So, how can you get more of them? This guide has the answers.

First, we’ll explain what a returning customer is. Then, we’ll discuss why they’re important—including how much extra they spend.

We’ll give you five proven approaches you can use to transform one-time buyers into loyal brand advocates.

To wrap it all up, we’ll give you a couple of tips you can implement right now.

Returning customers are the heart of your business. They’re what keep you going. Here’s how you can secure even more of them.

What Is a Returning Customer?

A customer chooses your business. Great. They leave a five-star review. Even better.

But if they come back and use your services again, that’s exceptional.

A returning customer is someone who buys from you more than once.

In contrast, a one-time customer is someone who buys from your business once and never comes back. A new customer could go either way.

Pro tip: Want to know how many returning customers you have? Determine your retention rate. You can calculate it using this formula:

Customer Retention Rate = ((The Number of Customers at the End of a Set Period – The Number of New Customers Acquired) / The Number of Customers at the Start of the Period) x 100

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: 5 Customer Retention Tactics To Try

The Importance of Returning Customers

Why should you care about returning customers?

• They spend more with your business. On average, repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers.
• It’s a lot cheaper to retain existing customers than attract new ones—five to seven times less expensive, to be exact. Shifting your focus to returning customers is a cost-effective marketing move.
• In competitive industries, loyalty is huge. Other businesses might offer lower prices. But if you have solid, long-term relationships with returning customers, you can still compete.
  
  

5 Strategies to Turn One-Time Buyers into Returning Customers

Want more returning customers? Try these five strategies.

Strategy 1: Don’t Give Them a Reason to Leave

Customer experience is arguably the most powerful way to encourage loyalty.

What’s more, according to Deloitte: “Customer loyalty can help brands increase revenue and profitability, and drive sustainable growth.”

You want to create a customer journey so good your clients won’t even think about shopping around. Returning to you is a no-brainer. It’s an easy decision.

How can you make meaningful improvements to your customer experience? Here are some practical ideas:

• Don’t leave clients waiting. If they email you, get back to them fast. If they call, phone back. If you say you’ll show up at 11 a.m., be there at 11 on the dot.
• Build friction-free experiences. For example, make payments easy by offering different options.
• If something goes wrong, be collaborative—not combative. Show that you’re willing to listen. Put in the extra effort to fix any mistakes.
  
  

RELATED ARTICLE: Repeat Customer vs. New Customer: Which is Better?

Strategy 2: Send Them Your Newsletter

Great service is an excellent starting point. But it takes more to win over customers again and again. This demands ongoing engagement.

Think about it. Your clients have full lives. They’ve got a lot going on. They might simply forget you exist. It sounds harsh, but it’s true.

You need to keep your business in their minds, and email is a great way to do it.

With their consent, subscribe new customers to your newsletter. Then, send useful tips, promotions, and other valuable or entertaining content their way.

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Ways to Get More Customer Reviews

Strategy 3: Encourage Them to Follow You on Social Media

In the same vein as email marketing, social media can keep your business top of mind.

Encourage your customers to follow your business—and give them a reason to do it. Make your posts fun and educational. Share tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes content.

Avoid spamming ads, too. Otherwise, you risk being blocked.

Strategy 4: Send Friendly and Value-Added Follow-Ups

The time directly after you’ve delivered a service is critical. This is your opportunity to convert a one-timer into a returning customer.

One way to do this is to follow up strategically—here’s how:

• Get your timing right. Wait about 72 hours before you strike.
• Use the right channel. Consider your customer’s communication preferences, whether that be email, text, or even phone calls.
• Send the right message. Keep it short and pack it with gratitude. You’re thankful for their business and would love the opportunity to work with them again.
• Give them a next step. For example, you might suggest a maintenance service or a value-added upsell.
• Invite them to get in touch with any questions.

Strategy 5: Create a Loyalty Program

Why does that free tenth coffee taste so much better than all the rest? Because it makes us feel like a valued customer at our favorite cafe. Give this same warm and fuzzy feeling to your customers.

Set up a loyalty program in just a few steps:

• Choose the reward. This might be a discount on a future service, for example.
• Decide when the reward will be applied. After how many services?
• Plan your marketing campaign. How will you let your customers know about the program? Create a page on your site, share it on social media, and add it to your email signature.
• Come up with an easy and accurate way to keep track. You want to make sure the clients who are eligible for the reward get it.
  
  

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Get More Google Reviews: 5 Strategies for Success

How You Can Start Turning One-Time Buyers into Returning Customers Right Now

There’s no time like the present. Convince one-time buyers to come back to your business with these quick tips:

• Review customer feedback. Your reviews—good and bad—are a goldmine. Look for recurring trends. Figure out where you can improve. Then, make a plan to take action. For example, if people are complaining about slow response times, rethink your communication processes.
• Draft a follow-up email. This should be short, friendly, and polite. Make sure to include a call-to-action (CTA), like “Book your next service now.”
• Choose a social media platform to focus on. You don’t need to post everywhere every day. Instead, select just one network. Create a realistic posting routine and stick to it. A scheduling tool like CoSchedule or Hootsuite can help.
• Decide if a loyalty program is right for your business. Does offering a loyalty program make sense in the context of your services? If so, what kind of reward could you offer?
• Make sure there are no weak links on your team. Customer service and loyalty are a team effort. Your employees should uphold the same high standard of service as you do. If they don’t, consider investing in some extra training.