Y’all come back now, y’hear?

Posted by Laura Bergells

November 8, 2006

How many of your web visitors keep coming back every month?

Last year, a guy who runs a small e-commerce site told me, “I really don’t care if my old customers come back.”

He should.

His reasoning is that he sells just one great product. His expectation is that people will buy his product, use it, and love it. Because his product is so well-made, his happy customers will never need to buy another one of his products again.

While I applaud that he makes a fine product that his customers seem to love: why end the relationship?

People who are fanatical about a product, service, or company love to tell their friends about it. They might like to buy another product as a gift during the holiday. They might like to visit a forum where they can learn about new ways to use the product. Or read a blog post about how a famous celebrity has embraced the company. They might appreciate being emailed an e-coupon during the holiday season. They might like being offered the chance to become members of an online fan club for the product, or at least flattered to be asked for a testimonial.

I pitched all of these ideas (and more) to my would-be client, but he regarded me strangely.

He wanted fresh traffic. He wanted new blood to visit his site. He wanted to attract new people who haven’t heard of him before.

“…And I don’t want to bother my old customers.”

But cultivating a sense of community around your product isn’t a bother for your clients. Remember the old adage that it costs more to acquire a new customer than to keep an old one? It works in the field of internet marketing, too.

And why not let your happy clients find fresh new clients for you? Word of mouth (and mouse) works. After all, the internet can be a social medium.

How do you deepen your customer relationships or and foster deeper, more lasting conversations?