Do you ever wonder why you need to market to existing clients?

Marketing is something every business needs to do, if they want to grow and you might wonder why you need to market to existing clients. For many business owners, their marketing focus tends to be always on getting new clients – and this means they’re missing out on easier and simpler opportunities.

Constantly marketing for new clients can often feel like an uphill struggle. Not only do you need to initially get their attention, you then have to educate them on your company and what you can provide them, whilst also taking the time to gently build a relationship with them. Not only is it a lot of hard work, it can also be a slow process.

So let me ask you – whilst you are aiming for new clients, are you doing any marketing to your existing ones?

Clients aren’t a one-time done scenario

Once you have a client, that shouldn’t be the end goal. In fact, it should be the start of a long and mutually productive relationship. Client needs change over time. Businesses grow and expand, their products, services and even their main job description or role can change – meaning their needs and requirements will, too. They may need to extend their hours with you, as well as what you currently do for them. The point is, once they’re a client, it isn’t a one-time done scenario – you need to be regularly reviewing and checking in, to see if there’s anything further you can do to help them.

You’re already known to past and existing clients

What’s great about existing clients is, it’s easier to build on the relationship with them. People who already know you, know who you are and what you do. They already like and trust you. Marketing to existing and past clients is easier, as the job is halfway done already. You know each other, you know about them and their business, and you know how you may be able to help them more.

It enables you to uplevel your customer service

Customer service is an important part of your overall job description, plus it’s crucial for customer satisfaction too! Your customers want to feel that they’re valued and noticed. Let’s face it, customers want to feel that they’re your most important customer! When they feel appreciated, noticed and nurtured, they feel higher levels of satisfaction over who they’ve picked to work with. When you market to your existing customers, you have the prime opportunity to further enhance your relationship and an opportunity to make them feel even more special. As you know them already, you know what they may need and want, and you’re better equipped to help them. Consider even offering VIP or best customer deals, priority contact options etc, to further uplevel your customer service.

Marketing to existing clients is more cost and time effective for you

Marketing to existing customers is a more cost and time effective solution to your marketing efforts too. You save time initially, as you don’t need to build a rapport or educate them on what you offer, it also costs less to time and effort to actually get them on the phone and having a conversation with you! When you’re looking to attract new clients, you may need to place and pay for advertising, to attract your ideal clients, spend time educating them on what you offer and how you work with clients, then you need to convince them to book a call with you – things you don’t have to do, with existing and past clients.

Business growth is about who you know

We all prefer to do business with those people we know, like and trust. Once we have these things in place, we’re often more than happy to share our experiences and recommendations with others. As a business owner, we need recommendations and testimonials to help showcase what we can do to new clients – and it’s our existing and past customers that can provide them for us. These clients can become our biggest source of referrals.

So how can you further build on this natural process? By offering incentives to refer other businesses to you, with loyalty schemes and reward plans – and by actively asking your existing and best customers for their help. Everyone wants to feel helpful and useful in some way, it’s human nature. By taking the time to nurture your existing and past clients, you’re helping to build a network of contacts and potential allies, for your business. (If you’d like to learn more about getting referrals, check out this blog on Successful referrals.)

Marketing to existing and past clients is an essential part of marketing, that many small business owners often neglect. However, when it’s done right, it can be a lucrative and rewarding marketing strategy for both you and your clients. Not only does it help remind your clients that you value them, it also enables you to further build on the relationship – and show how valuable you can be to their businesses.

Let me leave you with one thought – when was the last time you asked your existing clients to recommend you / refer you to others?  Maybe you should drop them a message today.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas around marketing to existing and past clients. Do you have a strategy in place already – if so, what is the most effective thing you do to market to existing and past clients? Maybe you aren’t currently marketing to existing and past clients, but you’ve found today’s blog post helpful in some way? Regardless of what stage you’re at, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments – so do please use the comments box below to share them!

If you are an experienced Virtual Assistant, who would like to build and grow their VA business – you might want to join our VA Membership – each month we hold training webinars and live Q&A group coaching calls and debate subjects just like this one.  The VA Membership works out at £1.29 per day – it is a fantastic professional development resource.