How do I keep customers coming back?

Deliver what you promised, stay in contact when you are not selling, and make the next step obvious.

Most customers do not leave because of a failure. They drift because nobody stayed in touch, and by the time they need the service again, they have forgotten who to call.

Three habits do most of the work:
1. A scheduled check-in — monthly or quarterly — that asks a specific question rather than "how's everything going?".
2. A clear, natural next offer once the first piece of work is complete and has landed.
3. A record of when they are likely to need you again, with a reminder in the calendar.

Retention is also cheaper than acquisition by a wide margin, which makes an hour spent on existing customers worth more than an hour spent on new ones. The Customer Check-In Email is a two-minute version of habit one.