The incredible stupidity, cheapskatedness, laziness of business owners is most visible in their consistent bizarre behavior regarding present customers vs. new customers or prospects in their small business marketing.
They are loathe to spend money and time on the people who have already proven they will patronize them and, in fact, do patronize them. But always willing to pour time and money into chasing the next new customer. They are in ardent, sweaty, drooling lust for the next new conquest, completely uninterested in the already conquered.
There are many reasons for this far too numerous to analyze here. They range from perverse human nature to economic ignorance to boredom to foolish belief in customer loyalty and on and on and on.
The car dealer spends $50,000.00 a week on newspaper, radio and TV ads to bring in new customers but God forbid he spend a couple hundred bucks on a mailing or a couple thousand bucks on a party for his present car owners.
It’s hard to find any business where this combination of stupidity, cheapskatedness and laziness is as magnified as the car business. It is a very good thing everybody buys cars, because in pretty much any other business, most dealers and almost all the salespeople’d starve, deservedly.
But on different levels, the same nitwit behavior pervades most businesses. My dry cleaner advertises like a banshee in Val-Pak and local papers; not once in the 3 years I’ve spent no less than $150 a month have I gotten a piece of mail, and to add insult, the coupons say: for new customers only.
The dry cleaner is fortunate I hate the thought of trying to find another competent dry cleaner so much. The dealer I bought my last car from, not so fortunate.
If you want to start ‘mind capture’ somewhere, start with the top 50% or 40% or 30% of your customers. Make sure what they are talking about EVERY week of their life is YOU.
Then move on to doing the same in a target prospect group. Or your industry or community.
Author Info: Dan Kennedy is internationally recognized as the 'Millionaire Maker,' helping people in just about every category of business turn their ideas into fortunes. Dan's "No B.S." approach is refreshing amidst a world of small business marketing hype and enriches those who act on his advice. 
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This is really good, and slowly but surely I have been eliminating dollars for new customers and re-distributing (such a naughty word) them to my best clients. A.K.A. free instruction events with food and drink for best clients, parties in the winter, summer concert with TBD musician etc.
As a marketing consultant to mostly local brick-and-mortar business owners, I can relate to this amazement big-time!
They always cry “I need more new customers” — but:
1. They often don’t know how to run a profitable business, so often “more new customers” equals “more accelerated losses.”
2. Not only are almost all of them too lazy or stupid to market to their customer list, but most don’t even KEEP a customer list to begin with!
SHEESH!!!
new client capture costs more than keeping existing clients…
send existing clients a monthly newsletter, a monthly reminder, a thank you… dang it send them something on a regular consistant basis…
you can eliminate 90% of your wasted institional ads if you concentrate on keeping in touch with existing clientele – once you have a system in place to keep in contact with clientele – they in turn will reward you with referrals (new customers)
… and as a bonus existing clientele rarely ever question your price and the referrals they send you are most likely just like them (and big spenders to boot).
click on my pic and become of fan of “Marketing to the Affluent” on facebook
This is so true, it is a joke in business that we think we have won the game because people have just purchased from us. However the game is only just starting in building a client for life meaning they buy frequently for life. Create so much value for your customers and let them know that you can help them and how you can help them and they will love you.
key tip
If you want to start ‘mind capture’ somewhere, start with the top 50% or 40% or 30% of your customers. Make sure what they are talking about EVERY week of their life is YOU.
thanks Dan
Heady stuff Dan!
I learned this lesson years ago when a current client sent me a nasty email because they were paying more then an offer I made for new clients…
It’s so very tricky when you try to offer a special without offending current clients…
Great post!
… its okay to offer a discount to lure new clients in – but make sure that you cater to your existing clientele and create so much value that they never want to lose your service
My top 25 guest all get stockings on their bar stools this year. I now know what a guest is worth and these guys are gold! Sure I could spend that same money looking and searching but what kind of ROI would I get? Plus these guest will rave about Wing Central’s Roadhouse Grill and their friends will soon follow.