I have something to confess. I am addicted to fishing videos. Google knows this. They have been pushing videos of people catching fish all over the world to my feed. It is like crack to me – I cannot pass those video clips by. I have to watch them. It could be someone hauling in the largest marlin that has ever lived in the ocean or a kid hooking a four-inch bluegill. It doesn’t matter to me because I get a thrill watching people catch fish.

Has your marketing been involved in fishing? Would your customers say they cannot stop watching with anticipation every time you put out a new marketing campaign? Are you giving them a reason to keep looking at your brand? The goal of marketing is to get anyone who buys your products and services to become lifelong fans of your brand. However, too many times I find companies are fishing for new customers while they neglect their current customers. All the great deals go to entice new people to try their brand, but no incentives are given to current customers to buy from them again. So much effort is made to attract new customers that the old customers feel slighted. This is a bad place to be for a couple of reasons. First, and most obvious, you are giving your customers a reason to shop you. In doing so, some will leave for a lower price, but the majority will leave because they will feel much more valued by your competition. Second, and this is the one that usually catches marketers off guard, slighted customers talk loudly. We live in a fish bowl, so to speak, as marketers these days. If a customer is disgruntled, they will let the world know about it, and there is little you can do to prevent it. So if you are putting all your marketing efforts into gaining new customers without giving something to the old customers, the old will impact the attitudes of potential customers that would have purchased your brand but now are influenced by the experience of the old customer.

How do you fix this problem? First, make sure you are following up with each customer after they buy your brand. Make sure they are satisfied with the purchase. This customer service touch is a big reason people – even though they have a beef with you – will return for another purchase. We all like to feel that our opinions are important. Second, give them a good reason to buy again. That may be a frequent customer discount or the first chance to buy a new product. Giving your customer base exclusive deals is a great way to increase their value of your brand. Another marketing idea is to reward them for loyalty. Give them incentives to bring other customers to you. Just as a dissatisfied customer can help you lose sales, satisfied customers can help you sell your products and services. Recognize this and market to it.

There is nothing like a satisfied customer. It is your best piece of marketing. Make sure you are fishing in the right pond with your marketing or you will find the biggest fish are swimming away from you to be caught by someone else.