[Paul Clapham]

I am trying to do some research into the question of repeat customers, I have read lots of info about how to grow your business via repeat customers, but I have not seen any numbers apart from some info from CD saying that after 5 years of trading that 70% of your turnover should be coming from your existing data base and that you should have a data base of 2,500 customers.

I am now in my second year and I am not building a data base up any where near that scale/speed and I have had only 3 repeat customers so far, would anybody who has been trading for 3-6 years like to share any real numbers about size of data base and % size of repeat business.

Cheers

Paul.   

[M.Acorn]

I don't bother,I have a data base,but a lot of my work up until a few years back was eot cleans,so always changing tenants, all they were wanting was cheapest price,however what I did do is had a load of business card size stickers made up,with all my details on,with a space for a date,saying these carpets were professionally cleaned on and to keep them looking at their best call me in 12 months time,have found they work,just got back from one today,3rd time I have cleaned that place for different people,so a total of over £700 as it was a big one.

[Kev Loomes]

I've just checked my stats for the year, and 45% of our turnover is from existing clients. Then it's client recommended, retailer recommended and website - all about the same. Then other forms of course.

So yes, a build up of clients no matter how small can be the difference in making it in this game, and not. It's all about marketing, like any business.

[davep]

5 years and approx 50% of my work is repeats and recs