Why Your Best Customers Are Already in Your Database
Most shop owners in Brisbane are obsessed with finding new customers. They spend a fortune on flyers, Facebook ads, and local papers trying to get someone who has never heard of them to walk through the door.
Look, I get it. New blood feels like growth. But here is the cold, hard truth I’ve seen after working with dozens of retailers from Chermside to Cleveland: chasing new customers is the most expensive way to run a business.
If you want to actually see more profit in your bank account at the end of the month, you need to stop worrying about the people who don’t know you and start focusing on the people who do. It is much easier (and cheaper) to get a person who has already bought from you once to come back a second time than it is to find a complete stranger.
In this guide, I’m going to show you how to turn a one-time shopper into a regular who keeps your lights on and your registers ringing.
The Real Cost of a Lost Customer
Think about the last person who walked out of your shop. If they spent $50 and never come back, that’s a $50 customer. But if that same person comes back once a month for the next three years, they are worth $1,800.
When you lose a regular, you aren't just losing today's sale; you're losing a predictable stream of income. Most small businesses fail because their income is a rollercoaster—heaps of customers one week, dead the next. Getting people to come back more often is the only way to flatten that curve and actually sleep at night.
1. Start Collecting Details (Without Being Annoying)
You cannot get a customer to come back if you have no way of talking to them once they leave. This is where most Brisbane shop owners drop the ball. They let people walk out the door and hope they’ll just remember to come back. Hope is not a business strategy.
You need a list. Whether it’s an email list or a mobile number for SMS, you need a way to reach out.
The Wrong Way: "Do you want to join our newsletter?" Nobody wants more junk mail.
The Right Way: "Do you want me to send you a $10 voucher for your next visit?" Suddenly, everyone is interested.
Once you have their details, you can use simple tools to turn more shop visitors into paying customers by sending them reminders about new stock or special VIP nights.
2. Give Them a Reason to Return (The "Bounce Back" Offer)
The best time to get a second sale is right after the first one. We call this a "Bounce Back."
When someone buys something, give them a physical coupon or a digital code that is only valid for the next 14 to 30 days. It shouldn't be a massive discount—maybe 10% off or a free small item with their next purchase.
Why does this work? Because it creates a habit. If they come back twice in a month, they are far more likely to become a lifelong customer. I’ve seen a boutique in Paddington double their repeat visits just by tucking a "$15 off your next pair of shoes" card into every shopping bag.
3. Be Better Than the Big Chains
You are never going to win a price war with Kmart or Bunnings. They have deeper pockets and can afford to lose money just to kill off the competition. To win, you have to play a different game.
You have to provide the kind of service that a giant corporation can't replicate. This means knowing your customers' names, remembering what they bought last time, and making them feel like a person, not a transaction number. This personal touch is exactly how your local shop can win against the big guys who treat everyone like a barcode.
If a customer bought a specific type of plant from your nursery three months ago, send them a quick text asking how it’s growing and offering a tip on how to prune it. That isn't "marketing"—that’s just being a good local business owner. And it works.
4. Host Events That Matter
If your shop looks exactly the same every Tuesday afternoon, there’s no urgency for anyone to visit. You need to create "reasons to visit" that aren't just about a sale.
Think about: VIP Preview Nights: Let your regulars see the new season's stock before anyone else. Give them a glass of bubbles and some nibbles. Workshops: If you run a craft shop, teach a class. If you run a tackle shop, show people how to tie the best knots for Moreton Bay fishing. Local Collaborations: Team up with the coffee shop next door for a "Coffee and Curated Shopping" morning.
These events build a community around your business. When people feel like they belong to a community, they stop looking at the price tag and start looking at the relationship.
5. What’s a Waste of Money?
I’ll be blunt: most "loyalty card" apps are a waste of time for small shops. Unless you are a high-frequency business like a coffee shop, people don't want another app on their phone.
Also, generic "broadcast" emails that just say "We are open!" are a waste of your time. If you’re going to send an email or a text, it has to have value. Tell them about a specific product that just landed or give them a specific tip they can use. If you just shout at them, they will hit 'unsubscribe' faster than you can say "clearance sale."
How Much Will This Cost?
The beauty of focusing on existing customers is that it’s incredibly cheap.
Email/SMS Software: You can start for as little as $30–$50 a month. Printed Vouchers: A few hundred dollars for high-quality cards that look professional. Your Time: This is the biggest investment. It takes time to collect data and send out messages, but the return on that time is ten times higher than spending hours trying to figure out Facebook's latest changes.
How Long Until You See Results?
You can see results from a "Bounce Back" offer within the first 30 days. As soon as those vouchers start coming back across the counter, you know it's working. Building a true VIP community takes longer—usually 3 to 6 months of consistent effort—but once it’s established, it provides a "floor" for your monthly revenue that never disappears.
What Should You Do First?
Don't try to do everything at once. You're busy running a shop. Here is your 3-step plan for Monday morning:
1. Print some simple 'Thank You' cards with an offer for their next visit (valid for 30 days). 2. Start a simple spreadsheet or use your POS system to collect names and mobile numbers. Ask every single person who buys something if they want to be on the VIP list for special offers. 3. Send one message a month to that list. Just one. Make it useful, make it personal, and make it local.
Most shop owners won't do this. They'll keep complaining that the shopping centres are stealing their business. But the ones who do—the ones who treat their regulars like gold—are the ones who thrive regardless of what the economy is doing.
If you want a hand setting up a system that actually brings people back without you having to spend all day on a computer, reach out to us at Local Marketing Group. We help Brisbane businesses get more people through the door and, more importantly, keep them coming back.
Ready to grow your regular customer base? Contact us at Local Marketing Group.