Who Really Are Your Best Customers?

It’s easy to assume your biggest customer is your best customer.

But that’s not always true.

Your best customer may not be the one spending the most. It may be the one who is profitable, easy to work with, pays on time, comes back again and again, refers others and has the potential to grow with you.

That’s why it’s worth taking a closer look.

Pick your top five customers and ask yourself a few questions. Which ones are the most profitable? Which ones require the least amount of hand-holding? Which ones trust your recommendations? Who refers new business? Who gives you opportunities to expand the relationship?

Then look for patterns.

Maybe your best customers are all in a certain industry. Maybe they are similar in size. Maybe they value speed, strategy or personal service. Maybe they come to you because they want a partner, not simply a vendor.

Those common traits can tell you a lot about where your marketing should be focused.

If your strongest relationships are with privately owned businesses, for example, but most of your marketing is aimed at large corporations, there may be a disconnect. If your best customers consistently come through referrals, you may want to put more energy into referral marketing, networking and staying visible with existing clients.

The goal isn’t necessarily to find more customers.

It’s to find more of the right customers.

That may mean adjusting your messaging, where you advertise, the networking groups you join, the industries you target or even the services you lead with.

Take 20 minutes this month and write down your five best customers – not your five biggest.

Then ask: What do they have in common?

Your answers may give you some clarity about where your next best customer is likely to come from.