Repeat Customers?

[PappaG133]

Just curious to if you market your business yourself or referrals or what. How do you retain your repeat customers?

[Sherry]

If they like the service you provided, hopefully they'll hire you again in the future.  I market my business mostly through the internet.  I also hand out a lot of cards.  When I go to parties or events, I always have a card holder with my cards, in an easy to see and reach spot, so if customers like what we're doing, they can easily grab a card.

One way I track how I'm doing, is I have a question in my booking form.. "Where did you hear about us?"  That way I can track where our customers are coming from and see what's really working.

[PappaG133]

Do most people answering the "how did you hear about us" say the internet?

[Sherry]

Yes, I've gotten most of my customer's from the internet.

[ThomasFacePainting]

I haven't gotten anyone from the internet, but I live in a small population center.  My customer base comes from referrals.  Every client I have has become a repeat customer.  In a couple more years I won't even need to book anything cus it will b the same schedule every year.  If you are good at what you do and you follow the principle that the customer is always right you will do just fine... Do charity work at a discount or even free if your just starting out.  This is an excellent way to build a strong client base that wants to help you.  Keep your designs fresh... Always getting better and keeping with whats popular.

[Shannon Fennell]

At the point a large portion of my bookings are repeat customers - annual events for the most part (fairs, music festivals, company parties, rodeos, etc.). The rest are word-of mouth or my car advertising.

I get inquiries via my website but they got there from my business card, car advertising or my direct mail postcards.  I really think my postcards are my biggest marketing value in my area - I mailout batches a few times a year - reminders to past clients, thanks you for past booking, and to potential clients suggesting my services.  After every mailing I get confirmations, inquiries and new bookings.

I don't do "free" never have and don't think anyone should - at least not without some sort of payment (tax receipt, sponsor credit, ad in program, etc.)

[Wildcatfin]

Same as Shannon - at thew mo about 80% is repeats for me. The rest internet/ word of mouth. Luckily my 'competition' is pretty awful and most of them use felt-tip pens or acrylics, not agreat marketing tool for them.

Originally when we moved to HK it was 70% internet, rest seeing me at some ppf stuff I did, I generally do a couple of ppf per year which I almost have to write off as adverting.

cat x

[Kristal]

I've only been at this for about a year and a half, so most of my work is through the internet and word of mouth, although I've been getting a fair amount of repeat clients so far!

And Cat, I was scoping out the fp's here, and one woman (who is only charging $35/hour and ASKING to be fed - wtf?!) replied to my email with pictures - not only was she NOT competition, but she had a gel pen in her hand! I was blown away.

[Alison]

Woman?  Or child, Krystal?

I'm imagining a teenager who doesn't really know anything about Business if she's using a gel-pen.
(A ball-point pen is much fun to draw with too - Lol. - I used to do that on myself.  It was great
not only for writing on my hands and arms, but I also just Looooved the glide on the side of the
old-fashioned white sneaker-soles.) 

Every once in a while I'll see teenagers painting rough flowers on cheeks sort of thing -
They get by with their long legs and shortshorts, spending the day with a face-painting friend -
like a couple of friends who cooked up an 'idea'.  I've usually only seen this at places where
I'm doing something else than face-painting - so the people don't know that I'm a face-painter
and I can't put down the ridiculous stuff that gets glopped onto kids' faces.  It's no wonder
that I run into some people who are blown away with surprise when they see a Real face-painter.
Because that type of stuff does go on.

[Alison]

Oh, how do our posts slide away from the topic ~

So, Repeat Customers - Yes - I have them.  Happy to hear from them when they call me back,
but I wish I could take the bookings for-granted.  I still insist on following all the same paperwork
and payment procedures.  Got to remember that they're still once-a-year 'friends'.

[Kristal]

Woman?  Or child, Krystal?

Woman. I saw her profile in one of the pictures, and she was probably in her...50's? Also has apparently been face painting for years - how, I don't know!

Also, i used to love drawing on my shoes with a ball-point, too, haha. But that's not the issue here