There’s a moment in every business that almost nobody uses.
It’s right after a great experience—
when someone’s just had a good meal, a great class, a fresh haircut… whatever it is.
They’re already thinking:
“That was really good.”
That moment doesn’t last long.
Maybe 10 minutes.
And what happens in that window usually determines whether they:
come back
tell someone
leave a review
or just… move on
Most businesses treat that moment like the end.
Payment processed, next customer, onto the next thing.
But from a marketing perspective, that’s actually the best moment you have.
They trust you.
They’re happy.
They’re still thinking about you.
And then nothing happens.
The businesses that get regulars don’t do anything crazy here.
They just do small things, consistently.
Instead of “come back soon,” they say something specific.
“Next time you come in, ask for this.”
“We just added something you’d probably like.”
“We do this on Thursdays—worth checking out.”
That one sentence matters more than people think.
It gives someone a reason to come back, not just a vague idea.
Same thing with referrals.
People will tell their friends.
You don’t need to force it.
But you do need to make it feel normal.
Something like:
“If you know someone who’d love this, bring them next time.”
Or even just:
“Most of our new customers come from regulars.”
That line alone changes how people think about it.
The biggest miss though is this:
Most businesses never capture the relationship.
No email.
No text.
No way to follow up.
So even if someone wants to come back…
life happens, and you disappear.
If you do nothing else, fix that.
Give people a simple reason to stay connected.
“We send out stuff like this every week—it’s worth being on the list.”
That’s enough.
And this looks different depending on the business, but the pattern is always the same.
Tattoo shop → when they see it in the mirror for the first time
Gym → right after a great class
Restaurant → when they’re still talking about the meal
Salon → that moment they feel like a different person
Every business has that moment.
Most just don’t use it.
You don’t need more marketing.
You just need to use the moments you already have.
That’s where regulars come from.
I put together a free guide that breaks this down with real examples (and what to actually say in those moments):
Your Best Marketing Is Already In Your Building
— Kara