Should we ignore our old customers to get new ones?

I have seen many businesses offer a special discount or a free gift to their new customers. If they have introduced this gift or discount from the first day of their business, then it sounds really good. Because all their existing customers already have taken this opportunity, so when the new customers take this offer, those existing customers feel good. But when an existing customers came know about such an offer, which is not for them, but for new customers, they feel cheated. And if they are your loyal customers, then you may loose them in the process of attracting new customers.

I would always prefer to deal with our old and loyal customers instead of attracting new customers on the price of losing them. And if you keep your existing loyal customers happy, you don’t need to work hard to get new customers. Your existing-happy-loyal customers will bring them for you. They have the best marketing strategy with them – “word of mouth”.

Few days ago, I saw that Myntra is providing a printed photo mug worth Rs 249 for free, you just need to pay for the shipping charge, which is Rs 50. I treated this as a good deal and when I see the details, I found that this offer is only for people who will register at Myntra. As I have already registered, I could have registered again with a new email id and get this offer. But I did not like to register again with another email id and feed cheated (however I am not a loyal customer of Myntra, I never bought anything from them). I emailed them regarding how an existing user can get this free mug.

Few days later, they replied me and asked the email id I have registered with. And after few more days, they replied me and sent me a customized gift voucher, which I can use to get that free mug. Providing this free mug to existing user base was never in their plan. But they decided to offer me that free mug, to keep me satisfied with them. This small effort shows that they care about their customers. And if I buy something from them and some worst thing happens, then their customer service team will be there to help me. May be I become one of their loyal customers in the future.

And I posted this, they got benefit the words of my mouth, which they are unaware of to happen – are the extra benefits of showing care to their customers.