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Winning a new print customer is important, but the real value often comes after the first order.
For print resellers, a single job can become much more than a one time transaction. A customer who orders flyers for a promotion may also need posters, signage, stickers, menus, business cards, banners or seasonal campaign print later in the year. The opportunity is in spotting what they might need next before they have to ask.
That does not mean pushing more products for the sake of it. Good retention is built on relevance. When you understand what the customer is trying to achieve, you can recommend print that genuinely supports their campaign, event, launch or day to day business.
Research shared by Harvard Business Review has shown that improving customer retention can have a significant impact on profit, so the commercial case is clear. For print resellers, the practical question is simple. How do you turn a first order into a reason for that customer to come back?
New customers take time to win. They need to find you, trust you, understand your service and feel confident enough to place an order. Existing customers already know who you are. They know how you work, they have seen the quality of the finished product and they are more likely to come back if the experience was simple and reliable.
That makes repeat business one of the most useful ways to grow a print reseller account. It can help you build more predictable revenue, increase average order value and reduce the pressure to constantly find new customers from scratch.
It also gives you a better understanding of each customer. You can start to learn what they order, when they order, what quantities they use, which campaigns matter to them and where they may need support. Over time, that knowledge helps you make better recommendations.
A reseller who only responds to a brief may win the job in front of them. A reseller who understands the next print need has a better chance of winning the next one too.
A print order usually tells you something about the customer’s wider plans. If someone needs print, there is often a reason behind it. They may be promoting an offer, launching a product, opening a venue, attending an exhibition, hiring staff, hosting an event or refreshing their brand.
That context is where repeat order opportunities often sit.
A customer ordering flyers may be preparing a local promotion. They might also need posters, stickers, pavement signs, banners or door drop leaflets to support the same message.
A restaurant ordering menus may soon need table talkers, loyalty cards, window posters, gift vouchers or seasonal signage.
A business ordering new business cards may also need appointment cards, letterheads, presentation folders, stickers or branded stationery.
A customer ordering banners for an event may need directional signage, display boards, flags, leaflets, wristbands or printed handouts.
A client ordering a brochure may later need a shorter leaflet version, a presentation folder, printed inserts or an updated edition for the next campaign.
The point is not to turn every order into a long list of extras. It is to understand what the customer is trying to do and suggest the print that would make that activity work better.
Customer retention is easier when it becomes part of your process rather than something you only think about when sales feel quiet.
A simple follow up plan can help you stay visible without overwhelming the customer. After the order has arrived, check that everything went smoothly. Ask how the print is being used. If it was for a campaign, event or launch, use that information to understand what may come next.
For example, one week after delivery, you could check that the job arrived safely and that the customer is happy with the finished result. Around a month later, you could ask how the campaign performed and whether they need any supporting items. After two or three months, you could suggest a relevant refresh, reorder or seasonal update.
This kind of communication works because it feels useful. You are not sending a cold sales message. You are continuing a conversation around something they have already ordered.
A helpful follow up might sound like this:
“We hope the flyers worked well for your promotion. If you are planning another push over the next few weeks, it may be worth refreshing your posters and signage at the same time so everything feels consistent.”
Or, for an event customer:
“Since you ordered banners for the event, it may be worth checking whether you need directional boards, handouts or display materials as well. These are often the smaller items that get missed until closer to the day.”
Small prompts like this can help customers plan earlier and make your service feel more valuable.
One of the easiest ways to increase customer lifetime value is to help customers think in campaigns rather than individual products.
A flyer is rarely just a flyer. It may be part of a wider promotion. A menu may be part of a seasonal refresh. A banner may be part of an exhibition stand. A business card may be part of a wider brand update.
When you frame print in this way, you can recommend groups of products that work together.
For a retail customer, a sale campaign could include Flyers and Leaflets, window posters, stickers, shelf wobblers and point of sale signage.
For a hospitality customer, a seasonal update could include Menus, table talkers, posters, gift vouchers and outdoor signage.
For an event customer, a full event pack could include Banners, display boards, flyers, wristbands, wayfinding signs and branded photo opportunities.
For a school or college, an open day campaign could include prospectuses, welcome signage, banners, certificates, maps and directional print.
For a local service business, a visibility campaign could include business cards, appointment cards, leaflets, NCR pads, posters and site boards.
These suggestions give the customer a clearer picture of what is possible. They also help you move the conversation away from price alone and towards value, consistency and campaign impact.
Many print customers do not plan as early as they could. That creates an opportunity for resellers who are prepared.
Seasonal planning gives you a useful reason to contact customers throughout the year. Instead of asking whether they need anything, you can point to a specific trading moment, event or campaign period.
Retailers may need print for January sales, spring promotions, summer events, Halloween, Black Friday and Christmas. Hospitality businesses may need updates for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, summer menus, festive bookings and local events. Schools and colleges may need print for open days, enrolment, awards, graduations and new term activity.
A simple marketing calendar can be a useful tool. It does not need to be complicated. It just needs to help customers see what is coming up and what they may need to prepare.
For resellers, this creates timely reasons to reconnect with customers before the urgent deadline arrives. It also helps you show that you understand their business, not just their print order.
Increasing lifetime value is not only about selling more products. Sometimes it is about helping the customer make a better choice for the job they already need.
A customer ordering business cards may benefit from a thicker stock, soft touch lamination, Spot UV or Scodix foil if they want a more premium feel. A customer ordering brochures may need help choosing between silk, gloss, uncoated or recycled paper. A customer ordering signage may need guidance on which board material suits indoor use, outdoor use or short term display.
This is where education can support retention. When customers feel guided rather than sold to, they are more likely to trust your recommendations.
You can use the Print Materials Hub to explain paper stocks, rigid materials and finish options in a clearer way. You can also use the Print Dictionary when customers need simple explanations of print terms, and the Support Guides when they need practical artwork setup help.
The more confidence a customer has in the process, the easier it is for them to place the next order.
A repeat order should not feel like starting again.
If a customer regularly orders the same product, make the reorder process as simple as possible. Keep a note of the product, size, material, quantity, finish and any artwork details that may matter next time. If they ask for the same thing again, you can respond quickly and accurately.
This is especially useful for customers who order recurring items, such as menus, leaflets, stickers, forms, appointment cards, business cards, event print or seasonal signage.
You can also use previous orders as prompts. If a customer ordered Christmas menus last year, they may need them again. If they ordered exhibition materials in spring, they may be attending another event later in the year. If they ordered new starter packs, training guides or staff materials, they may need refreshed versions as the business grows.
A good reorder process saves the customer time. It also shows that you are organised, attentive and easy to work with.
The more support you can offer customers, the easier it is to become their regular print partner.
WTTB’s Print Reseller Hub gives resellers a central place to access useful tools and resources, including support designed to help with quoting, planning and selling print more confidently.
Our Image Library can help when you need professional print images for your website, emails, social posts, proposals or customer presentations. This can be especially useful if you want to promote print products without having to create every image from scratch.
Unbranded Support Guides can help with artwork setup, file preparation and technical requirements. Sharing the right guide at the right time can reduce delays and help customers supply print ready files more confidently.
These tools do more than support the order. They help you offer a more useful service before the customer even places it.
Retention should not mean discounting every order. If you rely only on price, it can be difficult to protect your margin and keep the relationship sustainable.
Instead, focus on value. Make the process easier. Suggest relevant products. Help customers avoid missed deadlines. Recommend better materials where they make sense. Share useful reminders before seasonal peaks. Keep reorder details clear.
WTTB’s Rewards can also support repeat ordering by giving resellers access to benefits that can help with pricing and margin. When customers order more regularly, those benefits can become more useful over time.
That gives you more room to stay competitive while still building value into the relationship.
There is a difference between staying visible and sending messages for the sake of it. The best customer contact is timely, relevant and useful.
Before you contact a customer, think about why the message matters. Are you reminding them about a seasonal deadline? Suggesting a useful reorder? Helping them prepare for an event? Sharing a product that supports something they already do?
If the answer is clear, the message is more likely to feel helpful.
A useful customer message could be as simple as:
“You ordered menus around this time last year, so I wanted to check whether you are planning any seasonal updates. If you are, it may be worth reviewing menus, table talkers and window posters together so the campaign feels consistent.”
Or:
“Your last leaflet order was for a local promotion. If you are planning another campaign, we can also look at posters, signage and door drop print to help get the message seen in more places.”
This kind of contact reminds the customer that you understand their needs and can make their next print project easier.
For print resellers, customer retention is not just about waiting for someone to reorder. It is about becoming useful between orders.
When you understand why a customer needed print in the first place, you can start to identify what they may need next. That could be a reorder, a seasonal refresh, a wider campaign bundle, a material upgrade or a supporting product they had not considered.
The strongest reseller relationships are built on consistency, relevance and trust. If customers know you can help them plan, choose and order print more easily, they are more likely to come back.
With the right print tools and resources behind you, you can make every order easier to manage, support customers with more confidence and build a stronger service around the print they need.
Posted on February 2, 2021 by WTTB
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