Retention of custom is no doubt trickier in today's market, quite simply due to the fact that most buying decisions, including repurchases, start with a simple shop around online. Come to think of it, nearly every purchasing decision that I make over the  value of about £20 starts with an online search.  

This is certainly true in the B2B space, where often a company's chief differentiator is their expert knowledge of their niche. Mike Maynard of Napier makes a good point here in saying that we must delight both new and existing clients. The latter is something I know I should work more on and this piece has proved a valuable reminder. Quite apart from anything else, it's easier to convert returning customers into brand advocates, which usually helps to ease the process of acquiring new business anyway.