Repeat Clients Will Always Matter More Than Going Viral
I recently came across a line from social media strategist Nishu Lathwal that stopped me in my tracks: “Repeat clients will always matter more than going viral.” After decades of building client relationships, I couldn’t agree more.
That simple sentence carries a lifetime of meaning for me. After 37 years in the trade show and exhibit industry, including 33 years with Genesis Exhibits, I’ve watched this business evolve in ways none of us could have predicted. Technology has changed. Marketing has changed. The way clients find us, engage with us, and communicate with us has changed. I’ve embraced those changes along the way—writing articles, sharing insights, building a presence across multiple platforms, and even seeing some posts go “viral”.
But through all of that change, one truth has remained constant: the real strength of a business is not measured by how many people see your content. It’s measured by how many people trust you enough to come back. And in this business, that trust is earned one project, one conversation, and one promise kept at a time.
When I first joined Genesis Exhibits in 1993, prospecting was the foundation of growth. As a new consultant, you didn’t inherit a full book of business—you built one. Some companies might give you a few accounts to get started, but the real success came from finding your own niche. I remember looking through our database and realizing that all the major accounts were already taken by other consultants. But something caught my eye: none of the major sports leagues were listed. Not the NFL. Not the NHL. Not the NBA. Not MLB. It was a gap, and I saw an opportunity.
So, I picked up the phone. My third call was to the NHL, and by pure timing, the person I reached had just been asked by her boss to start calling exhibit companies for a major project, the NHL All-Star Game Fan Exhibit in New York in January 1994. That cold call turned into a face-to-face meeting, a competitive bid against eight other companies, and ultimately a $225,000 project that helped launch my career.
But what’s even more meaningful is what happened after that project. The head of events for the NHL at the time became one of my most trusted partners. As he moved through his career from the NHL to the NFL, and now running his own event planning consulting company, he continued to bring repeat business to me. Decades later, we are still working together. That’s the power of relationships built on trust, reliability, and consistency. That’s the power of repeat clients.
Back then, new business came from industry magazines, networking events, seminars we produced, and referrals. We studied show directories, walked trade show floors, and quietly noted exhibitors who clearly needed a new exhibit—never approaching them at the show, but always following up afterward. Over time, the landscape shifted. Seminars gave way to webinars. The internet changed how companies searched for partners. Search optimization became essential. And platforms like LinkedIn transformed how we share expertise, build credibility, and attract new prospects. I leaned into that evolution, writing articles, sharing insights and becoming, some say, an influencer in our space. The visibility has been valuable, and yes, it has brought in new business. But visibility alone doesn’t sustain a company for decades. Repeat clients do.
For years, when I analyzed my business at the end of each year, the pattern was consistent: roughly 30% came from new business, 20% from referrals, 10% from inherited accounts, and 40% from repeat clients. That 40% wasn’t just a number, it was stability, growth, and trust. It was the result of relationships built over time, partnerships nurtured, and clients who knew we would show up for them year after year.
And here’s something else I’ve learned: even long-term relationships evolve. People move to new companies. They retire. They shift roles. Sometimes the person you’ve worked with for years leaves, and you must start over with someone new proving yourself again, demonstrating your value again, building trust again. Other times, that person brings you with them to their new company, continuing the partnership in a new environment. I’ve experienced both scenarios many times. It’s a reminder that repeat business isn’t just about the company, it’s about the people behind the company. When you treat clients as partners, they remember you wherever they go.
I’m still working with two major financial clients I first partnered with in 1995 and 2004. Multiple divisions, exhibit management programs, countless referrals—decades of collaboration built on trust. These relationships have grown, expanded, and evolved over time, and they continue to be a core part of my business today. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because you show up, you deliver, you listen, and you stay committed long after the initial project is complete.
This is why the quote resonates so deeply with me. Going viral is fun. It’s flattering. It’s energizing. But it’s not the foundation of a business. The foundation is the client who calls you again. And again. And again. The client who trusts you with their brand, their exhibit, their deadlines, their challenges. The client who sees you not as a vendor, but as a partner.
So yes, I spend time on social media and network digitally. I share insights, I promote our good work, and I stay active because it helps bring new prospects into the fold. But I spend even more time making sure our current clients are supported, heard, and taken care of. Because repeat clients don’t just keep your business going—they help it grow. They help you weather industry changes. They help you build a reputation that lasts. They help you create a career measured not in projects, but in partnerships.
And after nearly four decades in this industry, I can say with confidence: that matters far more than going viral.
