There’s a lot of energy spent on growth. Marketing budgets, product launches, funnels, onboarding flows. And don’t get me wrong—getting people in the door matters. But if you can’t communicate clearly once they’re inside? You’ll lose them just as fast.

I’ve seen it firsthand across industries: fintech, real estate, even vet offices and mechanics. The common thread? Communication makes or breaks retention. It’s not about dazzling copy or perfectly timed push notifications—it’s about trust. And trust is built (or broken) with every message, email, and unanswered question.

A few things that I’ve come to believe should be table stakes:

• Tell customers what’s next. Don’t leave them guessing. If they have to follow up more than once just to know where things stand, you’ve already created friction.

• Say the right thing. Setting the wrong expectation—even with good intent—is a fast track to disappointment. Customers will forgive a delay, but they won’t forgive feeling misled.

• Own your mistakes. If you mess something up (and you will), say so. Clearly. Blaming the customer, or being vague about responsibility, damages trust more than the original mistake.

• Know when communication really matters. In high-stakes moments—medical, financial, anything emotional—bad communication can end the relationship entirely. Even if the work itself was fine, the feeling it leaves behind is what sticks.

Here’s the hard truth: if your product isn’t one-of-a-kind, your competitor doesn’t have to be wildly better. They just need to talk to your customers slightly more clearly, slightly more honestly. That’s enough.

So before you invest more in getting people to show up—ask if your communication is strong enough to make them want to stay.