Gifts are great and all but can we agree that there’s no amount of Starbucks gift cards that can make up for poor communication, missed deadlines, and incomplete deliverables? 

So often I see entrepreneurs focusing on how to exceed their client’s expectations and deliver a “wow I want to work with you forever” experience that they forget –  in order to exceed a client’s expectations, first you have to meet them. 

Which is exactly why I’m bringing you five steaming hot strategies for improving your client experience that have absolutely nothing to do with gifting. We’re taking it all the way back to the basics: from sizzling communication tips to time saving workflows, and making the most of your testimonial collection, I’m dishing out all the juicy details. So grab a glass of wine, slip into your comfiest PJs, and let’s dive into how you can woo your clients with an unforgettable experience that goes way beyond gifting!

Where to begin

The first step to improving your client experience is to outline your process. 

And before you roll your eyes and skip to the next section, hear me out.

By breaking down your business activities into specific steps (yes that’s all a process is – simply writing down the steps it takes to accomplish a task and how you do them), you can pinpoint areas where you can streamline your workflow (read: save time), automate tasks (read: shorten your to do list), and identify and prevent potential mistakes (read: save your reputation and build loyalty with your clients). By physically outlining your process, you’re taking a proactive step to avoid missed steps or inconsistencies in your client experience. 

Huge win!

The Strategies

Now that you’ve done that: here are five more ways to improve your CX.

1. Utilize templates. Take a look at what emails you are repeatedly sending, copy and paste the text into a Google Doc, title it something that you’ll easily be able to find in a search (ex. If it’s your proposal email for wedding clients, title it “Wedding Client Proposal Email Template). Pro tip: if you use a CRM like Honeybook you can keep all of your email templates directly in the CRM and even automate them to send based on the status of the project.

2. Create an onboarding packet. Have you ever signed up for a program or course and been so excited to dive in, but after paying you were given zero direction and left wondering “okay, now what? How do I get started? What do I need to prepare?” Please tell me I’m not alone in this? Well, your clients might be wondering the same thing. An onboarding packet should be considered essential for any 1:1 service project. It should be on brand and summarize all important info they should know in order to get started (i.e. how they can contact you, your office hours, a list of tools you’ll be using with them, policy recap/contract highlights, etc.)

3. One of the biggest misconceptions about client experience is that it begins after purchase. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Client experience begins the moment that an individual becomes aware of your brand and it consists of every interaction they have with your brand from that point forward. In other words, your marketing is arguably one of the most crucial pieces of your client experience because it sets the tone and makes your first impression. So, one way to improve your marketing (and thereby your client experience) is to fine tune your messaging by reviewing your testimonials & adding the language your clients use to your swipe file. As long as you’re asking the right questions, your testimonials should be rich with words, phrases, and stories that you can use across your content to relate to your ideal clients. Not sure you’re asking the right questions? Download my free guide giving you 10 questions you should be asking to get 5 star client reviews.

4. Set up an auto responder. Did you know 86% of consumers book the business that got back to them the fastest. By setting up a simple autoresponder that sounds like you (this should take you a total of 3.5 minutes) you put your best foot forward with clarity and communication.  

• Pro tip: You can automate a simple responder in literally any program (including Gmail) but to get really fancy with it, set up an automation in Honeybook CRM to include a services guide, booking link, or even an automatic proposal.

5. Use a CRM with automated payments and scheduling. Reducing friction along the journey from discovery to conversion is one of the most underrated (and affordable) ways to improve your overall experience, and this is a big one. Make it as easy as possible to work with you. If you’re still using links that expire after 24 hours, doesn’t handle autopay, or automatically cancels if their credit card doesn’t run through properly, you’re creating more work for yourself but you’re making it easier for your potential client to give themselves an excuse to pass on your offer. Get yourself a system that does the heavy lifting of payment collection (literally every single business owner’s least favorite task – am I right?) for you! 

• P.s. you probably guessed it but I use Honeybook (the GOAT of CRM systems) for this too. If you want to try it out for yourself, use this link or code mvsdiscount at sign up to get 35% off.

Your Homework:

Pick one from the list above and implement it today. Knowledge is power but only if it’s followed up with implementation.

Want to learn more about improving your client experience with organic content marketing and sustainable systems?

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