Theresa
How do you welcome your new clients? How do you ensure they know exactly what they’ll be getting, what the process will look like, and when they’ll see the results they’re looking for? What do you do to serve all of your clients in a consistent, highly-effective way?
These are questions every entrepreneur should consider.
Why?
Because 80 per cent of a company’s future revenue will come from 20 per cent of its current customers. Clients who have already made a commitment to your business are the most likely to invest. But if you don’t deliver a customer experience that makes them feel prioritized prioritized and supported at all times, you won’t be able to tap into this substantial revenue source.
This is where client onboarding can make all the difference.
I tell my own clients that systemized, structured, and value-adding onboarding is the key to client retention, and I whole-heartedly stand behind that statement, because I have experienced the results.
But if you tend to rely on facts and data, consider this: 86 per cent of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience, but only 1 per cent feel businesses consistently meet their expectations.
Now, imagine what could happen if you changed that.
I am here to help you create that change.
But first, let’s cover the basics.
What is Client Onboarding?
Client onboarding refers to the methods by which you welcome new clients to your business, communicate and establish expectations, and ensure all parties are on the same page regarding future steps and milestones.
What are Client Onboarding Processes?
Client onboarding processes are the specific procedures and frameworks (checklists, email sequences, scheduled follow-up touchpoints, etc.) you’ve put in place to effectively execute client onboarding and guarantee a consistent, high-impact customer experience for all those you serve.
What are Client Onboarding Systems?
Onboarding systems are the software programs, apps, and tools you use to automate onboarding processes and ensure all tasks related to these processes are completed with or without your direct involvement.
Now let’s get to the exciting part.
How to Completely Change Your Client Onboarding Process (For the Better)
Whether you have a robust client onboarding process you have been using for quite some time, or you’ve just recently gotten started, there are some tried-and-true tweaks you can make to enhance the value of your process and better serve your customers.
And don’t worry, these adjustments aren’t going to take up too much of your time or require the concentration of a Bhuddist monk. They are bite-sized, incremental changes that are easy to manage.
Their impact, however, is anything but minor.
Here they are.
1. Create a Personalized Welcome Video
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million. A personalized welcome video is the perfect way speak directly to your client, face-to-face, without actually having to physically meet. It ensures your customer onboarding process is highly engaging and customized— which is always a major advantage.
Plus, most of your clients already do a lot of reading on a regular basis— emails, social media posts, proposals, reports, text messages— there’s so much text being absorbed by the minds of your customers already. For this reason, a video will be received as a refreshing and memorable approach.
And lastly, viewers retain 95 per cent of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10 per cent when reading it in text, increasing the likelihood of your clients remembering any important details you share and reducing instances of miscommunication.
2. Use Convenient Communication Methods
In many cases, the only way a client can reach a business is via telephone or email. This may have been sufficient in the past, but as technology continuted to advance and we became a more connected society, clients began to expect more from the brands they interact with. So, the onus is on business owners to keep up when onboarding a customer.
There are many ways to make yourself (or your team) available to clients without feeling like you are on call 24/7. You just have to determine which communication platforms and methods fit your personal preferences.
Personally, I like to use Voxer (a walkie-talkie style messaging app) for communicating with my clients and colleagues. It allows me to send voice recordings, which are more personal and conversational than text messages, and less likely to lead to miscommunication. (Subtle intonations and meanings can be lost when we communicate via text.) These voice recordings can be listened to at any time, when it’s convenient for the recipient, and they can respond at a time that works for them.
Other ideas include starting a Facebook group where your clients can interact with one another, ask questions, and receive updates, or using other popular platforms like Slack or Basecamp.
3. Go Beyond Basic Information Gathering
This is one of my favorite client onboarding tips. All client onboarding strategies should have a questionnaire or an initial phase where the business gathers important data about the customer. This includes contact information, their business goals or objectives, a brief history of their brand, etc.
But why not go beyond the basics?
Below are some ideas:
Ask your client for their business anniversary and send them a personalized email or card congratulating them on another successful year
Determine what your client’s greatest pain points are and send monthly tips and tricks related to their area of concern
Ask your client what their 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month goals are, then send an email at each stage reminding them what their goals were and detailing any goal-related successes you achieved together
The more insight you gather during the client onboarding process about who your customers are, what matters to them, and what makes them who they are, the more you can personalize your services and communications down the road and make your client feel valued.
And there you have it! Now you know how to improve client onboarding within your business and welcome your customers in an unforgettable, highly-effective way.
Would you like more information about how to enhance your onboarding processes for new clients?
I take viewers through the process step-by-step in my latest YouTube video. 🎥
And don’t forget to connect in the comment section. I always reply!
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