People love to throw around buzzwords, don’t they? So if you’re already skeptical thinking, OK Colie, what does “elevate your client experience” really mean, don’t worry. Today, I’m going through how I give my client experience and workflows a little spring cleaning every year, and sharing all of the strategies, tips, and resources to help you do the same. You definitely don’t want to skip this step if you plan to raise your prices this year!
Before we dive in though, can I take a second to introduce myself? I’m Colie – your new systems fairy godmother. If you’re a podcast person, make sure to check out Business-First Creatives, where I share more behind-the-scenes into how to build a business that brings you both joy and a paycheck. I also share the highlights on Instagram, so make sure you say hi over there (because I would love to meet you!).
What does it mean to elevate your client experience?
I’m not going to over-complicate this for you. As a systems strategist, when I say “elevate your client experience”, I mean making sure that your systems work seamlessly to deliver what your clients need quickly and without fuss. Every interaction should be consistent and welcoming, regardless of whether they reached out in the middle of your busiest season. Ideally, you want to be able to give your clients exactly what they need, before they ever need to ask for it.
But as humans, this is easier said than done right? It doesn’t have to be hard. By streamlining processes and implementing smart, user-friendly systems, you’ll find it a lot easier to not only meet expectations but to exceed them. Plus, this not only boosts client satisfaction but also solidifies your reputation, which can help you justify a higher price point and make it easier for your current clients to refer you.
Listen, I’m not trying to scare you, but as the market gets more competitive (and your ideal client has more options), your systems are going to be a BIG reason why someone chooses to work with you over your competitor. So, how can we make sure to wow them? Here are a few examples.
Set Up An Automate Lead Response
Is this an unpopular opinion? The truth is, I am not a big fan of auto-responders in email or Instagram that send the exact same message no matter what you write. I start screaming when I get that same message over and over again each and every time I send a message to the same person.
But I AM a big fan of an automated lead response! I want you to reserve this for when potential clients first reach out (and you want to make sure to leave a GREAT first impression) and you automatically reply back with informations specific to the service they are interested. Creating this automated lead response email is one of the simplest things you can do to elevate your client experience right now.
Here are a few things to include in this first response:
- Confirmation you received their message and when they can expect to hear back
- An introduction to you and what you do (show off that personality!)
- Places to connect with you (read your blogs, browse your portfolio, hang out on Instagram)
- Excitement!
Create Email Templates to Help You Keep Fast Response Times
Yes, you should have email templates. No, I won’t argue with you about this 🤣. It’s a non-negotiable if you want to grow your business and offer your clients a CONSISTENTLY elevated experience. But instead of brainstorming and trying to invent scenarios so you have a template for everything, start by being mindful of the emails you send regularly.
Whether it’s answering FAQs, responding to inquiries, sending over contracts, or proposals, use each of these interactions as an opportunity to fine-tune your communication. Each time you draft an email that feels particularly well-received, or succinctly communicates your message and personality, save it as a template. This method not only saves time but also ensures that you’re creating a template based on real-life interactions and more importantly, you actually get it done.
Trust me, before you know it, you’ll build a robust library of templates that can be slightly tweaked to suit any specific situation. This not only streamlines your workflow but also enhances the client experience by ensuring they receive timely, thoughtful, and consistent communications at every touchpoint. You’re not doing anyone any favors by not creating templates (I might need to get that tattooed on me one day).
Set Up SmartFiles and Proposals That Can Be Easily Tweaked
Next, if you want to do some spring cleaning to elevate your client experience, it’s time to set up (or refresh) your brochures and proposals. I know for some of us there may be nuances to the different packages and services that we offer (whether you offer a mix of a la carte services or just like to tweak photos or testimonials in each proposal to better tailor to what your prospective client is looking for). The good news is, that your services likely have more in common from one client to the next than you might think.
Start by creating a core template for your brochures and proposals for each of your different services (or just start with the main service you want to sell for now!). This template should outline your basic offerings, the value you provide, and why clients should choose your services. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea of creating this from scratch, I have a template you can grab here! It’s my secret to closing leads in less than 5 minutes with an accepted offer, signed contract, and paid invoice. NOTE: there is a Dubsado version and a Honeybook version that both automatically transfer to your account when you click a button. How cool is that???
Use the Automation Tools Your CRM Gives You!
In case you haven’t noticed yet, we work smarter and not harder over here. USE the automation tools your CRM gives you if you want to elevate your client experience. There is NO reason for you to send your contract, onboarding form, and invoice separately in a string of emails (or at different times because you need to do it all manually). USE the automation tools your CRM gives you.
I’m speaking especially to my photographer friends who are worried that templates and automation will feel robotic to your customers here: I can promise you that it won’t. But if you’re really nervous about it, using a tool like Dubsado will let you approve every automated email before it goes out so you make tweaks if you want to!
Raising Your Prices to Reflect Your Customer Experience
Should we talk about raising your prices next? As you take the time to fine-tune your systems and offer your clients a better customer experience, you need to make sure your pricing reflects it! I know as creatives it can be hard to value our worth sometimes so this is my friendly (but firm!) reminder that your expertise is needed in the world and you deserve to be compensated well for it. Like I said at the beginning, a clean and consistent customer experience, WILL attract more ideal clients (and then they’ll refer their friends!). So if you want to raise your prices, let’s do it! Change that number in those brochure and proposal templates we made now 😉
Want My Eyes On Your Current CRM?
I know that sometimes we are just too close to our businesses to see how we can improve them. If you’re using a CRM like Dubsado or Honeybook and want my eyes on your current client experience, I would love to invite you to book a Client Experience Audit with me. Not only will I share ideas to help you elevate your client experience and raise your prices, but I will also share some of my automation tricks with you so that you can get more TIME back in your business (cue a collective sigh of relief). Head here to book now!
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