We’ve all been there. Dealing with a business that just feels so….business-like. They take your money without looking you in the eye, and don’t even thank you for stopping in. I’ve even had weird client experiences with photographers I’ve used for my own family. There was no communication, no contract, no idea when I’d get my files, and when I did receive my gallery my misspelled last name was literally the only word on the page. Nothing else. Don’t get me wrong – I love those pictures and am happy to have had the experience working with that photographer – once. But I won’t return. The experience left me feeling unimportant and unfulfilled. Blerg. (I’m shaking that feeling off just thinking about it.)
DON’T BE THAT BUSINESS!
It’s so simple! You want your clients walking in the door as strangers, and feeling as if they’ve made their new best friend when they leave. Sounds like a walk in the park for all those extroverts out there, right? All you introverts reading this have now entered the cold, clammy, panic phase just thinking about making small talk with potential clients. But have no fear – your fellow introvert is here!
What if I told you creating a top notch client experience took only FOUR steps? A little advance planning and your client experience is about to level WAY up!
- Create a welcome package/client guide
Taking a bit of time to work up a fun (on-brand) client guide makes a huge difference to potential clients. It makes them feel like you care about their session before it’s even happened and puts their mind at ease knowing what’s coming next. Things you can put in your welcome package/client guide:
- What to expect before, during, and after their session
- A clothing guide/tips
- Your pricing/product breakdown
- FAQ’s about their type of session
- Send a Thank You card before their session
A simple hand written Thank You card sent to your client before their session lets them know how grateful you are for their support. Want to level up the card? Think about sending a little mini gift with it. There are websites where you can choose a gift, they will package it up pretty, and send it straight to your client’s doorstep. I personally love GREETABLE for their gifts and I print all my cards at MOO!
- Answer their emails/texts/calls quickly
Responding to your clients quickly makes them feel seen & important…a key ingredient in creating that next level client experience. I don’t mean answering texts at 3:00 in the morning should they come in. Aim to respond within a couple of hours if at all possible during business hours. Leaving an unresponded message for days or weeks will leave your clients feeling like a pain in your behind.
- Know important information BEFORE the session
Ever been in a situation where some piece of information would have completely changed how you planned your session? For example, if a family has small children, you probably don’t want to have their session by the side of the road or near a river. Or maybe someone in the family has a disability and can’t walk long distances. Knowing these things in advance will make the session (and your client’s experience with you) drastically different. Sending out a ‘Getting to Know You’ questionnaire to your clients will get you all the necessary information about anyone who will be present during the session. Plus, how cool will the kids think it is if you show up knowing their names?
See? So. Simple! 4 little steps and you’re on your way to upping every client experience. And trust me from personal experience – adding customer service as a key component of your brand takes you to that next level, sets you apart in your market, and (most importantly) your clients will do your marketing for you when they brag to their friends about how easy and fun their session was and how much they loved working with you!
Much love,
Kara
