They pulled up into my driveway and I ran out with a hug. It was like seeing family again. I asked how grandpa was doing and reminisced about their wedding from four years ago. My clients? They become friends. So here’s a big question that you must be asking yourself right now: how are your clients currently finding you? What impression are you making? Is your calendar completely booked for next year?
My answer? Word of mouth marketing and referrals from past clients has been the number one way I’ve been completely booked (and doubled profits!) in my photography business over the last 5 years. (Guess what? I’ve had a zero dollar ad budget because of this!) Giving your clients an experience they will be talking about for weeks, months, heck even years from you is the way to accomplish this is by building a brand around an experience and not just a business.
What does your client experience look like? If you just said, “my what!?” to that question, I’m going to walk you through a few simple ways to elevate how people are encountering your brand and get everyone talking about you and your business.
Be unexpected
Sure, you may be sending coffee gift cards or little emails letting your clients know you are thinking of them. But can we step this up a notch and personalize our gifting and notes? Can you imagine how valued and special your clients would feel getting a hand-selected package in the mail from you like one from Greetabl?
Everyone loves snail mail and this is a super simple and quick way to wow your clients especially if you’re a photographer and can incorporate your work into the box. You can be sure they’ll be talking about you after receiving this gift. I’ve sent these to my clients, team members and family and absolutely love the quality, personalization and ease without a huge time commitment. Click here for 20% off!
Put yourself in their shoes
Imagine yourself as your client and think about what things you would enjoy or would make the process of working with you easier. What are they worried about? What are they wondering? What does their Google search bar look like when they are looking into your services or products? Serve them well, remembering that they’ve likely never been through what they are going through today. Better yet, ask past clients this question and then take action on what they said. I love collecting feedback from my clients and then use that to improve the client experience I offer and as testimonials as well!
Create a branded experience
Now, this goes further than your brand colors or what your website looks like. What does the first email to your prospects look like when they inquire? How do you make them feel the moment they stumble upon an Instagram post or click onto your website? How are you walking them through what the expect? Is the process of working with you clearly outlined? Do you answer their questions before they ask them? Are you providing resources, tips and advice along the way? Paying attention to every little detail like this is another great way to focus on how your clients will feel and experience your brand. From every click to every drop of communication, you want to feel like a trusted friend.
Go above and beyond
I believe it doesn’t matter what you say you’re going to do, but what you actually do that counts. Under promise, over deliver every single time. The more you do this, the more your clients will remember their experience and share about it with others. Manage their expectations in terms of what to expect from you and then over deliver on those promises. Your clients will be pleasantly surprised and walk away feeling taken care of and loved.
