From one service business owner to another, the experience potential clients have can make or break the relationship they have with your brand. Taking the time to thoughtfully show them how much their business means to you, including respecting their time, getting to know them, and providing high-quality work, can make a world of difference. Below we share a few tips that we use to prioritize our customer experience and keep them coming back for years to come.

  1. Initial client outreach. Provide one clear path for how you want your customers to reach out to you; make it super clear and simple so it doesn’t deter them from reaching out. At Kōvly Studio, we have each of our clients fill out the inquiry form on our website to request their complimentary consultation.
  2. Ask questions. Develop a template or form for gathering all of the information you will need to put together an informed proposal or recommendation for your client.
  3. Create an impactful proposal. Build a branded, detailed proposal for your potential client. Include your exact scope of work, project timeline, cost, and payment terms. (Pro tip: When discussing your pricing, utilize the word “investment” instead of cost or expense. This helps demonstrate that the work you’re doing for them is a true investment into their business.).
  4. Project contract. Create a clear, comprehensive project contract that clients sign before starting the project.
  5. Make them feel special. Send a welcome note or packet thanking them for their business and outlining the high-level steps they’ll work through with you during the project. This doesn’t need to be costly; choose something that shows you are excited about working with them.
  6. Set expectations. As you move forward with the project, be transparent about expectations of how the client can come prepared, what they can expect from you, etc., so that they feel entirely comfortable throughout the process.

Every business is different and will need a unique process to successfully welcome a client onboard. With these tips in mind, we hope we’ve shed some light on how you can improve your client processes to ensure you start out strong with each potential client that interacts with your business.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou.