Natalie here, High Moon’s Project Manager! I’m so excited to be taking over the blog today to share how to take your client experience to the next level. If I haven’t met you, hello! If this were outside of COVID and we were meeting in person, I would greet you with some wildflowers. (You could call me a free-spirit.)

I never thought that I would work for an agency that values people more than the bottom line, and I’m so thankful to be able to support bold, creative and BADASS women through my position. These women we get to create with are incredibly talented and it’s my job to make sure that they feel taken care of and listened to throughout the entirety of their project!

 

 

What to learn how our team is creating an unforgettable client experience?

 

Read on for our top tips!

 

 

1. Say Thank You

You want your clients to feel cared for throughout the duration of their project, right? Of course you do. That’s why at High Moon we like to curate thoughtful, meaningful and personalized gifts through every step of the process. Think customized welcome packets, bouquets of flowers and cute surprises when the project wraps 😉 

If you’re having a hard time thinking about what to gift your clients, our suggestion is to think about your industry. For example, if you’re a photographer, you could send physical copies of a couples’ engagement session or maybe even a framed wedding photo. If you’re a designer, why not design a wine label with your clients’ new logo? Even a handwritten note will do the trick (they’re so underrated these days!) Don’t overthink it – if you were in your clients’ shoes, what would be helpful or personal for them to receive? Now get creative with it!

Pro-tip: When sending gifts, think of practical items that your client will use not something that will sit in the back of a closet or get sent straight to the trash. 

2. Speak Their Language

Clients are coming to you because you are the expert, not them, so speak in their language to avoid miscommunication. We love creating how-to guides that break down what exactly we are expecting of them (or what it takes for the project to be successful). It helps avoid confusion, and overall just takes your communication to the next level.

For example, if you know that a photoshoot is imperative for a clients’ new brand and website to shine, why not put together a detailed guide for their photoshoot to help them nail down your vision? Or if you’re a developer, how about a terminology toolkit so that your client can better understand some of the technological details? There are so many ways that you could execute this so get creative and provide information that will be helpful for your client. (You could even sell these passively! Hello $$$!) 

Pro-tip: These guides shouldn’t be what everyone else is doing or something that could easily be searched for on google. There’s nothing more frustrating or annoying than getting information that’s common knowledge. Give your clients some of your secret sauce and let them in on your secrets! After all, that’s what they’re paying for! 

3. Over Communicate

There are few things more important than being able to communicate effectively with your client. Ensuring that your clients know what’s expected from them and in turn what they can expect from you throughout the project duration leads to a happy client. So it’s important to get comfortable with over-communicating, giving constructive feedback and providing visuals.

Breakdowns in communication can occur at any phase of the project – from the initial proposal to an email where you didn’t properly explain (peep, the guides we talked about earlier!). In our experience, people tend to be more visual, so we rely on Loom videos to walk our clients through ideas, concepts and deliverables. Because sometimes it’s easier to show people what you mean then try and type it out.

Think of these little moments throughout the project timeline where miscommunications can occur and elevate your client process to allow for better communication.

Pro-tip: Get feedback regularly!  We encourage our clients to be as real with us as possible throughout the entire experience. We even have them do an off-boarding project that allows them to rate their overall experience working with us, what they liked and anything that we could improve on in the future. Use this feedback as a tool to strengthen your communication and business as a whole! 

4. Set Boundaries

When you’re in the entrepreneurial space, it’s easy to overwork yourself and always feel like you have to be ‘on.’ Setting boundaries with your clients from the get-go gives you the ability to clearly communicate expectations so they can respect your time and space. And there won’t be confusion along the way! 

Here at High Moon, we set boundaries early on by providing our clients with a detailed welcome packet that outlines all deadlines and how to communicate with our team. We also love using a tool like Trello to easily manage questions, feedback and deliverables through the duration of the project. (You can see how we set that up here!)

Personal boundaries are also important. It’s vital to the health of your organization and to the people around you. Give yourself permission to leave your phone and computer turned off for a couple hours in the morning or better yet, spend a day totally offline. Because we are more than our work—no matter how life giving it may be. 

 

Pro-tip: Regardless of what boundaries you set, be prepared for pushback from clients. Boundaries are necessary for a reason, and that’s because too often people cross them. Use these opportunities to communicate more clearly with WHY you set expectations. And remember, not every client is going to understand or agree with your boundaries and that’s ok. 

5. Go Beyond The Scope

Why do people pay top dollars for your services? Because you provide them with something that the competitors aren’t doing, or at least not doing well. When it comes to any project, is to always best to overdeliver and do the unexpected. You can easily do this by going above what was discussed in the scope of work.

One of the perks of my position is getting to know our clients on a personal level. I try to go above and beyond to make them feel comfortable, supported and trusting of our team. Work starts to feel a lot less like work when you’re making people happy, so it’s a win-win for everyone! 

Pro-tip: Something small could really make a big difference in how your clients perceive you and your overall client experience. How about adding a 1-1 coaching call to your Masterclass or a photography mini-shoot they weren’t expecting to receive?

 

6. Celebrate the Wins

Our clients’ journey show me resiliency, so that’s something that inspires me to get up in the morning. When our clients are successful, I feel like my job is truly done. So make sure to celebrate with you clients and share in their successes!

Pro-tip:  Instagram Stories is such a powerful tool for sharing good news about your clients’ successes. Let’s say a past client is launching a kick a$$ new masterclass or got featured in an article. Something as simple as sharing that launch or that feature to your Stories will show how much you care about their growth and share in that excitement. There is so much room for us to clap for one another! 

 

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What are some ways that you are curating an amazing client experience?

Share them with us on our latest IG post – @highmoonstudio