Elevated Client Experience

 Throughout the decade that I’ve been working , there’s one topic that I’ve seen fellow creatives struggle with time and time again: crafting an elevated client experience.

We talk about client experience all the time, and with good reason! How we serve our clients as graphic, brand, and web designers not only delivers a better overall experience to them, but it also makes your life much easier. Plus, a memorable client experience creates the kind of positive association that makes it easy for your clients to go forth and sing your praises to everyone they know. Hello, word of mouth referrals! 😍

But growing this kind of legendary client experience doesn’t happen overnight. It takes some intentional thought to elevate your processes and systems to royalty status!

I’ve seen so many designers who want to improve or refine their client workflows in order to create an elevated client experience, but they don’t know where to begin. Perhaps they think it’s all about writing the perfect thank you note or packaging the prettiest welcome gift… but friend, let me give you this one bit of advice: don’t overcomplicate the process.

If you’re wondering how the heck to do that, then keep on scrolling, friend! Below, I’m sharing three steps you can take TODAY to become to queen, king, or non-binary royalty of client experience. And, trust me, it’s easier than you think. 😉

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO AN ELEVATED CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Truly, a strong client experience is all about intentionally building trust in order to guide and provide value to your client, from the first moments you interact to the final day of your work together. So, without further ado, here are 3 practical steps you can take to uplevel your client experience right away!

1) SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

Your clients need to know what they can expect throughout your time working together. It sounds simple, but it’s overlooked far too often! Knowing what to expect, from the very first steps to the very last, will help both you and your client to feel confident and rest assured throughout the process.

The best thing to do here is to be proactive and educate them on what’s to come. This could look like highlighting your process on your website or providing a welcome guide to newly booked clients with a timeline and overview of what’s to come. Regardless of how you choose to present this information, be sure to set those expectations at the very beginning.

My personal favorite way to do this is to jump on a complimentary consult call with every potential client, before ever working with them. This allows me to explain my process and the value they’ll receive, as well as the next steps if they decide I’m working for them, all while beginning to build a personal relationship before our project even begins. Over the years, this has made the full client process much smoother and rooted in an intentional, thoughtful, relationship-based experience.

2) GUIDE YOUR CLIENTS THROUGH THE PROCESS STEP-BY-STEP

Friend, it’s not enough to just talk the talk; you need to also walk the walk. Setting clear expectations for your project from the beginning is crucial, but you can’t expect your client to remember every detail you tell them on the very first day, or to know what to do with all that information over the weeks or months to come.

At each point of your process, remind your client of the expectations you set at the beginning of your project. Continually refer back to the initial timeline you created, or send them back to the page on your website where you have all the details listed out. Remind them of the stage their project is in, and what this means for them—what they need to do next, and what they can expect from you at this point.

Above all else, it’s imperative that you follow through on the expectations you initially set. Whatever you tell clients to expect, you must either (1) follow through on those promises, or (2) adjust their expectations if needed as the project progresses. This way, you’re able to create a seamless and simple experience, as well as building rapport and earning trust with your clients. On the other hand, by failing to follow through on the standards you initially set, you could create confusion with your client and undermine the entire experience you’re trying to create.

Remember, friend: strong communication is key to creating an elevated client experience!

3) UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER

Yes, this is a popular mantra in our industry. But friend, it really does make a difference in the way your clients view and engage with you!

“Overdelivering” does not need to equate to some grand gesture, an expensive gift, or anything that complicates your own life. There are so many ways to show your client that you care, without breaking your neck (or your bank account) to do so!

Truly, it can be as simple as ensuring their deliverables arrive in their inbox a few days earlier than you promised. It’s that simple: underpromise by setting a deadline farther out than you need it to be, and overdeliver by completing the task ahead of schedule. It may sound small, but this really does go above and beyond to serve and delight your client!

HOW TO CRAFT AN ELEVATED CLIENT EXPERIENCE

I get it, friend: creating a client experience that sets you apart in your industry and builds trust with your clients sounds like a daunting, overwhelming task. But it doesn’t have to be complicated, I promise! My greatest advice is to pour your heart into the process you are creating. Take some time to think about how you make your clients feel. I promise, that thoughtfulness and intentionality will shine through as you guide people through your process! It truly makes all the difference when your clients can resonate with the heartfelt details you weave throughout your time together.

Related: What I’ve personally learned about client experience while hosting an all-inclusive retreat

Stand Out + Get Noticed

 “I feel like no one is even hearing or seeing me! This market is too crowded for me.”

When I first started , it didn’t take me long to realize I had entered a VERY crowded market. I started feeling hopeless, like I was never going to be able to stand out enough to get great clients or make this new business work.

Over time, I carved out my own space in the market and started being KNOWN for something. I got messages from people telling me my blog posts and podcast were making a real difference for them… and I realized gradually that people were depending on me – in at least some small way – to inspire and lead them.

So I want to share what worked for me, how I started standing out and getting noticed and recognized as DIFFERENT from all the other brand coaches and marketing experts out there.

This is for you if:

• You want to start standing out from the crowd and getting the ATTENTION of your dream clients.
• You want to make a real IMPACT in the world and influence the conversation.
• You want to and be KNOWN for something that matters and acknowledged as a thought leader, not just a follower.

I got clear about my passion and my purpose.

It’s not easy to find some deeper underlying purpose to why you want to do what you love. If you’re a wedding photographer, or a jewelry designer, or a life coach, you probably do that thing because you enjoy it! You may also want to achieve some personal goals, like buying a home, supporting your family, or living an independent lifestyle. You undoubtedly have some financial goals too, like saving for retirement or earning a six-figure income.

But to get the attention of your dream clients, you need a reason that goes beyond just “I enjoy it” or “I never want to go back to a 9-5 again.” Apple wouldn’t be Apple if its stated brand purpose was to make a billion dollars, or to pay its employees enough to buy expensive homes and send their kids to great colleges. Marie Forleo wouldn’t be Marie Forleo if her stated passion and purpose was to be the next Oprah.

You need to dig deep and find a purpose that is ABOUT your dream client, or the world outside you – not just you, and your immediate family. You need a purpose that inspires your dream client and makes it clear why it’s GREAT news to her that you’re in the world, doing this work.

I started using my voice before I was ready.

Next, I started speaking up and sharing my opinions and my perspectives BEFORE it was comfortable. Before I felt ready. Before I thought anyone was listening. I didn’t have anything unique to say, but I said what I did have to say, and that was enough to get started.

Along the way, I figured out what messages I truly wanted to share and spread, and what I was willing to stand up and fight for. I figured out what my dream clients needed to hear, and what I needed to hear, and I said it with confidence.

I started being unapologetically me. 

The one thing no one else can do or be is YOU. I started identifying the things I was scared people wouldn’t like about me, and sharing them on purpose. I was my awkward, clumsy, shy, sensitive self. I stopped worrying people would think I wasn’t tough enough, or rich enough, or cool enough… because ultimately, my dream clients didn’t want that persona anyway. They wanted me. They wanted real. 

Be unapologetically you, and the right people will notice. They’ll hear your voice, and come knocking on your door.

I looked for ways to disrupt patterns.

It’s so easy when you’re just starting out, to look around at what everyone else is doing and try to do it the same way. But ultimately you need to find what works for you, what delights your dream clients, and what makes it clear that you aren’t just a copycat!

You can disrupt patterns through your visuals, your voice, the way you do things, your customer onboarding and experience, and all the other ways you show up for your audience. If everyone in your industry uses succulent graphics in their branding, what can use that’s different and unique? If everyone in your industry shoots the same flatlay photos, what can you add to make them your own?

That said, it’s better to copy other people than to do nothing!

I’m not talking about plagiarism – I’m talking about systems. Processes. If everyone in your industry sends a PDF to welcome in new clients, and you can’t think of a better or different way to do it, then get to work on that PDF, girl!

Over time, you’ll find unique ways to do things that disrupt the status quo and give your dream clients a truly one-of-a-kind experience. But until then, just take action even if it’s not the most original thing in the world.

I made my dream client my main focus.

Creating a great experience for your dream clients isn’t just about you – it’s mainly about THEM. When you market to a wide, diverse audience – i.e., everyone – you’re telling your dream client that they’re part of the masses. That they’re just a number to you. 

But when you deliver an experience that one special kind of person will LOVE, it makes that person feel special. It makes them feel unique! Like they’re the only one for you, and vice versa. And if ONE person feels that way, you know that a hundred other people do too. 

Making your dream client feel SPECIAL and unique is essential to getting noticed. It’s like the difference between walking past someone on a soapbox, shouting at the crowd… and hearing that person describe your exact situation with startling accuracy. 

I focused on building trust and rapport.

Telling people what you do is the easy part. So many people do it! And your customer is probably overrun with people trying to sell them stuff.

The hard part is having the long-term thinking to focus on building trust and rapport, and showing your dream clients they can trust you to help them get where they need to go.

Client relationships are like any other relationship. You invest time and energy into each other for days, weeks, or months before asking each other to take the next step. You don’t walk up to someone you just met and ask them to marry you! You give yourself and each other the chance to get to know each other, build trust, and build a genuine connection. 

In the same way, your dream client may watch you for weeks or months before buying anything from you! You show that you’ve already gotten to know her – by speaking to her situation and needs. Now she’s getting to know you, know how you do things, know what you believe. 

So you create great content, show up consistently, share your message, and be yourself! All those things add up to a client who trusts you and wants to work with you.