But let’s take the new year inspiration + dive into how to make your clients love you before they are officially your clients, by talking about the initial contact they experience with you + your business. Not only does this set the right tone for the project, it also helps convert leads into paying clients because you knock their socks off from the start.
Contact page
The majority of the time, someone reaches out to me through the contact page on this site. Every service page links back to this main form, which helps me funnel all inquiries through the same system {3 cheers for organization!}
If someone sends me a Facebook message or tweet looking for info on their project, I kindly direct them to the contact form.
I use a script that I keep handy so I don’t have to keep re-writing it over + over — which is one of the scripts available on inbox anxiety.
This is where it starts as your website visitor is now getting serious about working with you. They are taking the time to reach out + explain their needs, which means it’s important to get the flow of your contact page + form down.
One of the best things I did for my business was putting my project pricing + availability on this page.
While some folks may disagree, it has worked for me. What it does is set clear expectations for those inquiring about tiny blue orange services. While a few people still ask, it has greatly reduced the number of requests that we get nowhere near our project pricing or availability. Or as we call them, tire-kickers.
If someone has a project that needs to launch this quarter, but sees our wait list is over 3 months long, they are going to put their time into finding someone that better suits their needs + we aren’t delaying that by waiting until our scheduled call {usually a week after initial contact} to explain our project schedule.
Not only the page, but also the form is branded with the right colors, language + voice. It may be a straight-forward form, but that doesn’t mean it should feel like something slapped on top of your site to get info.
Set the tone for all of your interactions before you even know the person reaching out.
Branded automation
Once someone submits their form details, a few things happen thanks to the form system we use + love {GravityForms} —
- The user is directed to a thank you page that lets them know what the next steps are
- A form submission email is sent to us for processing
- If the request is for a smaller project, a new client questionnaire is sent directly to their inbox automatically – no waiting for us to reply
- If the request is for a larger project, Erin follows up with them for any more details we need via the project-specific questionnaire
The first few steps that happen by themselves are branded, of course. The thank you page lives on this site + has the official tiny blue orange voice all over it {it features a slam poem video from Tom Hanks, in fact.} The questionnaires are all custom interactive PDFs that feature links back to the homepage, brand specifics + language.
Follow-through + follow-up
At this stage in the game, it is about direct interaction with those asking for more info on our services. Whether they are emailing with Erin to flush out details + get my scheduling link or have a call on the calendar with me, they are forming an opinion of what it would be like to work with us on their project.
Which is why we take our time to understand the person + their project, respond promptly + clearly, but also take opportunities to explain things they’re unsure about.
With the online world changing so much, folks will often reach out knowing that they need something better, but not understanding exactly what that means. So when we get questions about responsive vs mobile themes, which email marketing option is best or what exactly CMS means, we make sure to answer those questions as early in the process as possible.
For the project call, we encourage video calls whenever possible just because it does help both sides of the screen.
It’s easier when you can see body language + facial expressions along with voice + tone. Plus, having someone explain their project + needs face-to-face is majorly different than reading about it via a form submission – although that gives you a good place to start.
Once the call wraps up, it’s the perfect time to send them a thank you for reaching out, taking time to explain their project or whatever feels right to you. This can accompany the estimate or invoice you send or it can be completely separate.