The Client Experience Begins with the Inquiry

If you’re a wedding pro, chances are you’re grappling with perfectionism. You want the best for your clients. You want to the most for your creativity. It’s not enough to do well enough. If you’re like me, 94 out of a 100 is mediocre – and so it’s now average. 

The problem with running a business as a perfectionist is that you tend to neglect other areas that need your attention. I put a survey out last month and 80% of the respondents said when they work ON their business they work on the client experience instead of getting more clients.

Huh.  

Sounds like you’re just doing more work IN your business rather than working ON it. I see it in real life all the time. You focus on what you love doing and what you’re naturally good at doing. Of course you do!  

Clients and creativity are what motivate and energize you, so you spend the majority of your time on those things while avoiding the things you don’t like or maybe aren’t very good at.

But you’re forgetting the client experience starts the moment someone pushes “send” on the inquiry form. You’ve got to include the sales process when thinking about the client experience.

Potential clients are learning from your every action what it’s like to work with you. They care about the process almost as much as the outcome. Wedding couples are all about the journey and not just the destination. They want to enjoy the 400 days of wedding planning, not just the Big Day itself. 

What do your couples want to see from you in the sales process? They want to:

·     Be heard

·     Find acceptance of their ideas

·     Collaborate on something incredible

·     Know you care about them and their loved ones

·     Feel comfortable in new situations

·     Learn things they didn’t already

·     Act confidently and make smart choices

·     Reduce risk where possible

Basically, they want all the same things from you that they want from everything in life! You’ve got to do everything you can to make a great first impression if they’re going to make you a part of it too.

How can you put in more energy and time to make this crucial part of the client experience better?

Till next time…good luck with your inquiries!

-Sam