First Impressions Count
Do you want to know what one of the best marketing strategies is? Create a great first impression and a seamless client journey.
Because this leads to repeat work and continued word-of-mouth referrals.
75% of my work comes from previous clients. Whether that's because they've booked me again or referred me to someone else. This only happens because I've invested time into creating a fantastic client experience, and I always make sure to put my best self forward whenever I work with someone.
A great example is how I recently worked with Your Horse Magazine. I worked with Mel (the journalist who wrote the article I took the photos for) last year when she commissioned me to photograph herself and her horses.
She then recommended me to someone who keeps her horse on her yard, who booked a shoot with me.
Earlier this year, she recommended me again to her editor and I got this opportunity with Your Horse Magazine. But this only happened because:
My website was easy to navigate.
I made it really easy to contact me and book a shoot.
I created an enjoyable photoshoot experience.
The end product was of high quality.
I kept an open line of communication at all times.
I underpromise and overdeliver, but not in a way that burns me out.
I'm constantly refining my client journey, but it is 100% worth the effort, as it nearly always brings back repeat clients or referrals.
But how can you do this for your business?
First, decide how you want your clients to feel when they work with you. Whether you sell products or provide a service. This underpins everything you then choose to do within your marketing efforts and your client experience.
Next, make sure your website is:
Optimised for SEO.
Sounds like how you would communicate with your client.
Is easy to navigate.
Is easy to read (no clashing colours, difficult-to-read fonts or custom cursors that cover the text).
Has an obvious contact page.
Is easy to purchase from, whether that be by purchasing products or contacting you to book your service.
When it comes to delivering your product or service, you should ensure you communicate well, make the experience enjoyable, and make it memorable. This is what will encourage them to come back as repeat clients, provide testimonials, and recommend you to others.