Let’s talk advertising. How do you get business? There are many ways to get business: Facebook, Facebook ads, Instagram, referrals, google, trade shows, banner ads, ads in online publications, and the list goes on and on. Not many of those options are free and the one I focus on is referrals or, as I like to call it, the client experience.

Instead of putting my money into paid advertising I invest my money into my current clients with the hopes that they’ll love working with me and be happy to point their friends my way.

WHY NOT PUT YOUR MONEY INTO PEOPLE YOU KNOW LOVE YOU VERSUS STRANGERS WHO HAVE NO EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT

So, what does that mean?

I spoil the heck out of my clients.

Here are a few things you can do to sweeten your client experience (which is the overall process of working with you):

1. SEND A WELCOME GIFT – Obviously this will depend on what business you have. If your client is spending $100 on you you aren’t going to want to send a $20 gift. BUT, if your client is spending thousands of dollars on you you can afford to send them a welcome gift. Welcome gifts are great for businesses who work with clients over a period of time. I send one!
2. THANK YOU GIFT – This might seem obvious but make it a nice, branded gift worth of Instagram. You want to leave your clients with a good taste in their mouth and ideally the gift will be so beautiful they’ll want to Instagram it and share it with the world. Make sure to include a hashtag in your gift so they can use it!
3. FAST COMMUNICATION – No one likes to be left hanging. I respond to all my emails within 24 hours and, if I’m honest, within two hours. I know how important it is to let clients know I have their back, that they’re important to me, and that they feel they can trust me.
4. GO THE EXTRA MILE – Promise something and then deliver something even grander. Throw in some business “freebies”. For example, my Prebuilt Brand Collections come with a brand board, website, business card, and envelope, BUT when purchased I deliver a Facebook banner and email signature “for free”. The client didn’t expect those items and they were seen as added value without paying for it. Keep in mind, make sure that extra something is a) easy for you to make and b) doesn’t take too much time on your end. The idea is to give additional items so that the client feels loved but is really at no cost to you.

These are just a few ways you can really amp up your client experience. It never fails to spoil your current clients in order to get new ones. 😉