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Designing Your Client Experience (CX Design)

Episode Summary

Have you heard this term going around: CX Design? It stands for Customer Experience. CX Design is an interactive and immersive process of how customers interact with your business. It’s interactions, touch-points, and stories that link to the core values and message of a business. Today we are digging into what Customer (Client) Experience means to creative small business owners.

Episode Notes

Thinking About Client Experience and Your Business

Client experience is important for your business but it can sometimes get overlooked when trying to work on your business. A great way to check in on your client experience is to imagine yourself as a client or customer. Think about businesses and brands that you enjoy. What is it about those businesses that draw you in? What are they doing differently from other businesses? How do they make you feel? When you put yourself in the perspective of the client, you can start to determine new ways to make your customers feel more heard, respected, and appreciated.

Steps for Creating a Customer Experience

Your client experience will grow and develop over time. The best way to start implementing changes in your customer experience or to recognize where you need to add more is to map all your interactions with a client or customer. Map out the entire process from when they find you to when they hire you to when your finished product or service is complete. Once it’s mapped out, go into each touch-point with your client and find how you can add value to that interaction. Set expectations for your clients and follow through every time. Find ways to go above and beyond for them.

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Podcast Transcript:

Shaune Teske 0:00
Map out all your interactions with a client or a customer, whether they’re coming into a store, or they’re viewing your website and booking you from there, whatever that may be. Map, when they find you, how they find you to when they hire you or purchase something, and you’re delivering that or finishing the transaction, map out what that process looks like. And then start going into each experience each touch point with them. Whether it’s an email, whether it’s, you know, an actual meeting, or them like I said, them coming into the store, map out all those touch points where you are talking to clients you are, you are working on something for them. And then think about ways you can add value to, to them and to their experience.

Sarah 0:57
Last year, while I was traveling on remote year, I was having a meal with someone I was traveling with and he mentioned that he got a lot of the UX UI designers, which if you’re not in the design field, that’s user experience, user interface design. He gets those desires that he needs for his business from a company called Top Towel, and told me I should check it out. And then the process of checking it out, I ended up on their email list and one morning, opened it up and found an email titled Branding is Dead CX Design is King. And I read that and I was like, What? I definitely had to open that one up and read it further. And I don’t think I know I don’t think I know I definitely don’t agree that branding is dead. But the article is intriguing around this CX design and CX design ended up standing for customer experience, which for me is part of branding. So it was a really interesting, big, interesting concept to read about. And in I pulled a couple quotes from the article, the first one, “Originally the UX umbrella. So user experience, umbrella was meant to cover every facet of an individual’s interplay with the company but are distinctly digital age, complicated things. And UX is now associated with the quality of interactions between a user and a digital product. And cx design has come now into play to encompass all the other encounters that a person has with the business. Customer experience design is a web of interconnected interactions. touch points don’t exist independently of one another. They’re all part of the same story, all linked to a brand’s core promise.”

Shaune Teske 2:52
And I always talk about client experience. And it’s one of the big things that I actually teach other business owners how to do different touch points. With, especially with photographers, I walk them through my exact client experience from when I meet the couple, or even just when they’re browsing the website to after the wedding. Like there’s so many touch points, like Sarah mentioned in the quote, that is all part of what I want them to feel I want them to take my brand and you know, I want how they I want them to feel about that. And it’s so funny. I asked my husband if he heard of CX because that’s his title is a UX coordinator. So his thing is user experience. And really his stuff is all digital. It’s not really the whole encompassing client experience part, the CX part, like, well, sounds we got stuff to work on.

Sarah 3:55
Yeah, I mean, it was intriguing to hear that UX was supposed to be client experience, as well. And just like how our, the way of the digital age has gone, really focused more on that side. But we’re gonna really focus on customer experience, because we’re both passionate about that. And you mentioned you teach on that. And me as someone who’s in branding, the client experience is so so important to a brand. And that I mean, yeah, so we’re going to talk about that we’re going to talk about a little bit more why it’s important, and we’re going to talk about how we can create an amazing client experience.

Shaune Teske 4:40
So when we think about client experience, it feels like a no brainer that it’s important that it’s something that as business owners, creatives, we should be putting time and energy into but sometimes it can get really overlooked and I always like to bring up the example of thinking about yourself as a consumer as a shopper, are there certain places that you rather shop or go to because of your client experience with them. And I think everyone would say Target like, you know, they have a great their brand loyalty is so strong because they make you feel warm and welcoming with the bright lights and the music they play. Now they like play music. Now there, they sell everything you need. They even have wine. And they listen to you. I feel like when Target first opened over here, like there was no healthy food options. And now there’s tons of like, whole 30 compliant stuff and vegan options. Like they’re constantly changing and listening to their customers. And I think I can’t remember who worked there that said, who told me this, but it was when they work there that you are not supposed to call the customer, a customer, you call them a guest. So stuff like that, like they call you guests. They, you know, they added Starbucks to others. Like it’s fabulous. I think when we think about client experience for our own business, sometimes we get Okay, well, I don’t know how to or I don’t understand, like, what’s the difference? You know, think about Target, think about why do you shop there over Walmart or whatever. I mean, there can be some great Walmart fans too. But it’s just there’s something different. And there’s something that target is doing that is pulling people in, and I believe it’s the client experience.

Sarah 6:36
Oh, for sure. They’re very good about adapting to the environment and what’s going on toO they’re very on trend, I would say.

Shaune Teske 6:46
Yes. And there’s tons of businesses that do this. That you know, I again, I talked about this all the time. I love Lacroix. Are there tons of other clean waters? Yeah. But I just love, I think Lacroix is better. And there’s no difference. You know, it’s just sparkling water with lemon flavor. You know, but you become hooked based on how they treat you and that experience. And so then you are a customer client for life.

Sarah 7:16
Yeah. And another thing we often overlook as client experience happens before you may even actually speak to that person.

Shaune Teske 7:24
Yes, 100%.

Sarah 7:25
Yeah. And even like after you are done with working with them. So like for me handing over a logo project or a website designer for use on a like handing over your photography, photos, there’s still customer experience after that as well, that we have to consider.

Shaune Teske 7:42
Right. And I always like to keep going past that I want them to be lifelong clients, or if they’re, you know, as a wedding photographer, they’re not getting obviously married again, I still want them then added to the email list where I can still pour into them in a certain way. Or there’s there’s still, you know, excuse me, where they’re still interacting with me. And they, I’m always at the back of their mind when they think photography or great photography or a great experience. I want them to think about me and not think about, you know, oh, we’ll never be a photographer again or whatever, you know, they’re always going to keep talking about myself and my business so that the referrals come in. And if down the line, they need me for a photo projects that I’m the person they think of. And that’s happened so many times where you their wedding done, they’re not going to use you again, but they refer you and he couldn’t even be not even another wedding I’m photographing. It could be another, you know, job opportunity or some kind of cool opportunity, just based on the referral. So it’s everything.

Sarah 8:51
Yeah. And I think exactly what you said, right? There is why it’s so important. So like, first wanting somebody to think of you throughout their life as a photographer, like having a good client experience creates loyalty.

Shaune Teske 9:07
Yeah, it really does create the loyalty. And it’s not I don’t want to make it sound like it’s this hard thing that you have to do. I literally took all the money that I was putting into traditional advertising and put it into creating a better client experience for my couples for my photoshoot clients. And it has benefited way more than any traditional advertising did. I booked zero weddings off of wedding shows, and ads and magazines. I booked all my weddings through referrals. And through that client experiences, that’s what sealed the deal.

Sarah Schrader 9:48
Mm hmm. Yeah, I mean, even it doesn’t have to be like thinking in terms of that, like an extra experience or something like you can do it. An example here, I was working with a client who has a free meditation available. And well, I thought, well, let’s create a little bit more of a connection for them. How about what can they do with that meditation after. So creating some like journal prompts to go with it, things like that, like just that little bit of extra bonus, or, for me, if I, once I package up a logo and send that off to the client, they’ll get a series of emails from me of like, what the files mean? Like, there’s different images, image types, and where should they be used, and I’ll talk about like, how to use them, I’ll talk about their style guide. And what that is, like, just continuing to educate and explain is also part of that experience.

Shaune Teske 10:47
Right. It doesn’t have to be money it can be in your time, it can be in creating a free resource. That’s a lot what I talk about is that people get worried that oh, my gosh, now I’d put all this money into it. No, just start thinking about ways that you can go above and beyond for your clients ways that you can add value or teach them something. And I think one of the biggest ones for photographers that is super easy to do, it’s just add on extra time, say if they book like an hour, shoot, stay for an hour 30 or for a wedding, if you are scheduled for eight hours, say nine hours, you know, and I know you’re like, oh my gosh, nope, they already paid for that. I don’t want to be there, I’m tired. Just think about the gifts, you could deliver them by saying ahead of time, I’m going to gift you with this or I’m going to gift you with that easy. It takes nothing away from you to do and it’s not more money out of your pocket. Okay, so it’s an extra hour extra half hour. But that feeling that experience that your clients had is everything. It’s so worth it.

Sarah 11:56
Yeah, I have asked a question on Instagram stories. Before we sat down to record this episode, just about like a good client experience both like they’ve received and one that they have given. And one of our listeners, Morgan, she said that she goes the extra mile with a personalized bonus. So each of her packages have a bonus in them when the client is signing, they don’t necessarily know about it right there. But she said that the key is to really go above and beyond and personalize that experience for them, which makes them feel so special and loved. And that’s always a good thing. And it’s memorable. So it helps with reviews and referrals later.

Shaune Teske 12:43
That’s always what I do. My love language is gift giving for sure. So I am constantly trying to find ways and different parts, especially with a wedding, you know, you’re with these, this couple these people for a year. And from that first meeting to the wedding, there can be a good 12 months in between where you’re like, okay, we’re not seeing each other. So I try to find ways over that year to keep showing up to keep reminding them how you know that I’m here, and then I’m I’m rooting for them and helping them same with the photographers and other business owners I help. I’m here I’m checking in whatever I think, to even just doing something in being polite. One of the things we do at weddings is when we leave for the night, we say goodbye to the bride and groom. But then we also got to say goodbye. And thank you to the parents, you know, sometimes the parents are big, you know, they put a lot of money into the wedding too, or they invited their friends too. So they’re a big part of the wedding planning process. So again, doesn’t have to be that monetary thing. But what Morgan was saying that it does have to go above and beyond. I always like to use the phrase exceed expectations. Yeah. 100%. And everything I do is, here’s just the minimum, we’re going to go above and beyond where you’re going to exceed those expectations.

Sarah 14:07
Yeah, you brought up without saying it a good point. And communication is a strong part and client experience. And that was one that honestly for me. I had to learn it like I had some trial and error and that about getting like a good amount of communication and honestly like really over communicating with them. So like, if you have a project going on, like you said, you could have a gap of five months, maybe more between booking and the actual wedding event day. For me, it’s like I have a product that I’m working on. Maybe I’m taking two weeks to do a design on it. But if I’m not communicating that time, they’re just sitting there wondering like well, what’s going on. So definitely communicating with them explaining where I’m at or like just giving that reassurance that their expectations are being met that I’m thinking of them that I haven’t forgotten about them is definitely an adding to that experience as well.

Shaune Teske 15:06
Right the entire time you’re building trust, I think, anytime a client has to email you about like the project or about if it’s a wedding or a photoshoot or whatever, I always feel like oh, shoot, like, that’s the worst. Yeah, I missed out on just checking in, or just whatever, you know, you want to give. So that’s the bare minimum client experience, is setting expectations, and then following through on those expectations. And now life happens. And it’s not like the end of the world, if they reach out or sometimes, you have an eager client, you’re like, I told you, they’d be ready at this, you know, yeah, ever, that’s that happens to everybody, but you want to be you are the expert, whatever your creative thing is, you are the expert. So you need to drive the conversation, you need to drive the progress of your project, or this thing you’re selling whatever it may be, you’re in charge. So you never want to leave it up to the client to, hey, I’m just, you know, it’s always an email, hey, just checking in. And I have definitely been that person, if I don’t hear from someone who I am going to check in. And, you know, even if you are still working on it, sending an email, or, or text or whatever it may be, like, I’m on this stage of the project or this stage of whatever, just wanted to give you an update, you know, I think that’s just the bare minimum, and then you can start exceeding it. You never want to leave a client hanging and have them start doubting their decision to hire you.

Sarah 16:42
Yeah. I kind of started saying it before, but like, getting those checkup emails before I’m able to communicate with them, like, worst feeling ever. Like I feel like I’ve failed in that moment to communicate. And I’m like, No, I just yeah, I always want to strive for making sure I’m creating the best experience and making sure that they are comfortable with their decision to hire me and trust me.

Shaune Teske 17:09
Yeah, exactly.

Sarah 17:13
I’m going to jump in a little bit to our experience, we could create, can, I mean very to like if we’re working with somebody for like, you said, lifelong photographer, if you’re doing their wedding, their family photos and birth photos. And for me, if I do like a logo design, then a website design and then any other marketing design for them throughout. You can really acknowledge that fact that they’ve stuck with you and really consider that I have a friend Cameron, who also responded to that question I put out on Instagram, and he has a conference, a sports conference that he does a design work for every year, it’s a big conference out in New York. And after five years of working with them, he went ahead and made them a custom laser etched award to congratulate them on that milestone, like five years of a conference as huge as a huge expense. Often conferences lose money, and people don’t know it. So he went ahead and did that. And he, his client then like shared that on I think it was Instagram and saying like best gift ever from a designer like so it’s really cool to think of that too. And in terms of gifting to like even how much your client is spending with you, you can think of somebody who’s spending 1000s you can give them a little bit more of a gift in terms of expense then someone who’s spending a little less it may be in the $100 couple $100 range. Really consider that and appreciate that is going to add to their add to that clients feeling valued and worthy and that you really care about them.

Shaune Teske 19:07
I do that with my clients with everything. I look at the budget what they are spending on whether it’s a wedding photoshoot, and then I take a percentage whether it’s 10% 20% of that budget I allocate towards gift giving and different ways to pour back into them. So then it’s already paid for two I think people again get worried about the money part but if you price yourself okay, here’s this all comes down to pricing. I mean, I could talk forever about how to price yourself but you look at okay, what what’s the number you need to feel like your time and energy you’re putting into this make sense? Now charge then, you know, a third more for taxes and sales tax and whatever, then add in too if you you know are going to be giving back to your clients which I think everyone should whether gifts or whatever, I just then include that in the pricing so that I can give it back out. I do this with my wedding clients because they are spending 1000s of dollars with me, it’s a big decision it is, you know, one of the biggest parts of their wedding I want them to feel taken care of and, and worthy. And I want them to know that I am giving them my all because I truly feel like that. But I don’t show it if I’m just like, thanks for the check. And then crickets until their wedding day you know, it’s not gonna feel very good. So I, again, am I I’m a big gift giver, I do a lot with, like I said, with my weddings, they have gifts when they after they book with me that not only do they get like a custom gift that makes sense for what I’m doing with weddings, with the experience of two people coming together. I’m also then doing something for my brand. So they all get a guide this like 80 or 85 page magazine that I created that literally goes over the experience the Shaune Teske Photography experience. So it’s like another resource, and then it helps them plan their wedding day. Not only does that help them feel loved and trusted, and oh my gosh, she put in all this work for us. But it also helps me because then I don’t get the emails going well, when do we when should we do this? Or when whatever were the questions. Oh, it’s right there in the guide. So that that’s it takes money to make the magazines but really that wanted more of my time to create something out front. But it makes such a difference. And people love it. And like you were talking about with Cameron. They’re photographing it, and sharing it. And again, that’s just better referrals and word of mouth. So it all comes back. It’s a win win. client experience is a win win 100%. And I really like it. Another way to do this too, is to create branded, hashtags, branded, you know, words around your business. So when they book you or they buy one of your products, they feel like they’re joining this community that you cultivated that, you know, I always have it for my brides. They’re STP brides. I’m trying to think of other businesses that make you feel like that and I feel like I’m blanking right now.

Sarah 22:27
How about when you mentioned and grasp the gram of my anthropology.

Shaune Teske 22:30
Yeah. You know, in yeah, there’s my anthropology there’s, I know like World Market had like the world explorer or something like their little rewards program. So things like that where again, it takes nothing it’s it’s branded hashtags branded words that now they can use they can share with their friends, they feel like they’ve joined this exclusive community that not everyone’s a part of.

Sarah 22:56
Okay, we want to hear from you on this. Head over to @thecreativelegacypodcast on Instagram and let us know your thoughts. Client experience should make your client want to share about that. I mean, you even okay, I’m gonna call you out just a little bit here because before I was getting ready for this podcast, I was scrolling on Instagram for a little bit. And you call the story out today of a company that really impressed you.

Shaune Teske 23:25
Yes, okay. So this is like a really, I want to talk about this a lot because I picture the stories with my crazy after working out here bar hair looking like a hot mess. Because it’s so important. So clients experience isn’t just gifts, and it isn’t just oh look I’m a whatever you know I’m part of this community. It’s also just showing up and an example of going above and beyond for your client. So I use the Mrs. Box for my weddings, they are these gorgeous heirloom ring boxes. They come in all different colors. I should be a spokesperson because I love them. But and they have like you can monogram them whatever like they’re great for couples but I also get them because I use them as a wedding photographer for I’m like literally holding them right now. You guys can’t see why but like I just love that. And anyway so I use them as a wedding photographer when I photograph details. Because I you know I just want to elevate again this is an example of client experience for myself. I bring I have a box that I bring to every wedding full of like ribbons. These ring boxes stay at like vintage stamps, like all sorts of cute little details that I when I have their invitations or have their jewelry or whatever I can add and just make the photo look nicer and just elevated a little bit. So that’s again part of my client experience. But have these cute ring box I have about 10 of them in different colors. And I was getting ready for one of my weddings this year and I looked, some of them were like cracking at the seams and kind of breaking apart and like this is really odd. This is not like them. I don’t know if I had them in the cold or the heat, but they just sit in the box when I’m not using them. So I don’t know what happened. And so I just emailed them, I reached out, I said, I have two boxes that are ripping at the seams. Can I repurchase them? Can you can I get new ones can i exchange, and literally within an hour, they got back to me, they just said just send them in, I will replace them with new ones. Now I bought these like two years ago. And they’re like, yep, we see your order here. No problem, send them in that day. And then within a week, literally a week later, they’ve sent me brand new ones in and they didn’t just like chuck it in a thing. They put them in nice little boxes with the nice little brochure again and all that stuff. The they have this cute little like tissue paper with their logo on it, and a little sticker which I mean, Sarah, you would love because their branding is on point.

Sarah Schrader 26:00
Send me a picture.

Shaune Teske 26:02
And like they and their things, too. They have like a little book like that they send you. That’s all about like, this is your heirloom a piece of your history and all this. It’s really cool. And even though they knew it was going to be they still said that. So they just were awesome. They were so nice about it. And they’re like, Oh, yeah, just confirming your address and all the emails. They were super duper nice. I was just very impressed. I, they didn’t know how to do that. I didn’t expect it, I didn’t think that maybe they would be like here, go buy another one. You know, your fault. Sorry, we can’t control what you do. But they totally handled it. And they’ll have to go like, these are either big brands. They don’t need, you know, to make one photographer happy, like and I have, you know, eight other ones that are fine. But I really liked the colors of these. I’m like, oh, I really would like them. And they just they went above man and were great. And they didn’t even like I had to pay to ship them there. But they didn’t charge me for shipping back. Like, I mean, it’s just everyone should go for them now. I could talk about them forever. But that was just a really cool experience that did not have to happen. And they did. And now I’m going to be looking at I’ve done on my second thing today that I’ve talked about how awesome they are. So.

Sarah 27:20
I mean, for sure gonna continue to use their product.

Shaune Teske 27:23
100% like forever. Everyone should go by it. Yeah.

Sarah 27:30
That I mean, that’s an amazing example of both customer care and standing behind their product even when something goes wrong.

Shaune Teske 27:38
Yeah. Incredible. And that’s like a great example, for a product based business. So maybe if someone if you are as the listener you’re thinking of is great service wise, but product wise, what am I supposed to do, you know, create experience like that? If they break? Do you have a policy in place? Or are you, you know, like Sarah mentioned with when she sends you know, over a final logo, like a instruction guide of this is how you use it, I always really appreciate that, like, Okay, I got this digital thing. But now what you know when there’s something like that. So a product like that, too, you could do, you know, adding on an additional product, or giving a list of like this can be used this way, whatever, is just a great way that you can just add more value.

Sarah 28:31
Mm hmm, exactly. So we’ve talked a lot about a lot of examples of great customer experience and a few like tips and ideas. But is there any, are there any, like steps that you’ve used to help create it like I really feel like you’re going to grow it over time, it’s not going to be something you sit down and do all at once. And it’ll also evolve as well. But are there any like steps that you’ve used when creating a customer experience or client experience, or any like tools or resources to create the experience that you provide?

Shaune Teske 29:09
Yeah, so the best way to start implementing these great client experience tips and tricks like we’ve talked about, hopefully, you’ve gained just a few ideas, based on the examples we’ve given is to map out all your interactions with a client or a customer, whether they’re coming into a store, or they’re viewing your website and booking you from there, whatever that may be. Map when they find you how they find you to when they hire you or purchase something, and you’re delivering that or finishing the transaction, map out what that process looks like. And then start going into each experience each touchpoint with them, whether it’s an email, whether it’s, you know, an actual meeting or them like I said, I’m coming into the store math All those touch points where you’re talking to clients you are, you are working on something for them. And then think about ways you can add value to, to them and to their experience. So with emails, that’s a great place to start getting back to them right away. I think it’s such an understated thing. But I really think, again, unless you’re like, you’re very busy and you have set days for email, then have that known have that in your email signature, or when you’re filling out a form, have it say I answered emails within these days, so they know what to expect. I had a couple of, yes, setting expectations. I had a couple just recently that booked with me for their wedding, because they were meeting, they reached out to me as my people, and they said, you were only willing to get back back to us. And I got back within a day or two days. And I’m like, oh, like and they weren’t wasn’t like, they were awful. And people were like, no, I don’t want to get to that email, whatever. Like, they’re great people. But they’re like, yeah, I mean, we were waiting for the emails, but you email, we set the media, and then we just fell in love with your personality that, obviously we want to book with you. But look at these other people who missed out just by not responding. You know, ridiculous, that blows my mind. So or if they’re reaching out to you via via social media, like you need to comment or message back, whatever, and have your own, you don’t have to like, in my first few years of business, I was like, oh, within the hour, so they email me at 11pm and I was up, I would email them back right away. Got you got to get it while it’s hot. And you don’t have to do that you need to do what is best for you and your business to and set those boundaries. But like I said, then have that in your email signature. So that’s like the first great step, like get back to them right away. And then in your email, you know, validate them, let them know, like, if it’s a inquiry about a photoshoot, like, oh, that sounds amazing. I love that place or whatever, or, you know, if it’s a product, they’re purchasing, like, oh, it was so fun to create that or you know, like, it doesn’t have to be like, alright, buy, or let’s set up a meeting or give me my money, like, validate and start creating conversations. In a lot of my emails with my wedding couples, you know, I have them fill out this form and tell, you know, have them tell me about their love story. And they, you know, most of them do. And then I like to touch on an email. So I use email signatures so that it’s really easy to just click, oh, this is a new client inquiry, click on that signature boom, there is the copy already for me to go. But I don’t just go send. I then go in and personalize it. So oh, I love it. Yes, I love your tip. I love your story I love oh my gosh, I you know, it’ll be like, oh, he proposed here, my oh my gosh, I love that place. That’s where my husband and I went whatever, or, oh, your dog sounds amazing. Like a lot of times people talking about their animals to, you know, personalize it. So it’s don’t take anything away from you to hear I saved all this time not having to type up the whole email, but you need to go in and make it personal. And you need to go in and really listen to what they’re saying. Not just here’s this link copy for everyone. So that’s a really, and then go do that for the whole process, start making a list of like, okay, then when you pick up, they pick up this thing, or you deliver this or you it’s a service you’re doing what does that look like you’re delivering the final products you’re buying, you know, they’re purchasing this final thing? What does that look like stopping at each touchpoint and how can you add value? How can you make them feel loved? And and I keep saying value. But that’s like the biggest thing as we keep, I mean, I think we all know that quote that. Like your people aren’t going to remember what you did. But they’re going to remember how you made them feel that’s client experience at its core is you’re making people feel good and feel heard and feel validated with what you’re doing.

Sarah 34:09
Yes, yeah, client experiences definitely focused on feeling and value out.

Shaune Teske 34:14
And I think if anyone was struggling with well, I can’t I don’t know how to add that to my business. Well, you better message me. And you tell me about your businesses. And I’ll tell you how we can add some awesome going above and beyond exceeding expectations into it. Because I guarantee you that we can all do this.

Sarah 34:31
For sure. And I’m going to add just a few things to what you said to if you part of your experience, you want it to be more of a fast response. You can use tools like autoresponders that will reply back and say hey, I got your email. I’m in my inbox from this time to this time, but I’m looking forward to get back to you. Or if they do message you on Facebook and that’s just not your thing. There’s autoresponders there that you can push them and say hey, I spend more time over and my email box messaged me here, like you can do different things like that so that they know that their message is being received. Even if you are, if you do have that gap in your time that you spend in your inbox, because I do it too, I don’t go in my inbox all day. And I mean, really, we need to be focused on working, creating a good product and project to what we’re doing. So having those set amount times is great to get that focus work and really dedicate to serving another client in that way. But in whatever we’re communicating, putting out there, we want to make sure we’re sounding like us. And I want to, I want to emphasize that because you don’t want to have like an autoresponder or message going out and then or like sounding one way and then email that setting a certain expectation with like your personality and how you are and then when they talk to you in another form, or even in an email that you’re just typing up and sending it completely different and it blows that expectation away like of who you are, like you seem different than that original email or autoresponder so just be cautious of that too. And make sure you have heart in it that you’re coming at it from your own voice, your branding, how you sound and setting those expectations there as well.

Shaune Teske 36:25
Right and that goes for anytime you’re putting out your persona, your brand on social media and an email, then you can talk like that when you meet with them. And I think I think it was Jenna Kutcher and one of the first like ever things I saw her teach on she talked about she used her emails used to be very professional like, Dear Sir Madam, you know, and then when they need her be like, Oh, hey, girl, and people are going whoa, what like, because she thought it had to be okay, if you’re online, it’s an emails are serious. You she came from the corporate world, and then that you meet them and her personality comes out. And so you can write how you speak or how you want to be perceived. Again, just making sure it’s authentic, making sure that it’s translating across everything in person meeting social media. And yeah, I don’t know.

Sarah 37:26
Over the phone.

Shaune Teske 37:27
Yeah. Just have whenever there.

Sarah 37:32
Yeah. So yeah, just make sure you have like the heart behind it, I guess is because we’re, we’re doing something to serve our client because of our passion, our why and who we want to serve. So make sure that hearts there, make sure it’s felt by our client. Anything else you want to add about client experience, I know we could talk about it so much more.

Shaune Teske 37:56
I really want people to, I would love to create like a map of maybe I’ll do that. And yeah, like a little Candyland journey, and you have to go down the client experience. You know, Candyland journey, and you get a lollipop for us at the end. But really, is that you know, that journey is experience. And it’s not going to be something like you had mentioned that it’s gonna be all figured out right away. But you need to start thinking about those touch points and adding value at every turn, and then adapting and changing. I used to deliver CDs on a photo, I mean, that’s how long I’ve been doing this, like, I would put my photos on CDs and be like, all this packaging around it and whatever. And then I started realizing my clients don’t live here, they’re just getting married here. So a physical product doesn’t make sense. And then CD, you know, drives and whatever aren’t on some laptops anymore, like those things are going away. So I adjusted my experience based on that, or my couples are always traveling or doing things. So I was adjusting, you have to watch what your brand and your business is doing. And, and by taking surveys at the end of the year by you know, just actually following your clients and seeing what they’re up to you can kind of gauge like, if people are booking or buying from you still what what they’re up to, and how you can adapt. And if something drops off, or you’re not getting booked as much or you’re not selling as much, maybe there’s something you need to change or this is taking too long, or this wasn’t what they were expecting, you can start switching that up. So you have to be able to, like we mentioned with target, you have to be able to be adaptable. You have to listen to your customers or clients or you know if your target your guests, and you have to adapt for them not for what you want to do, what do they want. And if you keep that at the forefront of you’re building this experience for your clients literally in the title for client, your client for client experience, then you can’t go wrong.

Sarah 40:01
Another tool you mentioned surveys, great tool I mentioned it before in another episode that I send out a kind of like a feedback after like even asking like how I did, I want that feedback to know where I can improve and where I can grow and where I can make better client experiences.

Shaune Teske 40:25
Perfect. So if you have tips of things you do in your business that you think are awesome and very unique and you are pouring into your clients, we would love to hear what they are. Or on the flip side, if you are struggling with creating that value and creating great experience, we want to hear about what your struggles are, maybe what business you are in or what services you offer, what products you offer, and we can brainstorm on ways to help you add client experience to your business so you can keep getting booked. keep getting paid, and keep supporting what you love to do.

Sarah Schrader 41:05
Yeah, go perfectly said.

Shaune Teske 41:21
This episode may be over, but we want to keep the conversation going. Find us hanging out over on our Instagram account @thecreativelegacypodcast and interact with us there to let us know your perspective and questions on today’s topic. As always, we really appreciate your thoughts and feedback. You can reach out to us on Instagram @thecreativelegacypodcast or leave a review on Apple podcasts and we might include yours in an upcoming episode.

Sarah 41:48
All the show notes and links to resources from this episode can be found at thecreativelegacypodcast.com/episodes.

 

 

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