You got a new client to say yes— Congrats! Now it's time for the real work to begin. If you’re going to keep clients so happy that they become raving fans who refer you to others, your onboarding game needs to be strong. Onboarding is about so much more than getting new clients set up with your portal, collecting documents, or sending a gift basket: It’s about setting the tone for your relationship. Every interaction carries a lot of weight when new clients are still forming an impression of your firm.
Many professional services firms have already transitioned to a majority or fully online onboarding process. Think about insurance. You can get a quote, choose your coverage, review the terms and conditions, pay your premium online and even set up subsequent automatic payments all on your own. Most people appreciate this straight-forward, efficient process that they can complete on their own time, without scheduling phone calls, wading through complex sales documents or feeling pressured to make decisions on someone else’s timeframe. That doesn’t mean you’ll never speak to prospects or clients, but quite frankly, most people want and expect to buy online these days.
Taking clients through an outdated or inefficient onboarding process doesn’t communicate, “We’re a modern firm poised to anticipate your needs.” It also won’t help you gather the information you need if you’re going to blow new clients away with personalized service. If you haven’t updated your process in the last few years, you may be overdue for an onboarding overhaul. Here’s where to start.
Level-up your digital onboarding process
If at least 80 percent of the sales process is going to happen digitally or remotely within the next few years, your onboarding process needs to happen digitally too. The onboarding process begins the moment a prospect decides, ‘YES!’ From there, they should be able to receive your proposal online, choose their package, click ACCEPT, review their engagement letter, securely set up online auto payments, and customize their email preferences online and all in one place.
If that doesn’t sound like your current process, now’s the time to make a change. With a fully digital process, busy clients can run through onboarding efficiently and on their own schedule.
Communication is key
Once your new client has completed the online onboarding process, it’s time to set a meeting. Whether it’s face-to-face or over Zoom, get a meeting scheduled to unpack the client’s goals, learn more about what hasn’t been working and start talking strategy. The faster you can identify pain points, the faster you can solve them and get the client singing your praises to their network.
Schedule a recurring meeting or status check-in to make sure things don’t fall through the cracks after onboarding. Even if that’s every 6 months, it’s good for everyone to know it’s on the books.
When it comes to email communication, drip campaigns (a series of emails) let you unroll all the important information about your firm and the client’s next steps at a controlled pace, rather than overwhelming them with an info dump. Start them out with messages introducing them to the members of their service team, walking them through how to use your portal, highlighting the firm’s history and community involvement, and so on. No one wants to slog through a 3,000-word welcome email, but they might be willing to read shorter, focused messages that are delivered over the course of a week.
Personalize their experience
Clients don’t necessarily expect you to acknowledge their child’s graduation or their firm’s anniversary – which is exactly why you should. Recognizing those personal and professional milestones shows your investment in what matters to your client. When you’re crafting onboarding materials, think about what type of information could help you provide that extra level of service. Then, make sure you’re using HubSpot to help you collect that information and tracking it in such a way that makes it easy to access. Be creative, authentic and thoughtful in how you acknowledge the client’s milestones.
Get creative with welcoming new clients
Think beyond the standard welcome packet. Everyone loves free stuff, but no one cares about another free pen or tote bag. Spend money on branded swag that people will actually use and see every day. Survey your team about the stuff they love or would want to receive; think things like Yeti mugs, fleece jackets or Tile trackers for when they lose their keys.
Even better, let your clients choose the gifts that they really want! Set up an online shop stocked with a range of branded products and give new clients credit to spend however they want. A golfer can pick a dozen balls or a golf umbrella, a camper can select a new hammock, anyone can choose chocolate or coffee—and no one gets stuck with more promotional materials that they won’t use.
Onboarding should provide real value for both parties, but it only works if your process reflects the way your clients work today. Embracing the digital buyer’s journey and personalizing a new client’s experience are relatively easy ways to create a first impression that clients never forget. Is your firm ready to transform your onboarding strategy? Contact me today.
