When you onboard new clients, go beyond simply saying “Welcome.”
A great onboarding process makes new clients feel like superstars.
I’ve created a series on my YouTube channel called Ask the Online Business Coach. In this episode, I’m answering a question from BarbieJo Hatch.
BarbieJo is a professional organizer and life coach. She asked about how to onboard new clients for her coaching business.
You don’t have to be a coach to get some great information from my answer.
Every online business needs a process to onboard new clients.
You can’t welcome them in person, but you can still create an amazing experience.
You’ll get three tips — and a bonus — that you can use to help your new customers to feel loved, appreciated, and empowered.
And you’ll learn what I do when I onboard new clients in my Offer Accelerator program, and how we onboard new clients — so they feel like superstars.
Related: Your Secret Weapon to Winning Your Customers’ Loyalty
Onboard new clients like a pro
Onboarding refers to everything you do to welcome someone after they’ve invested in your offer.
When you’re bringing on a new client, don’t overwhelm them with too much information right away.
Step them through a process that’s welcoming as well as informative.
Put yourself in your client’s shoes. Think about how you can introduce them to the program they just invested in.
Make the process as frictionless as possible.
1. Give them access right away
Make sure you provide new clients with immediate access to the program they just bought.
By making that purchase, they’re showing they trust you to deliver what you promise. Give them the goods right away!
It shows your new clients you have 100% confidence in the transformation you provide. They’re excited to dig in, and you’re excited to help them succeed!
2. Send a warm welcome email
When you onboard a new client, it’s time to roll out that virtual welcome mat.
Send your new clients a warm welcome email that helps them orient themselves and feel right at home.
Remember to make use of text formatting so you email is easily scanned and absorbed.
Your new client will be taking in a lot of information. Make sure it’s easy to read.
3. Welcome them publicly
Introduce your new clients to any groups or forums included in your offer.
By “publicly,” I mean the other members in your program. It’s a great way to break the ice and get conversations going.
Embrace your role as host here. Imagine it’s a dinner party, or a relaxed and friendly business conference.
Program members can offer valuable support to each other, and share their expertise to encourage their colleagues.
We see that happen in the Offer Accelerator. It’s amazing to see smart online business owners not just cheering each other on, but helping each other as they develop their high-value offers.
The magic is in the details — follow up
When you onboard new clients, it’s crucial to check in on them after a day or two to see if they have any questions for you.
They might have missed a couple of details when they were finding their way around. Following up shows you’re committed to providing them with the highest quality experience.
Related: From Skeptical Prospect to Loyal Customer: How to Map Your Buyer’s Journey
How we onboard new clients
When people join my Offer Accelerator program, we kind of shower them with love — without being creepy, of course.
- New OA members get a welcome email with everything they need to access the full curriculum.
- Someone on my team invites them to join our private Facebook group.
- A couple of days later, my client success coach reaches out to schedule a private kickstart call with them.
- And then, about 10 days later, they get a gift in the mail. (But don’t tell anyone. That’s a surprise.) 😉
An amazing new client onboarding process = no buyer’s remorse
Why would you want to go to all this effort?
Going the extra mile when onboarding new clients is about customer experience.
New clients often go through buyer’s remorse right after investing in an online offer. It’s natural. Buying something online from an individual person (who’s not Amazon) still feels kind of weird.
Creating a welcoming new client onboarding process is about more than top-notch customer service. You’ll have a system you can use again and again.
Your new client onboarding process can turn those just-bought jitters into a Wow! experience.
Onboard new clients right and you’ll create loyal customers.
Your clients invested in your offer, and the work you do to make them feel welcome is an investment in your business, too.
