The first 48 hours are crucial to your relationship with your new client. It takes less than fifteen minutes to get it right.
Client’s Remorse
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another – that sinking feeling of doubt after making a purchase. It’s called buyer’s remorse.
But when it comes to hiring you as a consultant or coach, these emotions can take on heightened significance.
Why?
Your clients are making an investment not just in a product, but in expertise, guidance, and ultimately, transformation.
And if it’s a B2B decision, they might be risking their professional reputation, too.
Also, unlike tangible products where we can see their immediate value, the outcomes your client might get from working with you may be progressive and not always immediately visible.
That leaves a gap.
The Gap
That gap can breed doubt. “Did I make the right choice?” “Will this consultant/coach understand and solve my problem?”
Now, all this doesn’t mean they want to row back on the agreement. They just have some inside voices expressing concern. But it adds unnecessary tension to the start of the work where the client needs evidence to confirm their decision.
And that’s where the opportunity lies.
Once you understand the psychology behind buyer’s remorse you can turn it into an advantage for both you and your client. Here’s what you need to know…
The Opportunity
There’s a critical period, somewhere between 24-48 hours where you have an opportunity to directly intervene and directly support your new client.
This means taking actions that not only reaffirm their decision but establish a goodwill bank that makes your work together that much easier.
Here’s what you can do in that 48-hour window to reverse Buyer’s remorse…
Three-Touch Onboarding Emails
Once your client signs, let them know they will receive three short emails over the next two days to explain what happens next and how you will work together.
(You can expand that number for a more complex project.)
You can decide what’s in these emails but here’s an sequence I’ve used with my clients. Each is written to reassure on one of the following…
- your empathy and commitment to their goals
- your professionalism and reliability
- your ability to deliver results
Here’s your breakdown on each email…
Email 1: Welcome Message
This is the email where you reassure on empathy.
Seems obvious, but you’d be shocked at how many service providers don’t send a thank-you and welcome email. Here’s what you can include…
- appreciation for hiring you
- your excitement and optimism for achieving their goals (and restate the goals you have identified)
- clear and easy step for reaching out to you – make it as easy to communicate as possible within your preferred boundaries
- if you have a client portal, then include a guide to that with an invitation to a 15-minute online walkthrough.
Overall, you want the client to feel they have a clear and easy process to reaching out and they know what to expect when they do.
Email 2: Expectation and Ground Rules
This is the email where you reassure on professionalism.
By now, your client is settling into their decision, and it’s the perfect time to establish clear expectations.
- have the most commonly asked new-client questions compiled into an FAQ document
- explain your process
- layout the timeline and immediate milestones
This is not just about telling them what’s next. It’s about letting them know you’ve got everything under control.
Email 3: Quick Wins and/or Case Studies
What really makes these emails so powerful is that, once written, they are easy to repurpose for each new client.
Do this to create your system…
- create an onboarding email checklist for yourself – this should include when each email is sent
- have your email templates available in a dedicated folder or in your email tool
- create supporting assets to go with the emails such as a checklist and FAQ PDF
- implement this in your CRM (if you have one)
Once all that’s set up, the whole process should take about 15 minutes per client.
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