We’ve all done it: signed up for a service and then begun to regret what we’ve just done. It’s that sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach making you question your instincts.
Because the decision to buy a service is as much based on gut instinct as it is on practical facts and figures. But you listened to your gut, and now it’s having some unpleasant second thoughts.
This is obviously NOT the experience you want your clients to go through. Thankfully you can use your onboarding process to help your clients feel happy that they’ve made a good decision.
Your aim is to help them feel reassured, understood, confident and in control. You want to inspire trust and confidence right from the start by considering each of these 11 areas.
11 ways to inspire trust and confidence during onboarding
Get the basics right: Whether that’s sending a receipt for money they’ve already paid, or sending an invoice or contract quickly. Plus responding and sending things to them when you said you would.
Use straightforward software: We have enough apps in our lives already so if you want them to use a new piece of software, make sure it’s a good user experience for them (always test it from their point of view!)
Apply consistent branding: Put your branding in multiple places during the onboarding process. This will give a consistent feel to everything they see from you. Put it on your invoices and contracts, put it on your forms and in your client portal. It can be as simple as a small logo but it will all add to their confidence.
Gather information in a way that’s easy for clients: If you need information from them during onboarding, do this in a way that’s simple for them. Whether that’s a form with clear explanations, an option to supply video answers or simply an email with clear instructions.
Take a balanced approach to what you give them early on:
- Would a welcome pack or surprise bonus materials feel helpful or overwhelming? Don’t feel that you have to add more things just because you can.
- Do you need to include a step-by-step guide to your service? If so, make this simple and easy to navigate.
- Do they have to do some preparation work before you can start? Then make sure they know this before signing up and guide them through it in a straightforward way. Nobody likes unexpected homework!
- Are there any additional resources or FAQs they’re likely to need?
Confirm their goals: Reiterating what you’re going to achieve together can go a long way to reassuring them that they made a good decision, especially if you personalise this message.
Balance your communication: It’s good to repeat essential information because they might not have taken everything on board before booking, but don’t overwhelm them. You’re excited, they’re excited, but you’re also just one part of their world now. It’s a question of striking the right balance between never hearing from you and over-communicating.
Give them a genuine welcome: Talking of excitement – show them you’re excited and pleased to have them on board! You don’t need to sound fake, just make it sound like you.
Continue your marketing tone: You want your marketing tone to match how you really sound ‘under the bonnet’. For example, if you choose to use mild swear words with clients but they’re nowhere to be seen in your marketing copy, that sudden change in style is going to come as a surprise. Clients may start to lose trust and even question the promises you made to help them.
Remind them of their rights: It can be unnerving to remind someone that they’re eligible for a refund if they cancel but it can actually have the opposite effect: they will feel calmer because they’re not ‘trapped’.
Respect their inbox: Ask before adding a new client to your regular newsletter list. They may want to hear everything they can from you, or it might irritate them just as they’re getting to know you. So give them the choice.
Assessing if your client does have buyer’s remorse during onboarding
These are a couple of ways to work out if your client is starting to feel buyer’s remorse:
Ask the question: Believe it or not it’s ok to ask them if there’s anything they’re having buyer’s remorse over – because then you can address that. You could say something like:
I want to make sure you have the best experience working with me. As we get started, is there anything you’re feeling unsure or concerned about? If there’s anything I can clarify or improve, I’d love to know about it.
Look out for signs of buyer’s remorse: If someone is either being slow to respond/complete their tasks or is asking a lot of unexpected questions, it might be a sign that they’re not sure they made the right decision anymore. If this happens, it’s best to get to the heart of the problem quickly by openly asking them if they have any concerns – which you can then address. Of course they might simply be busy or prefer to ask a lot of questions, but showing that you want to address any concerns early on can be another step to give them confidence.
Addressing buyer’s remorse during onboarding
If you do get feedback with hints of buyer’s remorse during onboarding, here’s some steps to address it:
- Acknowledge their feelings without being defensive: Understand that this isn’t necessarily about you but more about their understanding or comfort level. Even if it relates to how you’ve set things up, getting this feedback means you can make improvements.
- Dig a little deeper to find out more about their concerns: You can’t address an issue unless you fully understand it so you need to get to the heart of their worries.
- Address their concerns: Depending on what they tell you, you might need to explain something more clearly, to remind them of their goals and how you’ll achieve them together, or to offer some adjustments or an alternative service. Occasionally, it might mean following your cancellation and refund policy if they’ve genuinely made the wrong decision by signing up with you. That isn’t necessarily a reflection on you, and nobody gains from pushing ahead with the wrong fit service.
- Follow up: After addressing their concerns, follow up with a simple message like ‘I wanted to check in and see if you’re feeling more comfortable with everything. Is there anything else I can do to support you?’ This helps them feel even more secure and to trust that you’re committed to providing an excellent service.
Ultimately it comes down to clear communication. Getting your onboarding process right for every client is a balancing act but establishing open communication right from the start is going to inspire trust. And trust is the first step to client satisfaction – which can lead to lovely repeat clients and referrals!
How can you upgrade your onboarding process to prevent buyer’s remorse?
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