Alright, so, in our last post we talked about ensuring that potential clients understand what they’re getting, and paying for, when they sign up for one of the services you provide. So this week, we’re going to take a step further into the design process and tackle the screening call!
Passively Searching to Actively Seeking Out
Actually before we even get to the actual screening call, there’s a small, but important, first step that we need to cover – the client requesting, or setting, the screening call. And although this may seem like almost nothing, it’s actually a big moment, a really big moment. It’s the first time a client moves from passive to active.
It’s the first time they’re making themselves aware to you. It’s the first time they’re saying hey there, I want you to talk to me. Everything before that, is them clicking and scrolling around to learn all about you, what you’re about, and what you do. And you, well you still don’t know a single thing about them.
And as this is such a big deal, you want to really make a good impression. You want to make sure the client feels warmth, feels welcomed, and feels at ease. You want to make them feel like not only was setting up a screening call with you the best idea that they’ve had in a long time, but so will working with you. And there’s a super quick way to do that, with a strategically placed “Welcome” video.
“Welcome” to Our World
Now, what is a “Welcome” video exactly and how and when should a client get it? Well, it’s quite easy really. It’s simply a video a potential client receives after setting up a screening call. It’s a way to help encourage them over the hump of setting but not showing for the call. Or requesting the time to talk, but then deciding before they even pick up the phone, that hiring an interior designer might not actually be the right move for them.
You know what the video isn’t though? It’s not a to do list for them, and it’s not quite a run down of the agenda, either. No, it’s more of a way to set the stage. It’s a way to build excitement. It’s a way to stack the odds in your favor.
Now how do you set up this awesome little welcome wagon though? Well, it depends on how automated your screening call process is. If clients can set up screening calls on their own through your site, then you can set it up through the calendar scheduling software (Calendly, Acuity, YouCanBookMe) you use. Here’s what you’ll do
1. Login to your calendar software account
2. Access your customizable confirmation page
3. If your software allows you to include photos, include a frame of your video (you can just use the thumbnail that Youtube or Vimeo chooses for your video if you like it) with a “play button” icon placed over the photo ( you can use a graphic design software like Canva to accomplish this)
4. Or, if you’re looking for a simpler, less technical method, simply include a link to the video with a few words letting them know you’re inviting them to watch a “Welcome” video from you.
What if clients aren’t setting up their own screening calls from your site though, and they’re set up manually through your office? Is all lost? No way. Just simply send it to them after the appointment has been set up, and tell them beforehand they’ll be getting a call confirmation email.
Oh, and what do you say while you’re on video? Well, you keep it sweet and simple. You say thank you for signing up for the screening call. You say that you’re excited to learn more about their project and share how your team might be able to help. You say that you’re there if they have any questions beforehand. That’s really it. Because the idea is not to inform really, and certainly not to overwhelm. The idea is just to make them feel comfortable, connected, and excited. Excited to talk with you on the phone, excited to meet with you in person, excited to take on this big adventure with you.
They’re So Lucky to Be Working With Someone Like You
Really it’s just a quick and easy way, to make a huge first impression. And if you’re worried about how you’re going to make this happen, don’t worry, the video doesn’t have to be professionally shot. Or edited in a way that has seamless transitions from one scene to the next, with harps playing in the background. Nope, you can simply have a one scene video shot in front of a well-styled background, that has plenty of light, with you (and your team if you have one) just saying a few friendly words to help ease your potential client into the next step.
Because well, the fact of the matter is, calling a designer makes a lot of people anxious. They don’t know what to expect. They don’t know what they should know. They don’t know how they’ll be received. So sending them a little snippet of just how wonderfully welcoming and friendly you and your firm are, really helps ease their anxious worries, while also letting them know, that they’re incredibly lucky that they just may get to work with the one and only, you.
So go ahead, get yourself a bit camera ready, and take on this week’s sweetly simplified action,
SWEETLY SIMPLIFIED ACTION: Create a 30 second or less “Welcome Video” to send to clients, either manually or automatically, after the screening call has been set up.
Until next time remember, the first impression should always be friendly,
Ashley
Let me know in the comments below, have you ever received a “Welcome” video from someone you hired? If so, what’d you think of it? I’d love to know!
And if you’re for looking for more ways to warmly wow your clients, then take a look at what we’ve got for you here!
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