How to Improve Your Client Experience in 12 Months

Providing an exceptional client experience is crucial to running a successful small business. All too frequently, when other small business owners complain about their lack of sales, their lack of leads, or their inability to convert leads to clients, I can point to a variety of back end and less glamorous things they could be doing to navigate the difficult waters of running a small business.  First and most importantly, I believe that a smooth and efficient process creates happy customers, fosters repeat business, and generates valuable word-of-mouth referrals. The way you engage with clients and deliver your products or services plays a significant role in building long-term trust and loyalty. However, it’s important to remember that maintaining a high level of client satisfaction requires ongoing effort and adaptation. To stay competitive and relevant, business owners must continually refine their processes, making sure that their automated experiences and communication meets client expectations. Are you interested in an adaptable and manageable plan on how to improve your client experience in 12 months? Keep reading y’all!

I’m going to be honest here – this is one of the things that I’m worst at!  I’ve not updated my website in a decade and given that now more than half my business is commercial and event focused, it needs to happen stat.  To do so, I have created a month-by-month improvement plan on how to improve your client experience in 12 months, so that I can focus on small, consistent steps that that will gradually help me get my website, communications, templates and client experience updated in full.  At the onset, however, this task sounds incredibly daunting and overwhelming. From initial communication to post-purchase follow-up, each step of the client journey is an opportunity to create a lasting and positive impression and to overhaul ALL of these things sounds time-consuming. With a quarterly and monthly step-by-step plan on how to improve your client experience, my ongoing effort will be broken into bite sized manageable pieces that eventually ensures that my clients have a seamless and memorable experience, leading to greater success in the long run. And good news, I’m going to share this plan with you.

The Pillars of an Exceptional Small Business Client Experience

Before diving into the month-by-month plan, let’s outline the core elements that contribute to a stellar client experience:

• Clear Communication: Ensuring clients feel informed and confident throughout the entire process, from inquiry to final delivery, is essential for any small business owner. Establishing clear communication at every stage of the client journey builds trust and sets expectations. This begins at the initial point of contact, where providing detailed information about your services, pricing, and process allows clients to make informed decisions. From there, setting clear timelines for booking, project milestones, and deliverables ensures that clients understand what to expect and when. When wedding photographers complain to me about clients asking about when they will receive their gallery, the first question I ask is whether or not they provided a clearly communicated timeline?  My clients receive no less than 3 update emails (all automated) after their wedding date reminding them of when they can expect their final gallery. Regular updates throughout the project or service delivery process is the best way to be transparent and minimizes confusion. Do you find that you frequently have misunderstandings or frustration on the client’s end? If so, I guarantee you aren’t communicating often or clearly enough. Help your clients feel more confident and reduce any anxiety they may have by establishing clear expectations upfront and following through with consistent, transparent communication. It leads to a stress-free client experience – the pillar of my business.
• Professional Branding: A polished website and portfolio create a strong first impression. For small business owners, your branding is more than just a logo; it’s a representation of your values, expertise, and the quality of your services. A clean, user-friendly website, combined with an appealing portfolio, showcases your work and establishes trust with potential clients. Consistent branding across all platforms—from your website to your social media accounts—reinforces your professionalism and helps you stand out in a competitive market. Regularly updating your online presence and ensuring it aligns with your current offerings will maintain relevance and keep clients engaged. Need new content for your own headshots and website?  I offer a subscription based commercial photo package just for this reason!
• Efficient Workflows: Automating processes can provide a seamless and stress-free experience for both you and your clients. Small business owners often juggle multiple roles, so streamlining tasks like scheduling, invoicing, and client communication is essential for efficiency. By implementing tools such as project management software or automated email sequences, you can reduce administrative burdens and focus more on delivering value to your clients. An organized workflow ensures that no details are overlooked, deadlines are met, and clients have a consistent experience every time they interact with your business. My recommendation: Honeybook.  I’ve been with them since their inception and it handles everything starting with the minute a lead fills out my contact form. From services, to booking, to automated emails before, during and after projects, Honeybook handles it all!
• Personalized Touches: Thoughtful details make clients feel valued and appreciated. For small business owners, offering a personalized experience can set you apart from larger competitors. For me, this means that I send my wedding clients branded koozies, a hand written note, and a notice that I made a donation in their honor to the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. Going the extra mile to tailor your services or communication based on client needs creates a connection that fosters loyalty. Small gestures like offering personalized recommendations, remembering important dates, or as easy as automated follow-ups with a check-in after a project is completed can help build strong, lasting relationships with your clients.

Now, let’s break it down into actionable steps you can take throughout the year.

Month-by-Month Plan to Improve Client Experience – Q1: Laying the Foundation

January: Conduct an Inventory of Key Assets

• Review your website, portfolio, email templates, and workflows: Begin by reviewing the user experience of your website. Is the layout intuitive? Can visitors easily find the information they need? Check how your site performs on different devices, ensuring it’s optimized for mobile users. If the website is hard to navigate, draw out a revised structure and organization for flow and pages that will simplify the layout and making key sections, like services and contact information, more accessible.

• Organize them in an itemized format: Lay out all assets in a systematic manner, creating a checklist or inventory of each item. This will give you an overview of what’s in place, making it easier to note specific changes that need to be made. For example, you could have a list of all pages on your website and mark which ones need content updates, design improvements, or technical fixes. Send any pages or blogs that you no longer wish to keep to your drafts folder.

• Assess your client journey and identify pain points: Map out the entire client experience from first contact to the end of a project. Look for any steps where clients may face confusion, delays, or frustration. Are there any areas where communication feels unclear, or where your processes could be more efficient? Make a note of these pain points and focus on how to address them to improve client satisfaction.

• Research tools or platforms for efficiency: Investigate new software, tools, or platforms that can help improve efficiency in your business. This might include CRM systems to better manage client relationships, automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks, or project management platforms that help you keep track of deliverables and deadlines. Aim to select tools that will reduce your workload while improving client communication. Are you a photogrpaher that is delivering client files in dropbox or google photos? Stop! A gallery system like Pixieset or Pic-time is a must.

February: Begin Updating Your Website

• Ensure your website is easy to navigate and mobile-friendly: Begin by reviewing the user experience of your website. Is the layout intuitive? Can visitors easily find the information they need? Check how your site performs on different devices, ensuring it’s optimized for mobile users. If the website is hard to navigate, draw out a revised structure and organization for flow and pages that will simplify the layout and making key sections, like services and contact information, more accessible.

• Optimize your contact form for effortless inquiries: The contact form should be user-friendly, with minimal steps for visitors to reach out. Test the form to make sure it’s easy to fill out and submit, and ensure that it works across all devices. My contact form has a question about people’s favorite travel location? After over a decade in business, I can say with 100% certainty that when people fill that question out with details, they ALWAYS hire me. When they leave it blank, they never do. It’s a great way for me to determine what clients I should put my energy into from the get-go.

• Refresh your About Page to showcase your brand personality: Your About Page is an important space where clients learn more about your business, values, and the people behind it. Revisit this page to make sure it accurately reflects your current brand and mission. Have I revisited this page in a decade? No. Is it going to change this month? Yes. Add a more personal touch by including a story about why you started your business, your core values, and what sets you apart from competitors. Don’t forget to update any old photos or details that may no longer be relevant.

March: Refresh Your Portfolio and Content

• Replace outdated images with recent, high-quality work: A portfolio is often the first impression clients get of your work, so ensure it highlights your best and most recent projects. Take time to remove outdated or less-than-perfect images that no longer reflect your current skills or style. Add new, high-quality photos or examples that showcase your expertise and the type of work you’re currently most passionate about. Ensure that your portfolio tells a cohesive story about your business and what you can offer clients today.

• Website Review and Optimization: Create a clear action plan based on your website audit from January. Break down your website structure and layout into sections (e.g., homepage, services, contact, portfolio). Identify which sections need updates or revisions. Revamp the website structure to make a more intuitive layout. Focus on simplifying the menu and making important pages, like services and contact information, more accessible. Prioritize mobile optimization to ensure smooth functionality across devices. Perform technical checks: Test your website’s speed, mobile responsiveness, and any broken links. Make a list of any technical fixes needed and use tools like Google Search Console or mobile testing apps to help identify issues.

• Review your testimonial request email template and case studies from past clients: Go through your testimonial request emails and update the language to reflect your current offerings. Send out requests to clients you worked with over the past year who may not have provided feedback yet. Customize each request to be personal and specific to the client’s experience. Along with the request, revisit your case studies and ensure they’re up-to-date with the most relevant services and results. These testimonials and case studies are key in building social proof and credibility.

• Inventory your website copy and identify pages that need updates: Review the text on all of your website pages to ensure that it reflects your current business direction and expertise. Identify which pages need an update to better align with your niche, current offerings, and target audience. For example, if you’ve expanded your services or shifted your focus, update the copy to reflect these changes. Make sure the language on your site speaks to the needs of your ideal clients and is optimized for search engines (SEO) to improve visibility.

Q2: Enhancing Systems and Copy

April: Revamp Email Templates

• Update automated emails for inquiries, bookings, and follow-ups: Remember that inventory audit you did last quarter? Well, it’s time to get to work on those assets and you’re going to start with your current email templates.  You want to systematically go through and update them to ensure they reflect your brand voice and current business practices. Make sure the email responses for inquiries, bookings, and follow-ups are timely and well-crafted. Automation can save you time, but it’s important that these emails don’t feel robotic. Add personalized touches (I like to have a sprinkling of cuss words in there, let’s make sure people know who they are hiring), referencing their specific requests, and confirming the details of their inquiries or bookings. This attention to detail will help clients feel valued and appreciated.

• Ensure emails are warm, professional, and clearly outline next steps: Craft your email responses in a way that balances professionalism with friendliness. Your emails should create a positive impression of your business while guiding clients through the next steps. For example, after a booking is confirmed, provide clear instructions about what to expect next—whether it’s an intake form, a meeting, or a product delivery timeline. Always be transparent about timelines and what the client can expect throughout the process.

May: Improve Booking and Contract Processes

• Implement a CRM system to automate bookings: Consider investing in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help streamline your booking process. CRMs like my preferred system HoneyBook, Studio Ninja, or Zoho can automate tasks like booking confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups, reducing administrative time and errors. A CRM can also help you manage your client database, track payments, and monitor project status all in one place. Setting up automation within your CRM ensures you never miss an important task (it does it for you), or a payment (it does that for you too), and allows you to focus on client relationships instead of getting bogged down in administrative work.

• Simplify contracts and invoices to make the process easier for clients: Ensure that your contracts and invoices are easy to understand and straightforward. Clients should never feel overwhelmed by complicated terms or hidden fees. Use clear, concise language. Guess what – your CRM is going to handle your contracts and invoices also!  You can automate those specific to each type of client.  Take this month to go through those automations, if you already have them set up, and systematically ensure your invoices are updated and reflect any changes in your business model that you may have made in the past few years.  For example, during the pandemic, my date retainers changed and my new contracts need to reflect that so I don’t have to manually edit each one.

• Set clear expectations to prevent miscommunications: Clearly communicate what clients can expect at each stage of the process, from booking through to the final product or service delivery. Be specific about timelines, pricing, and any actions required on the client’s part. For example, if you’re providing a service that requires pre-session preparation, include detailed instructions in your email templates and contracts. This reduces the chance of miscommunication and helps ensure that both you and your clients are on the same page.

June: Craft a Welcome Guide

• Create a branded PDF or webpage explaining what clients can expect: A comprehensive welcome guide can be an excellent way to set expectations and prepare clients for the process ahead. Create a visually appealing, easy-to-navigate PDF or a webpage that is aligned with your brand’s design and tone. This guide should outline everything clients need to know about working with you, from the initial consultation to the final deliverables. Providing this resource upfront ensures clients feel confident and well-prepared, which enhances their overall experience.

• Include session tips, timelines, and frequently asked questions: A key component of your welcome guide is setting clear expectations. Provide clients with tips or best practices for working with you—whether it’s what to wear for a photoshoot, how to prepare for a consultation, or what to bring to a service appointment. Include a detailed timeline of your process, so clients know exactly what happens next and when. Additionally, address frequently asked questions (FAQs) that may come up to save time and prevent confusion later on. A comprehensive guide can be a huge time-saver for both you and your clients.

• Provide styling guidance for portrait sessions or wedding planning tips: If your business includes portrait or event services, offer styling tips or a checklist for preparation. This might include suggestions on outfits, color schemes, or themes. For wedding planners, offer guidance on how to choose vendors, timelines for the big day, or ways to customize the event to fit their personality. By providing useful and relevant advice, you’re positioning yourself as a trusted expert and offering even more value to your clients. It also helps them feel more confident about their decisions, leading to a smoother experience for everyone. Want the double whammy of helping your SEO? Craft these as blog posts that you then send out in a timely fashion before your clients booked session.

Q3: Building Visibility and Optimizing Workflows

July: Strengthen SEO and Online Presence

• Optimize your website with relevant keywords for better search rankings: Research and implement keywords that reflect the products or services your business offers. These should be terms your target audience is likely to search for when looking for a solution like yours. Use SEO tools such as Google Keyword Planner and ChatGPT to identify keywords with good search volume and moderate competition. Take Catalina Jean’s SEO for Creatives Course.  I have, in fact, taken and use this course to my advantage every single day I work on my business.

• Make a list of future blogs that you can use to feature customer stories, industry insights, and case studies: A blog is a valuable tool to showcase your expertise and build relationships with potential clients. Share customer success stories, industry trends, and informative content that answers your target audience’s questions. Blogging not only boosts SEO but helps establish your brand as a trusted resource. Make sure to post consistently and incorporate relevant keywords to drive more visitors to your site.

• Update Google My Business and social media profiles: Keep your Google My Business listing up-to-date with accurate hours, location, services, photos (yes! Google loves photos!) and current reviews. Responding to customer reviews and answering questions on this platform will help improve your business’s visibility. Similarly, maintain active social media profiles to engage with your community. Post regularly, highlight your products/services, and encourage customers to share their experiences. Consistent, authentic engagement helps build trust and attract new clients.

August: Update Client Experience and Delivery Systems

• Choose a modern, user-friendly platform for client interactions: If you didn’t have a CRM yet, now is the time to decide on a platform that makes it easy for clients to interact with your business online. Whether it’s an appointment scheduling system, client portal, or order management tool, the platform should provide a seamless experience for your clients. Ensure that your system is simple to navigate, mobile-friendly, and intuitive. This enhances the overall customer journey, making it easier for clients to book, purchase, or communicate with you.

• Design a marketing plan for the next year: Preemptively take time to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that spans the next 12 months. You’re going to want to start with Q4 so that you can maximize the holidays and your objectives for that quarter. Identify key goals, target audiences, and marketing channels (social media, email, content marketing, etc.). Break your plan into quarterly objectives to keep your efforts focused and manageable. Ensure your plan includes a mix of promotional campaigns, client engagement tactics, and seasonal offerings. Make sure that you have regularly scheduled blog posts that allow you to boost your SEO while tying into your marketing efforts.  You can repurpose one blog post into a myriad of ways on many channels throughout the year.

• Brainstorm curated packages or additional services to boost sales for the following year: Consider creating tailored product or service packages that align with your clients’ needs. For example, if you offer a product, bundle it with complimentary items at a discounted rate. Alternatively, offer exclusive upgrades, extended services, or long-term client loyalty packages. By offering these additional options, you can increase your revenue and provide more value to your clients.

September: Enhance Client Retention and Engagement

• Develop a Loyalty Program: Implement a rewards or loyalty program to encourage repeat business. Offer clients incentives for making repeat purchases, referrals, or booking multiple services. For example, offer discounts or exclusive access to new products or services for returning clients. A well-thought-out loyalty program will help build long-term relationships and turn your clients into brand advocates.

• Create an Engaging Follow-Up Strategy: Instead of just sending automated follow-up emails, develop a more personal follow-up approach. Check in with clients after a service or purchase to ask about their experience and offer helpful tips. Personalize the communication with details about their specific service to make it feel more tailored to them. This will show clients that you value their business and their satisfaction matters to you.

• Sign up for a monthly marketing email service: Strengthen your relationship with your clients by joining constant contact and making sure to send out at minimum one marketing email a month.  I use these emails to inform customers of my travel dates and it is rare that an email goes out and I do not book a session from it!

Q4: Adding the Personal Touch

October: Implement and Schedule Q4 Marketing for the Holidays

• Plan your holiday marketing strategy: Start preparing for the busy season by developing marketing campaigns tailored to the holidays. Consider offering special promotions, limited-time discounts, or holiday bundles that resonate with your target audience. Map out key dates (like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Christmas) and create a content calendar to ensure you’re engaging with clients consistently.

• Schedule social media posts, email newsletters, and ad campaigns: Automate your content distribution ahead of time to maintain a strong online presence throughout the holiday season. This allows you to focus on other tasks while staying top-of-mind for your clients. Use email marketing to send exclusive offers, sneak peeks, or gift guides that highlight your products or services.

• Prepare inventory or service offerings for the holiday rush: Make sure you’re well-stocked or ready to accommodate any spikes in demand. Review your current inventory, materials, or staffing and make necessary adjustments to meet the seasonal demands.

November: Gather Feedback and Testimonials

• Send surveys to recent clients to understand their experience: Reach out to your clients from THIS past year and ask them for feedback about their experience with your business. A short, simple survey can provide valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved. Ask for honest reviews to continue growing and fine-tuning your processes.

• Use positive testimonials on your website and social media: Showcase the feedback you receive by incorporating client testimonials into your marketing. Displaying reviews and stories from satisfied clients helps build credibility and trust with potential customers. Share them across social media, your website, and any promotional materials.

• Identify areas where you can improve based on feedback: Analyze the feedback you’ve gathered and look for patterns or recurring themes that may point to areas for improvement. Implement changes that will enhance the client experience moving forward.

December: Reflect and Plan Ahead

• Review what worked well and what needs further improvement: Take a moment to reflect on the past year. Assess your business performance, client satisfaction, and overall growth. Identify areas where you excelled and those that could benefit from more attention in the coming year.

• Set goals for the next year to continue refining your client experience: Use the insights from your reflection to set actionable goals for the upcoming year. Whether it’s improving customer service, expanding your product offerings, or increasing brand visibility, make sure your goals are clear and measurable.

• Celebrate your progress and the stronger relationships you’ve built: Acknowledge the hard work and growth you’ve achieved throughout the year! Celebrate the milestones, both big and small, and the positive relationships you’ve developed with clients and within your community. In short – pop that champagne y’all!  It’s time to take a break for the holidays!

Tips for Staying on Track

Depending on how you visualize things, I’d recommend getting a subscription to a web based organization and project tracking app like Trello, Asana, or my personal favorite, Teuxdeux. They can help organize tasks efficiently, ensuring that no important updates are overlooked and allow you to move items through a designated workflow. Dedicate a set time each month to review and implement improvements, keeping both yourself on task and your business consistently improving.  I know that sometimes when I’m in the weeds I end up shoving some of these more mundane tasks off, but that the same time I know I’m only hurting myself – the key to significantly acquiring customers is presenting a seamless experience and frequently updated portfolio. Stay open to client feedback and be willing to adjust your approach as needed. Most importantly, consistency is key—small, steady improvements over time will lead to a significantly enhanced client experience.

By following this structured, month-by-month plan on how to improve your client experience in 12 months, you too can create a seamless and outstanding client experience that sets your small business apart. The best part? Happy clients lead to more referrals, repeat bookings, and a stronger brand reputation. Start today, and by this time next year, your client experience will be more polished and professional than ever!