In less than a week, I’ll be packing up to head down to Grant Cardone’s 10x event in Miami! If you’re going to be there, make sure to reach out to me on Facebook so we can meet up and say hello!
I hope you’re ready to take a lot of notes because this post is PACKED with actionables that will help you:
- Build an unshakeable foundation for your business
- Grow your revenue and PROFIT
- Skyrocket your retention rates
- Boost referrals and
- Nurture solid relationships with your new members.
And it’s all because of the incredible feedback I got from a post in the Fitness Business Freedom Formula Facebook Group and the survey I rolled out over the last couple of weeks.
One of the things you asked for was more content and training about client retention, onboarding, and nurturing…. so over the next few days, that’s EXACTLY what we’re going to talk about!
Today, we’re going to talk about the first step toward creating a CLIENT ONBOARDING plan.
This is one of the MOST important steps because it’s your opportunity to create an amazing first impression on your new members.
Your onboarding system is just what it sounds like: it’s how you welcome new members “aboard” your business. Their first 90-days is what I would consider their “onboarding experience.”
Whether your client is starting tomorrow or 6 months from now, you want each and every new client to have a consistent, AMAZING experience that welcomes them in your community, indoctrinates them into your culture, educates and inspires, and helps turn them from a “new member” into a raving and loyal fan.
But it’s even more than that… it’s also how you SYSTEMATICALLY and STRATEGICALLY get their before and after pics, build social proof, testimonials, and reviews… and ask for their referrals.
There are a LOT of components that go into a well-structured onboarding system.
So what is your VERY FIRST STEP?
The key is to put yourself in your new member’s shoes…. and imagine how YOU would feel if you were just starting out.
You’d feel excited … nervous … maybe even a little scared, especially if you’ve never signed up for anything like this before… or if you’ve tried something in the past and failed. And you’d have a LOT of questions.
Grab a piece of paper and a pen (or Workflowy) + start your “Onboarding Brain Dump.”
Even if you already have an onboarding process in place, there’s always room to make it better.
If YOU were a new client just starting out in your program…
- What fears, concerns and questions would you have?
- What would you want to learn about?
- What kind of accountability do you need?
- What kind of support do you need?
- What kind of mindset do you need to develop?
- What are the exact things that need to happen to get incredible results?
- What would seriously WOW you and knock your socks off!?
- What would make you FEEL like this place is “home”?
Write it all down.
Remember things that clients have told you in the past, questions they’ve asked, or maybe conversations you’ve overheard between members offering each other advice, etc.
The more you can relate to how they feel, the better experience you can offer them.
Create a survey, pick up the phone and call them, or take your clients out for coffee if you need more feedback.
—-> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to do an “Onboarding Brain Dump!”
Spend 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time and don’t stop writing. Let it flow, and write down anything and everything that comes to mind using the questions above as a guide.
Next, I’m going to break down Step 2 and show you exactly how to organize this information and what you need to do with it 🙂
Hopefully, you found this helpful and will help you tighten up your process for all of your new clients!
This is actually something I revisit on a REGULAR basis because I always want to make sure we’re doing the ABSOLUTE best that we can with all of our new clients.
To me, there’s NOTHING more important than taking care of your clients.
This comes BEFORE trying to get the next sale and trying to get more clients in the door.
The last thing you want is to be churning and burning your members because you didn’t take the time to create a great experience for them.
Not only will you have to spend a LOT more money on marketing and a LOT more time following up with new leads, but more importantly you’ll have lacked the chance to make a real difference in other people’s lives…. which I’m guessing is the main reason you got into this in the first place.
Having a thoughtful and strategic onboarding process will dramatically improve client retention and help you take your business to the next level.
Thanks again for all of your GREAT feedback on the survey.
Now go get your “ONBOARDING Brain Dump” done 🙂
More Soon,
Alicia
