How I get (positive) feedback from my clients

After you’ve completed a project, clients usually have great things to say. As small business owners, it’s important that we capture that feedback while it’s vibrant.

This feedback allows us to know what’s working, and what needs improvement in our businesses. It can also provide testimonials, an excellent tool to get new clients.

But clients are busy. It can be a challenge to get them to share their feedback.

So, how do you get them to respond? I do it by providing great service, and making it EASY for them to respond. This is the process that I use:

I provide superior service

It is my job as a designer to effectively communicate the client’s message to their target audience in a visual manner. Not only do I strive to provide the highest quality design work, I am truly passionate about providing great customer service, which is a result of communication, building trust and knowing the expectations of a client -- then exceeding them.

I send a “thank you” box

When I finish a project, I mail my client a “thank you” box. Inside the box contains:

1. A handwritten thank you note. Something along the lines of: Dear (name), I enjoyed working with you on the (project) for (company name). It’s exciting to be part of the success of a new business. Clients like you make my job truly rewarding. I look forward to working with you again. 

2. A little gift. Everyone likes food. And it’s fun to get something in the mail, other than a bill. I originally wanted to send cookies, but it’s 100 degrees here in Georgia, so they’d end up as a puddle in the box. So, I send a jar of southern hospitality: homemade strawberry fig preserves.

3. A feedback form (super short questionnaire with space to write comments) ALONG with a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Note: I know a lot of businesses do this by email, but to me they get lost in the sea of so many other e-mails.

If you’re building relationships, exceeding your clients expectations’ and making it easy for them to give you feedback, why wouldn’t they respond?

Do something different and STAND OUT.

Kara was kind enough to share her feedback form with us. If you would like a copy, email us at toolbox@marketing-mentor.com and we’ll send it right over.

Special thanks to Kara Smith, who offers fresh and affordable visual solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs so that they STAND OUT against competitors. Sign up for her newsletter here: www.karasmithdesign.com.

Comments

[Alysia Shivers]

This is excellent, Kara! Thanks so much for sharing. Asking for feedback from clients has been awkward for me for some unknown reason. Incorporating a system like this will definitely help.
Alysia

[Claudia]

Thank you, Kara! Your post was really helpful. I didn't even wanted to think about how to get the feedback from my clients, but you took away my fears. You were very generous for sharing.