“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou

This quote is famous for a reason – because it’s true! When we’re building a business, it’s common to focus on branding, developing your products or services, pricing, and your marketing strategy. Customer experience is often an afterthought, or just kinda happens as you respond to customer needs.

However, building a positive customer experience into your business is an essential element for creating a powerful, profitable brand. Where once it was enough to have a good product and a competitive price, in today’s saturated markets a stand-out customer experience is one of the best ways you can differentiate yourself from your competitors and create a positive perception of your brand.

Think about the last time you had an excellent customer experience. I bet you wanted to tell people about it, right? And when something doesn’t meet our expectations, we usually want to tell people about that too, then turn to Google and make a decision to work with someone else. This is why people’s experience of your brand matters!

When it comes to nailing your customer experience, I like to break it down into four stages.

Discovery – how easily can people find and contact you?
How often are you creating opportunities for people to come into contact with your brand? Are you creating the right first impression when you show up online? Is it easy for people to find the information they’re looking for? Can they contact you easily? What are your response times like?

Engagement – how do people buy from you?
Once a customer has made the decision to buy from you or work with you, how easy is it to do that? Is your checkout clean and simple? Can people easily find and book a discovery call? What is your process from decision to signing a contract?

Delivery – what is the experience of working with you?
Is the experience seamless? Are you punctual and pleasant to work with? Do you provide quality products or outcomes for people? Do you deliver on your promise? Is the customer experience of working with you consistent with what they have seen online or heard from others?

Follow up – what happens after the work is completed?
Do you have a follow up process after someone finishes working with you? Do you have systems in place that encourage repeat business? Do you offer an opportunity to provide feedback or to review your services? Do you have a strategy for staying engaged with past customers/clients?

When is the last time you audited your customer experience? Taking the time to create a memorable customer experience from start to finish is a fantastic investment in creating a powerful brand and profitable business.