By doing a quick Google search, we can see there are numerous results on best ways to make a first impression, ranging from “how to” to “how long you have.” These articles also feature on the “why.” For example, “Why is it important to make a good first impression”?
This article from Forbes highlights that you have seven seconds to make a good first impression. It focuses on both the verbal and nonverbal cues one might make when meeting someone for the first time. This first meeting determines a lot about the relationship that will carry on throughout the time you’re acquainted.
When we onboard a new client, we often have a little longer than seven seconds to make our first impression but still have to focus on both the verbal, nonverbal, and written cues we might make. This article is going to focus on how we successfully onboard new Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) clients and how making a great first impression will determine the future relationship.
Onboarding Process
With the numerous new clients we sign, we created a formal onboarding process for the conversion rate optimization part of the agreement. In this onboarding process, we focus on five key areas:
- Initial call
- Code implementation
- User behavior and metrics measurement
- Combining our findings into a presentation
- Presenting our strategy and recommendations
We use these five areas both at the beginning of the agreement and throughout our relationship with the particular client. With good communication, we can ensure the client is aware of the process and just how it’ll impact their website and landing page testing as well as their overall digital marketing strategy.
Initial Call
When we onboard a new client, we start with an initial kick-off call. This is usually our first time communicating with the client and introducing ourselves. Providing a detailed but easily digestible overview of what’s involved in the CRO process is key. We want to be sure to explain what we do, why we do it, and what they can expect. We also want to make sure to express that our lines of communication are always open and to be as transparent with our process as possible.
Code Implementation
With CRO testing, we often utilize many different tools. Usually, each of these tools requires a separate code to be placed on the website. Ensuring that placing these won’t impact site speed, we send over the codes needed to the client and get those placed right away so we can begin gathering information and setting up our testing recommendations.
By communicating the importance of these codes and the role they play in a seamless CRO relationship, the client is well aware of why they’re needed and just how important they are to the success of their website performance.
User Behavior And Metrics Measurement
After the codes have been placed, we can start to look at the user behavior on the site. We use these measurements to start forming our CRO strategy. We want to make sure we’re making informed and data-backed decisions. By analyzing user behavior, we get to look into the psychology behind purchases and sign-ups. We tie together the behavior with what we’re seeing in the analytics on the site and come up with our client’s CRO strategy.
Content Combination
The next step in this onboarding process is to start putting together everything for their CRO presentation. We look at their goals, their performance data, present our behavior findings, and then form initial recommendations to start testing. These presentations are put together to ensure we’re communicating our findings to the client and to make sure they understand both what we’re proposing to test and why.
Presentation
The last step in the onboarding process is to present. This is usually more of a conversation then a formal presentation to make sure the client knows they can ask any questions throughout the process. Often, when we’re presenting analytics and user behavior data, we want to make sure that the information is on par with what they’re seeing and isn’t a huge surprise. After presenting our recommendations and getting the go-ahead on a first test, we then can set up a recurring time for our CRO meetings. Usually monthly, we then can get together and go over the results well as propose any new test ideas or behavioral findings on the site.
After we’ve completed the onboarding process and have our first CRO call with the client, we then focus on maintaining the relationship we’ve built in the first few weeks of the agreement. We continually look at how our recommendations and expected outcomes will affect marketing goals. We also focus on how to meet the relationship expectations that the client might set. For example, do they want more than just a monthly call? How often do they want email updates on the results of a test? Those are just a few things we can ask to make sure we’re meeting and exceeding client expectations.
First impressions directly influence the relationship we have with our clients. By showing a vested interest in the client’s business and communicating clearly and often, we can ensure that our first impressions and future relationship will exceed the client’s expectations and continue to provide actionable results during their landing page testing.
And just remember:
“You will never get a second chance to make a first impression” – Will Rogers
