BY Jessica Helinski
Sellers can help the onboarding process go smoothly for new clients by encouraging engagement along the way. And as more B2B buyers embrace self-service, the onboarding process is especially important to ensure their satisfaction.
By providing value, and connecting with the client, right away, you confirm that they’ve made the best choice. And you boost your chances of referrals and loyalty.
How to improve onboarding for sales clients
The deal may be closed, but the buyer may still be wary about their decision. Immediately settle any post-purchase anxiety by welcoming them warmly.
An effective welcome email is, of course, highly personalized. Begin by thanking them again for their choice. Then, according to Gong’s Christine Dzou, reiterate your value proposition. This reinforces that your solution was the best choice.
Follow up with value: Offer next steps they can take and include helpful links to resources. This serves as a clear call to action, keeps them moving through the onboarding process and is helpful.
Design their personal journey
Like your sales pitch, not every onboarding process fits each buyer. Dzou recommends curating a process based on the buyer’s persona, as well as their role and department.
“Delivering personalized onboarding journeys helps you increase engagement and exceed users’ expectations,” she explains.
As she explains, think of their onboarding as a journey. Personalize how they progress based on their specific objectives, pain points and needs. Rely on the data gathered during the sales process to fuel their plans.
And when starting their journey, be careful not to overwhelm the client with a strict, rigid structure.
Instead, emphasize that there is room for flexibility and encourage discussions to ensure they’re getting the most from the process. And if the process is completely automated, Dzou advises offering the options to “skip” steps when possible.
“If you’re letting users self-select their path after signing up, make sure to include a “skip” button.”
This allows for a sense of control on their end and ensures they don’t feel like their time is wasted.
Offer a helpful empty state
During the onboarding process, new clients may face an empty state. This is the blank space that greets users when they first log in to use a solution. Because the client has yet to engage with the product, their dashboard is typically empty. Your guidance can help.
To create immediate value and encourage action, Dzou suggests offering clear actions they can take. This can include simple steps, such as creating a profile or adding a team. She also suggests adding in helpful content, such as how-to videos and user tutorials.
Schedule a kick-off call
Don’t let a signed contract be the end of personal engagement with the buyer. Soon after closing, schedule a call or in-person meeting to connect and walk through their first interactions with your solution.
There’s a lot to get accomplished during this first meeting. Plus, it gives you the chance to continue building your relationship with the client.
Use the time to go over what they’ve done so far and troubleshoot issues they may have had. It’s a good idea to offer a walkthrough of any remaining to-do-tasks. This ensures their onboarding is progressing and there’s no confusion.
Additionally, allow for discussion about expectations. This can cover several elements of your partnership. You can discuss anything from how often they expect to hear from you to when you will determine goals.
And speaking of goals, don’t end the meeting before deciding on short-term goals. Revisit the goals discussed during the sales period and decide what small milestones to hit first. As HubSpot’s Madeleine LaPlante-Dube points out, small wins can quickly show progress.
“"[This] allows your team to work on the project at smaller intervals and also report it to the client,” she explains.
Sellers can set the tone for a profitable relationship by kicking things off with a smooth onboarding process. Just remember to keep the focus on the client and delivering value. This will ensure you both are primed for success.
