Finding the Golden String: A Guide to Client Success
“How do we shorten the client’s path to value?”
As a client service lead, this question has been my primary focus. The faster you deliver on your value promise, the longer the client will stay with you.
The Importance of Client Priming
For a client success team to deliver a fast path to value, the client needs to come into the engagement primed. This priming happens through alignment across departments, with everyone preaching the same message and pointing to the same process.
I call this alignment the Golden String. You unlock it when the messaging in your marketing, sales, onboarding, and fulfillment all aligns.
Key Components of the Golden String
1. Marketing
- Clearly identify the client’s problem and pain points
- Preview the journey to overcome these challenges
- Present the next step in the process, tied to a value message
2. Sales
- Build on trust established through marketing
- Ask questions that agitate pain points
- Connect client’s situation to specific steps in your client journey
- Provide clear next steps
3. Onboarding
- Retain context from sales conversations
- Collect essential information from clients for fulfillment
- Deliver on promised experience
- Over-communicate and clarify success plan
4. Fulfillment
- Refer back to the success plan regularly
- Provide activity and outcome updates
- Remove distractions from delivering value
- Address changes in priorities directly
Key Takeaways
- Set clear expectations at each phase
- Contextualize expectations through good questions and efficient handoffs
- Keep the team focused on the promised outcome
- Maintain client focus on the agreed-upon process
Remember: Life is easier for everyone when the Golden String is in place.