You spent countless hours in coffee meetings and phone calls introducing yourself and your business. Finally, you landed a client. Your contract has been negotiated and signed. Onboarding your clients is a crucial part of any business.
The foundation of a successful and productive partnership is solid client onboarding. Ignoring the importance of onboarding clients could lead to increased churn and less trust. It may even result in losing customers.
Whether you’re a freelancer or digital agency, business consultant, or client-focused company, your onboarding process is essential.
The following steps will help you understand the importance of onboarding clients and provide five practical steps you can implement.
What is client onboarding
Let’s first get the facts straight about what client onboarding is. Take a minute to reflect on the people you’ve hired recently.
Recently, you contacted an accountant for help with tax season. Or, you got a printer to work on a substantial project. What was the first time they interacted with you? Did they communicate with you openly, honestly, and transparently? They took the time to answer your questions. Did they follow up with you after signing the contract to see if you are happy with their service or need assistance?
Would you use their services again?
The way you introduce a client to your company is directly related to the success of your business in the long run. Your clients will be more trusting of you if they see that you’ve invested in a system that allows them to navigate the project process easily.
Why is it essential to onboard clients
Most creatives want to jump right into their creative work after signing the contract. However, this can lead them to skip essential steps in building client trust. You have 90 days after the client signs the agreement to demonstrate your value and prove it early on in the project. The best way to do this is by implementing a bulletproof onboarding process.
By investing time at this early stage, you can get to know the client and his business better. You will be able to discover the actual problem and find ways to improve efficiency and avoid future bottlenecks.
It’s also the perfect time for both parties to determine if the relationship is reasonable and provides a framework for future optimization. To build a lasting relationship, it is essential to go above and beyond.
step onboarding process for new clients
Review the steps you have in place to maximize your onboarding process and eliminate any unnecessary ones. By creating templates, you can streamline your processes and save time. Let’s get started:
Contract, proposal, invoice
You and your client have decided to work together. It’s time to send and sign a contract, receive your payment, and start working together.
Online services are available to help you create a contract that is proven. However, make sure all the agreement details, including the budget, the deadlines, the point of contact, and the deliverables, are clearly stated. This should be sent to your client for signature.
Send your invoice reflecting the terms of the proposal. Make sure you adjust the invoice if the client makes any changes. Please double-check that the client received confirmation after they made their first payment, which is usually 50%.
Welcome package with (Email template)
Ensure your client feels valued and welcome as part of the new partnership. Sending a sizeable welcome email is a simple way to achieve this. Add a welcome package with this email. This will give the client more information about your work, style, and the following stages of the project.
Onboarding Questionnaire & Kickoff
Once the client confirms their kickoff meeting, it is time to create a creative brief. This document will help your team align the project data to start working.
You can either create a questionnaire in advance and send it to the client for “homework,” or you can fill out the blanks during the kickoff. You can save time and work more efficiently with a proven questionnaire or framework that can be adapted to the project and client. It is also available online so all team members have access.
Kickoff meetings are designed to make clients feel comfortable and help them express their WHY. Ask specific questions about the company and its industry. Understand goals and the long-term vision. Learn about their customers. Get the first glimpse into the possible outcome of the project. Your pre-build framework is a great guide, and it allows your client to go off on tangents, which can lead to insights. You’re also motivated to produce fruitful results when you see your client’s enthusiasm.
Post-Kickoff
It’s now time to develop the final creative brief. It can be shaped and adjusted in-house to represent best what was discussed. The final document includes a detailed timeline that reflects the target end dates. It is then sent to the team and client for review to ensure accuracy.
This creative brief can be used as a bible for the entire project. It will guide you in terms of assets, timelines, and goals. It would help if you also considered the client’s definitions of success. This document will ensure everyone is on the same page right from the start.
Next steps
Your new project has been launched successfully! Your client relationship continues after the project is completed. Please set up a brief call about a month later to ensure they have no questions. Schedule future status calls and presentations during this call. The more you communicate with your client, the more likely you are to be able to assess any concerns that may arise before they become significant issues.
Use an onboarding template that has been proven to work
Creating a practical onboarding framework and a thorough, creative brief takes collaboration and time. HolaBrief has years of experience working with thousands of agencies to develop proven templates.