Client Welcome Kits

𝗬𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗜 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻. Here’s the thing. I learned the hard way that not having a proper structure made my job harder and also hurt my relationships with clients. I was just winging it, hoping for the best. So, I decided to fix it. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗜 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗲 At first, I thought just sending a contract and getting started was enough. But I quickly realized that setting the right tone from the beginning was key. Now, I send a personalized welcome email with a clear onboarding guide. It tells the client what to expect, how I work, and where we are headed. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 Instead of endless back-and-forth trying to figure out what my clients want, I created a simple intake form to gather all the info upfront. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 I used to jump right into tasks, thinking it would be faster. But I quickly realized that not setting clear expectations from the start was a mistake. Now, I always schedule a kickoff call to discuss goals, timelines, and communication preferences. 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 I used to work without a checklist, which meant details slipped through the cracks. Now, I have an onboarding checklist that keeps me on track, step-by-step. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗨𝗽 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Clients do not want to feel like they are forgotten after the onboarding process. I make sure to follow up regularly, even when there is nothing urgent to share. Weekly updates, “how is everything going?” check-ins, and monthly summaries keep the conversation going. 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗨𝗽 𝗗𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼: Contracts, forms, and automation made simple. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗨𝗽: Task tracking, progress monitoring, and staying organized. 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: A one-stop place for client details, goals, and timelines. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗺: Adding that personal touch with video updates when text just will not do. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: If your onboarding process has felt chaotic, it is time for a change. With the right steps and tools, you can transform your entire client experience. Take control of your process and watch how it improves your workflow and your client relationships.

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮 $𝟮𝟮𝗸/𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮 𝟭𝟮-𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟭 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁. They didn’t need data - they needed a translator. That’s when I learned: retention begins at hello. Here’s how we cut client churn by 43% in 90 days: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝟴-𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲 Every new client gets a “Welcome to the War Room” package within two business days. Not a PDF - a Loom video walking through their customized dashboard, 3 key metrics we’re attacking first, and their dedicated point of contact’s cell number. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴 We stopped sending technical audits. Now we deliver “Competitor Blueprints” using GMB Crush - showing exactly how we’ll dismantle their #1 rival’s local SEO presence. Clients suddenly “get it” when they see their competitor’s review response times vs theirs. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽 No more vague “6-12 month” timelines. We plot specific targets: Week 2: Technical audit completed Day 30: First 10 backlinks live Month 3: 15% organic traffic increase 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 Every Friday at 3pm, clients get a 90-second voice memo via WhatsApp: “Here’s what we did this week. Here’s what you’ll notice next week. Here’s one question I need you to answer.” The secret? Clients don’t quit services - they quit confusion. Your first 30 days aren’t about deliverables. They’re about proving “these people speak my language.” What’s in YOUR onboarding survival kit?

🌟Welcoming Clients with Style: Open up My Awesome Onboarding Approach🌟 🧾 First Things First: The Bill  Before we dive into work, I kickstart the process with a friendly advance invoice. It's not just a formality; it sets the stage for our partnership and ensures that everything money-wise is crystal clear. Plus, it lets me provide top-notch service without any payment headaches. 💌 A Warm Welcome Pack  Get ready for some magic! I put together a personalized welcome package for each client. It's like a big, warm hug that makes them feel special. In this package, they'll get to know me, how I work, and what to expect in terms of project timelines. Think of it as a handy guide that answers their questions before they even ask. 📋 A Simple Onboarding Form  We like to keep things straightforward. That's why I've created an easy-to-fill onboarding form. It covers all the bases, gathering essential info about their goals, preferences, and specific funnel requirements. With these details, I can tailor my services to fit their unique needs, giving them a top-notch, customized experience. 💬 Let's Talk on Slack We're all about easy communication. I invite my clients to join our collaborative Slack workspace, where we can chat and work together seamlessly throughout the project. No more long email chains—just smooth and efficient collaboration. 🙋♀️Believe it or not, I was worried at first that all this might be too much for clients. But guess what? They actually love it! It makes them feel truly welcomed and valued. What's your client onboarding process like?

If your client onboarding is messy, your content will be too. Let’s be real, no matter how talented you are, if you skip the boring but important steps, you’ll end up designing carousels in Canva while DMing your client for their brand colors (true story, I cried that day). So here’s what I’ve learned to do before I even touch a content calendar: 1. Discovery call: Get the vibe. Understand the brand, goals, audience, and whether your energies align (very important). 2. Send a welcome/onboarding packet: Think of it as your starter kit: brand questionnaire, tone preferences, references, etc. Saves you stress and second-guessing. 3. Request brand assets: Logos, fonts, mood boards, approved headshots, color palette, everything that makes the brand look like the brand. 4. Define content pillars: What should the brand be known for? Set your buckets and make sure they align with their goals. 5. Confirm approval workflow: Who’s reviewing? How many rounds? What platform? Define it now or cry later. 6. Set expectations: Deadlines, deliverables, communication tools, boundaries (yes, you need those too). All this might feel like overkill when you’re starting out, but trust me, organized onboarding is how you get consistent content and consistent coins. And if you’re wondering, yes, when you work with me, you’re not just getting a social media manager. You’re getting: • A strategist who understands how to build a brand online • A creative who makes content that connects and converts • Your personal online hype woman who shows up (even on Monday mornings) Basically, a full content team in one person, minus the drama and Slack notifications. Tag a business owner who needs to tighten their onboarding. Or slide into my DMs if you’re ready to elevate your content without the chaos. What other steps do you include in your onboarding process as a social media manager? Let’s share and grow in the comments.

Yesterday, I spoke with a bookkeeping firm CEO about building an exceptional client experience. We know the “mechanics” of onboarding: signing the agreement, building client profiles, collecting business information and documents, and introducing the team. But, what about how we want the customer to FEEL? What is the experience we want to create? My go-to book on customer experience is Never Lose a Customer by Joey Coleman. As Joey puts it, “In most organizations, new customer onboarding and experience is not consciously designed, logically structured, or consistently executed in a way that meaningfully contributes to the customer’s emotional journey.” It’s about reaffirming that a customer has made the right choice in working with you and avoiding buyer’s remorse. Which means nailing the first 100 days of doing business together. It’s the critical stage to build trust, leading to improved client retention. How can accounting firms improve the client experience in the first 100 days? Ideas to implement: 1. Send a personalized welcome video from the partner/CEO. 2. Send a “Welcome to Our Firm” PDF, laying out the onboarding process, key contacts, timeline, and a walkthrough of tools. 3. Record a “Meet the Team” video, introducing the people actually doing the work and why they are excited to work with the client. 4. Ship a branded onboarding kit with high-quality swag from your company (please, no more branded pens). 5. Initiate a kickoff call to learn their business goals, concerns, and what success looks like. Proactively make a small improvement in their books as a quick win (then, host a short call to show savings/ROI). 6. CEO mails a handwritten note thanking the client for their business. 7. Write a weekly summary email during onboarding to show onboarding progress. 8. Send an email celebrating their first milestone (books are cleaned up, cash flow model created, etc.) 9. Introduce your clients to other clients or other trusted service providers based on their goals. Again—it’s about THEIR emotional journey. It’s more than “just” doing the month-end close. It’s serving clients to achieve their long-term goals and support them in their journey. It’s demonstrating our deepest values and showing who we are as a company culture. And that’s what makes service distinctly human.