FREE CLIENT ONBOARDING CHECKLIST

The true first step in the client onboarding process is the transition out of the sales conversation.

The sales conversation is where you’ll start to communicate how you work and how that helps the client be successful.  Expectations and other critical steps are put into motion in the sales conversations and it should absolutely be considered the first step of client onboarding.

Remember though, the plan you start out with is not necessarily the plan you stick with. As projects progress, things might need to change based on the results you’re seeing or if your client wants to change direction. Find out what is (and isn’t) working and tweak your plan if need be.

At this point, your pending client is no longer pending — they want to officially be your client!

But that doesn’t mean that you can just jump right into your first project with them. Plans need to be made so that the entire process of working together goes smoothly and the client gets their desired results.

The best way to make sure this happens is to have a client onboarding process, which is even better handled when you have a client onboarding checklist. The types of projects that you do for clients will each have unique timelines and project milestones that you and your client will need to agree on. A basic client onboarding checklist is necessary for any freelancer who wants to ensure a good customer experience.

The client onboarding process means welcoming new clients into your business, but it doesn’t end there.

You’ll also address their questions and concerns and ensure alignment across the entire engagement.  Assuming your clients already know certain things or understand how you work best (even if you’ve reviewed it in the sales and proposal process already) is a mistake and can damage your relationship with them.

There are a lot of steps to remember to go through for client onboarding – especially if you’re working with multiple clients at once. 

More importantly — onboarding is where you show new clients what you can do. It’s your best opportunity to upsell them, and turn them into long-time customers.

That’s why a checklist is helpful. Ditch that nagging feeling of forgetting something important and keep track of each onboarding step required to maintain a productive client relationship. 

This client onboarding checklist includes important steps to carry you through every phase of your client relationship.