Welcome Aboard!: Client Onboarding

I frequently engage in discussions with my clients about ways to improve their businesses’ efficiency. One area I’ve found lacking in many small businesses is an official onboarding process. I get it—we often focus on doing the work and flying by the seat of our pants. While that approach can be exciting and sometimes necessary, my process-driven self always realizes that “this”—whatever “this” may be—would go a lot smoother with a clear process in place.

Not having an onboarding process in place is a missed opportunity. Without a structured approach, new clients, employees, or outsourcing partners can feel uncertain and disconnected, leading to potential misunderstandings and inefficiencies. An effective onboarding process sets clear expectations, builds trust, and ensures smoother operations, ultimately fostering stronger, long-term relationships. 

Here are some practical tips to help you establish an onboarding process:

1. Determine Onboarding Journey. When setting up an effective onboarding process, you begin by defining your objectives and what you want the journey to be like for your new client, employee, or outsourcing partner.  

2. Create a Welcome Packet. Include all the necessary information, such as contact details, essential resources, and standard operating procedures for your processes.

3. Provide Training and Resources: Offer training or resources to help new clients, employees, or outsourcing partners understand your products, services, and systems. 

4. Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to address any questions or concerns and to provide support as needed. 

5. Use a Checklist. Create an onboarding checklist to ensure onboarding consistency. An onboarding checklist will also help you ensure that nothing falls through the cracks and that the process is smooth and efficient.

To give you an idea of a client onboarding process, here is the process I follow when onboarding new clients:

1. Welcome Email. I send a personalized welcome email to my new clients, letting them know how excited I am to be working with them. The email includes information about my working hours, the best ways to contact me, how to schedule time with me, my preferences for receiving work, and more. This email sets a positive tone and shows my readiness to begin working together.

2. Schedule Our First Working Session. During this time, we review the work that needs to be done. I also use this time to gather all necessary assets from my client, such as passwords, branding guidelines, logos, bios, and other relevant assets needed as we begin our work together. This ensures I have all the information needed to get started.

3. Setup and Integration. Using my onboarding checklist, I create a digital folder for my new clients, add their information to my contact management system, and integrate them into my tools (e.g., password manager, time tracking software, project management tool). And if we were introduced by a mutual friend/client/colleague (as is nearly always the case), I also make a note to send a referral gift to that person.

4. Continuous Engagement. In addition to frequently checking in and providing progress updates, I connect with my clients on LinkedIn and add them to my newsletter subscribers list. Regular engagement helps build a strong relationship and keeps my clients updated.

Implementing a structured onboarding process may take some initial effort. By setting clear expectations at the start of your working relationship, building trust, and ensuring smooth operations, you’ll foster stronger, long-term relationships with your clients, employees, and outsourcing partners. Start with these practical steps, adapt them to your unique needs, and watch how a well-defined onboarding process can transform your business efficiency.

Gardening brings me such joy! I’ve read that gardening has many benefits such as stress reduction, improved mood, and exercise (yes, exercise — think of bending to weed as squats). And in my case, I truly feel those benefits. 

There is something magical about planting and nurturing a garden, and I get to enjoy it year after year, adding to it each season. The tulips and trees my children helped plant when they were small continue to bring me joy to this day.

Do you have a garden that brings you joy? If so, hit reply. I’d love to hear about your garden.