The client onboarding process is a crucial time for you as an online service provider to show your client that they made the right choice in hiring you.

And even the smallest personal touches make all the difference. Plus, your onboarding process sets the tone for what working with your business will be like for your client. Not to brag, but as a Dubsado expert, I know a thing or two about what it takes to create a seamless, luxury, client onboarding experience… Without having to add loads of extra work to your to-do list.

(In fact, the most seamless client onboarding processes rely on automation to keep the wait time ridiculously low for your clients and to lessen the workload for you.)

From keeping expectations crystal clear to adding an extra touch that surprises and delights your clients, these five steps should help you create a process that makes your client feel like they’re your #1 priority in the world.

Tip #1: Anticipate Potential Questions

If you have certain services, offers, or boundaries that clients frequently have questions about, those are great things to address in your client onboarding process.

For example:

• Maybe you’ve noticed that a lot of clients ask you about the timeline it takes for a project -> so you add a timeline section to your proposal or your welcome guidebook
• Maybe you’ve noticed that clients are worried about deadlines and turning questionnaires in on time -> so you let clients know on discovery calls that you’ll be reminding them throughout your time working together when things are due
• Maybe you’ve noticed that clients message you on IG about work-related questions, but you’d prefer for them to email you -> so you set that boundary in your welcome email

Thinking about the common needs and questions of your clients, and the boundaries you want to communicate are a great place to start when it comes to brainstorming what information you want to include and share with them during your client onboarding process.

Tip #2: Prompt Next Steps for Your Kickoff Call

Picture this: your potential client has just become a real client because as soon as you sent over their proposal, they filled it out, signed, and paid. They’re sitting there all excited, waiting for you to email them about what happens next, hitting refresh on their inbox, and…

Nothing happens.

The thing is, the second a client hands over their cashola, it’s ridiculously important for them to get some sort of welcome or confirmation email from them so they don’t begin to worry that they’ve just made a huge mistake.

That’s why, the very first thing you should prioritise if you want a stellar client onboarding process is a “next steps” email that sends the second a client has selected their package, signs their agreement, and pays their invoice.

And if you have a system like Dubsado, you can set that email up to send automatically (which is one of ten million reasons why I think Dubsado is the best CRM ever). That way, you aren’t having to sit at your desk, waiting for a client to sign so you can send over their welcome email.

As for what to include in your onboarding email? I’d recommend first saying something about how excited you are to be working with them, then let them know what you’ll be needing from them next, as well as what happens moving forward.

Even if you aren’t giving them access to everything (like their client portal or their questionnaire) right away, you can let them know when they’ll be receiving those things.

Tip #3: Communicate Clear Expectations

Miscommunication can give you an unnecessary headache when onboarding a new client. Perhaps your client had previously worked with a different service provider with different turnaround times or boundaries that they can’t push with you, or your client had an out-of-scope request that got things off on the wrong foot.

The good news is any conflict can be almost entirely avoidable by ensuring clear expectations are communicated as early on as possible. When you’re onboarding a new client, before you get started, you definitely want to get on the same page about:

• Project timelines and deliverable deadlines
• Invoice and billing terms, including for additional revisions, hours or out-of-scope requests
• Your contractual obligations, as well as their contractual obligations to you as the client to ensure working together runs smoothly
• The best ways clients can contact you and your typical response window/time

And the way you do that looks different for everyone. For example, you could include a Loom video in your proposal that goes over specific sections of your contract. You could have a section in your client portal (if you use something like Notion) that communicates the best way to reach you and the hours during which you respond to client emails. You could talk about your project timeline on your discovery call and on your kickoff call.

Point is, no matter what way you decide to go about it, a vital part of a seamless client onboarding process is communicating clear expectations around everything.

Tip #4: Send a Welcome Gift

Nothing says ‘I can’t wait to work with you!’ quite like a welcome gift (and it sets your whole time together off on the right foot, especially if they’re going to be a retainer client.)

It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or extravagant, but you could send something like:

• A floral or edible arrangement
• A personalised gift (like a notebook, hamper, T-shirt)
• A gift card
• A box of curated goods (using a company like Box Fox)
• Or even just a handwritten card

Whatever feels right to you.

Tip #5: Request Everything You Need from Them

Last but not least, to keep the ball rolling smoothly in your client onboarding process, you want to ensure that you share everything they need and you ask for everything you need from them.

While someone service providers onboarding process happens in waves. (For example: they might send a welcome email immediately to let a client know what happens next, but wait to send over an email giving a client access to their portal and sharing their to-dos until closer to the start date of their projects.) Other service providers might do it all at once.

It depends on what makes the most sense for you and your business. (And the service the client onboarding process is for!)

No matter what client onboarding process you prefer, by the end of it, your client should have everything they need from you (welcome guides, client portal logins, expectations). And, they should know everything they need to do for you. (Like, fill out questionnaires, schedule a kickoff call, make a moodboard, give you certain login info, etc.)

Looking for a little help streamlining your client onboarding process?

Automating your systems and processes with a CRM like Dubsado is the best way to ensure a seamless onboarding experience for your clients.

If you’d prefer to have a go at Dubsado on your own, check out my jam-packed The Ultimate Dubsado Guidebook that has everything you need to set your Dubsado up yourself, minus the overwhelm. With straightforward video tutorials and visual instructions explaining how to get set up, it’s basically like I’m right there with you guiding you through it. Plus, I’m only ever a message away if you have any questions.

Prefer to hand over the reins? Apply now for Dubsado in a day. Limited spots available.