Onboarding new clients is a key part of being a freelancer.
It's all about getting to know what they need, talking clearly, and making sure they have a good experience from the start.
In this article, I'll cover how to onboard clients the right way, including what works best and how to keep making it better.
Getting this right can make a big difference in how people see your work and help you build a strong reputation.
Let's go through some tips on how to do this effectively.
The Steps of Onboarding Clients
It usually starts with a first meeting or chat where you and the client figure out what the project is about, what they want to achieve, and when they want it done.
This helps make sure both of you are on the same page and can clear up any questions early on.
A Quick Onboarding Checklist
Objectives: What's the project for? An online store, a portfolio, or something else?
Audience: Who is the target audience in terms of age, location, etc.?
Brand Stuff: Get any logos, color schemes, and style guidelines they have.
Content: Find out if they're providing the text and images or if you need to help.
Features: What special features do they need, like e-commerce, forms, or booking systems?
Design: Talk about what designs they like and don't like.
Money and Time: Make sure you're clear on the budget and deadline.
After Launch: Talk about who's handling updates, hosting, and support.
Key Steps for Smooth Onboarding
To onboard a client well, you need to have a good first meeting, set clear next steps, and keep in touch regularly.
And if you're looking for a shortcut, check out my tool, ClientManager
It's an easy way to onboard and manage clients with custom forms they can fill out. It's also one of our top features and really simple to use.
Wrapping Up
Getting all the important info early helps everyone understand what's needed and expected and it avoids problems down the line.
To sum up, you've learned:
What client onboarding is.
How to do it right.
How to set up a client intake form.
What to include in your form.
Hope this makes your client onboarding smoother 👍
Cheers,
Kyle