Free Client Onboarding Checklist [Docs / DOCX]

Looking for a customizable client onboarding checklist template for your new clients? Download our free template and get started right away.

Starting a new client relationship can be tricky. You finally secured the project, but the last thing you need is for your clients to feel uncertain or think you're disorganized— it gives you a bad reputation. This is why it's important to have a structured and easy-to-follow onboarding process. 

In this article, I'll discuss what a client onboarding checklist is, why you need one, and how to apply it with new clients.  

What is Client Onboarding?

Client onboarding is a structured guide to familiarize clients with your services and workflow. It outlines each step in the onboarding phase and sets the foundation for a clear and professional relationship— your clients know what to expect from you, and you can ask all the necessary questions to get acquainted with them (and their business needs). 

Consider it as an in-depth meet and greet between a service provider [freelancer, agency, project manager] and a client. This process usually includes defining your project scope, finalizing contracts, and introducing communication guidelines.

Why You Need a Client Onboarding Checklist

Getting your customers on board can get muddled fast, especially if you're an agency with many team members attending to one client. This is why you need a client onboarding checklist. Some other reasons include: 

• To ensure consistency. A checklist standardizes your onboarding process across different projects, teams, and clients. It creates a process that you can use for all clients. This consistency can help you avoid overlooking critical steps. It also shows your client that your agency has professional standards that ensure each client receives the same level of attention and care. 
• To set clear expectations. Unclear or mismatched expectations are one main cause of friction in client relationships. A client onboarding checklist outlines the project scope, deliverables, and any other information clients need to know. It aligns both parties to the project goals and processes and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings in the future. 
• It helps communicate with clients better. A comprehensive client onboarding checklist details how and when clients can reach out and expect updates. Establishing these channels early can encourage a transparent and smooth communication flow throughout the project. 
• To strengthen agency-client relationships. Onboarding your clients sets a positive tone for your relationship down the line. They are more likely to trust you when you have a structured and professional onboarding process in place.
• To reduce client churn. Clients who have a smooth onboarding process are less likely to leave halfway through the project and more likely to become long-term partners. 

Disadvantages of not Using a Checklist 

Onboarding your clients without a proper checklist can lead to inefficiencies that affect your relationship with them. Here's what could happen: 

• You risk unpredictable onboarding, which can confuse your clients, leave key steps incomplete, and make them feel undervalued. 
• You may miss specific discussions around project scope, deliverables, and timelines. A few nuances may slip through the cracks—for example, the company style guide or phrases they don't use in their content. This usually leads to miscommunications and can make you seem incompetent later. 
• Clients may expect you to offer more services than you provide because you did not explain the project parameters during the onboarding phase. This can overextend your resources, lead to scope creep, and affect your efficiency at work. 
• A lack of structure in your client onboarding can lead to repetitive questions and back-and-forths over issues that should've been discussed early on. This can waste valuable time and delay the project's progress. 

Key Components of Your Onboarding Checklist

If you've decided to onboard your clients with a checklist to ensure every detail is addressed from the start, these are the components to create one: 

• Welcome Clients Onboard: The first interaction you have with your clients sets the tone for the entire partnership. Start your onboarding with a welcome email that reaffirms the client's decision to work with you. In your welcome email, you should:some text
  • Greet the client by name 
  • Introduce the agency or project team members.
  • Briefly discuss what to expect in the onboarding process.
  • And schedule a kickoff call.

It could read like this: 

Hi  [Client],  

We are thrilled to have you on board at [Your Agency].

Here's a quick introduction to the team and what you can expect over the next few days. Our project manager, [Team Member], will be your main point of contact, and we’ve attached a brief outline of the onboarding steps to get us started.

Let’s schedule a quick kickoff meeting to discuss your goals and how we’ll achieve them.

We look forward to delivering great results!

Best regards, 

[Your Name], [Agency Name]

Our article on best practices for client onboarding discusses welcome emails at length.

You can also onboard them through ManyRequests, with a log in detail to your  client portal. Sign up for a 14-day trial to see how these features work to give your client a better experience. 

• Prepare Legal Documents: Prepare every legal document before you commence work. This includes contracts or retainer agreements, depending on the kind of project you're working on. This will clarify ambiguities about your and your client's responsibilities regarding the project. 
• Set up a Payment Structure: To prevent delays later, confirm the payment details early in the onboarding process. Ask your clients questions about their payment methods, and discuss your preferred methods and timeline with them. For example, you may prefer to be paid in Net 0, Net 15, or Net 30. This means you may want to be paid the same day after the month's work, 15 days after, or 30 days after. 
• Create Client Questionnaire: Write down a list of questions that can help you gather important information about your client's business, goals, and preferences. 

Read this article on 27 Questions to ask new Clients to know how to get started with this. 

• Project Management: From the start, get clients accustomed to how your agency manages projects. This will give them an idea of your workflow—you can even potentially carry them along. 
• Project Kick-off: Confirm that the client understands every phase of the project and any dependencies you have discussed. This aligns both parties before the work begins. 
• Mode of Communication: Define which communication channel—email, Slack, meetings, Zoom calls—will be used for regular updates. You should also discuss meeting schedules, e.g., once a month or once every two weeks. 
• Regular Check-ins and Updates: Check in with your client regularly to ensure you and your client are on track. This will continue long after the onboarding is completed. Schedule touchpoints to review the project's progress and make adjustments. 

Tips and Best Practices in Creating Your Client Onboarding Checklist

These are some useful tips for creating your client onboarding checklist:

• Break down the steps in your checklist into clear tasks. Each step should address what needs to be done and who's responsible for the task. This way, everyone knows their role, and there's no confusion as to who does what.
• Be specific about your process. If your client has a product you need to get acquainted with through a demo, let the client know. For example, a checklist could be "Schedule a demo session with the client to get acquainted with their product” instead of “Train on product.” 
• Review your checklist regularly, especially if you make changes to your business process.
• Explain the onboarding process to the client. Use your checklist as a guide to explain each step.

Mistakes to Avoid on Your Onboarding Checklist

These are things to avoid when creating your checklist: 

• Don't overcomplicate the process. A complex process will confuse your client and stress your team members. Keep it simple. 
• Don't skip the kick-off meeting. Kickoff calls get both parties on the same page and fix any loose ends. Missing this stage may create misaligned expectations. 
• Don't neglect establishing a communication structure. You'll need to touch base with your clients regularly, so it's important to find a communication channel that works for both sides. 

How to Use Our Free Client Onboarding Checklist Template

Our free client onboarding checklist template is designed to help you onboard your client successfully without hassle. 

Here's how to use it:

• Download the template from our website 
• Edit the text to add your name.
• Include tasks that are specific to your service.
• Add visuals or links to resources(videos, articles).
• Add the specific services you'll offer clients.
• Review it with your team members. 

Wrap up

Thank you for taking the time to read this guide. A well-structured onboarding process makes it easy for you and your clients to align on the project's goals and still build great working relationships. You can easily create your own checklist with the key components and template in this article. 

ManyRequests is an all-in-one client onboarding platform that helps you handle onboarding, invoicing, payments, and project management in one platform. This gives you a strong start with your client and an even easier relationship throughout the project. Sign up for a 14-day free trial to see how it works.

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