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Notes
This video walks you through the essentials of creating a comprehensive client onboarding kit, covering every step from initial contact to offboarding. Learn what to include in your intro, proposal, welcome, and goodbye packets to ensure a smooth and professional experience for your clients.
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Transcript
Watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H3Yg-kKXWOc
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Thinking about ways to impress new leads and clients from inquiry to offboarding? In today’s video, you’ll learn what to include in your new client onboarding kit. Stay to the end, and I’ll show you how to create yours easily.
(0:00) Intro Packet
Starting with the Intro Packet, also known as the Services and Pricing Guide or Getting Started Guide. When a new lead reaches out and you want to make a great first impression, you send them this packet after they fill out the lead capture form. This packet helps them learn more about you, how you work, and what to expect before, during, and after working together.
Sending an intro packet also helps you skip the back-and-forth emails by bundling up the most important info they need to know.
In your intro packet or info packet, you could include the following:
- A welcome note and a thank you note for showing interest and reaching out.
- A price list: include your service offerings, what’s included in the service, and optional add-ons.
- For the process: let them know how to get started, how you’ll take them from point A to Z, mentioning only the steps they’re involved in, what they get and when, and what you need from them and when.
- Add your portfolio to show off your best work.
- Share your case studies related to this project and testimonials.
- Payment info: include payment options, payment plans, cancellation fees, late fees, and rush fees.
- FAQs: answer the most common questions from prospects or clients, like what’s not included, how you stay in touch, or specific tools you use.
- Call to action: on the last page or section, tell them the next steps to get started if they’re interested in working with you, such as scheduling a discovery call or qualification call, and include a link to your Calendly.
(1:35) Proposal
After the discovery call, you send them the proposal, and here’s what’s included in your proposal:
- Intro: Welcome and thanks, a description of what’s in the proposal.
- Overview: Summary of the project, what it is, who’s it for, why they contacted you, why they need to do this project now, and the problem you’re solving.
- Needs: Info gathered from the discovery calls, all the information you learned about them.
- Solutions: Describe your service and its benefits in simple terms, avoiding tech talk or jargon.
- Project Details: Goals of the project, purpose, start and end date, what to expect in each phase or week, like week one is the discovery phase.
- Portfolio: Screenshots of your past work, case studies, and testimonials.
- Price/Investment: The cost of the project.
- FAQs: Address any objections they may have, and clarify what’s not included in the project to avoid scope creep.
- Call to Action/Next Steps: If they’re interested, they’ll click to accept the proposal, sign it via Dropbox Sign, and link to Wave or Stripe to pay the deposit, or they can send you an email if they have any questions.
- Terms and Agreement: What you both agree on, such as responsibilities from both parties, payment terms, late fees, and cancellation fees.
(2:56) Welcome Packet
Once the contract is signed and the invoice is paid, you can now send a Welcome Packet to bring your new client on board and let them know the who, what, when, where, why, and how to get things done, so there are no surprises.
You can think of this as a personalized intro packet with all the essential details they need to know, such as:
- The project start and end date.
- Who’s working on this project or who might be reaching out to them, like a virtual assistant.
- What to do next, for example, schedule a kickoff call or fill out a questionnaire.
- How to contact you and what you’ll need from them.
In your Welcome Packet, include:
- A thank you and welcome note.
- A short summary about the project, outline the package, and what’s included, plus the launch info.
- Communication section: how you communicate and when, so email or call, and share your office hours.
- Scheduling: How to schedule calls and contact info for you and your team.
- Process: Outline your process, breakdown by phase or milestone, so what to do and when, and the end result or goal for each phase.
- Checklist and guide, also ask for account login.
- Links to the shared folder, client portal, and project management tool.
- Tips and how-tos: like how to give you feedback and how to use a specific tool that you’re using.
- FAQs: Include info about making payments, due dates, cancellation fees, and what happens if no contact or no show.
- Next Steps: The client’s homework, such as scheduling a kickoff call with you or completing a questionnaire.
(4:34) Goodbye Packet
My number one tip to create the best client experience during the project is to keep in touch with weekly updates and reminders of what to do on their end and what you’re working on next. Once the client has approved the finished product and paid the final balance, you send them a Goodbye Packet, also known as the Thank You Packet, Exit Packet, or Launch Guide.
For example, if you’re launching a WordPress website, this will be a guide for how to use their new website. You gather all the deliverables, share tips and tutorials, and other resources they’ll need, and bundle it all up in one packet to minimize the back-and-forth.
This is also a perfect time to ask for feedback, get a testimonial to share on your website and social media, and any other products or services you may offer. Or ask for a testimonial after a month or so, depending on the project or case studies. Remember to schedule a reminder to follow up later.
In your Goodbye Packet, include:
- A thank you note, a congrats to the client, and explain the purpose of this packet.
- Details: List all the important info and everything you’ve created by sharing a link to the shared folder or any account logins if you created a new account for them.
- Tutorials and guides: Video walkthroughs, troubleshooting tips.
- Post Support: If included in your package, let them know how they can get in touch, and if possible, set up a support email.
- Resources: Include recommended articles and books related to growing their business, tools to use (add your affiliate links or resources page), and refer them to other service providers like a virtual assistant, logo designer, or coaching.
- Survey Section: Where they can leave feedback on your service and process.
- Testimonials: Here’s a template you can use from herbusiness.com.
- I approached [businessname] because ….
- [businessname] helped me by ….
- The result was ….
- One thing I liked was their ….
- I found the experience ….
- I would recommend [businessname] to people who need ….
- Upselling: Remind them about your other offerings like ongoing support, return of services, consulting, subscription or membership library, and any discount codes if available.
- Referral Program: Introduce them to your program so they can tell their friends about your business.
- Final Note: Close out with a thank you note and their next steps, like following you on social media, subscribing to your channel or email list.
- Optionally, send a gift card as a thank you for working with you, like an Amazon gift card or a branded gift.
(6:53) Creating the Packets
To create these packets, you can try Canva, google docs, google slides, or find a template on etsy or creative market. In Dubsado, there are forms and HoneyBook has brochures.
Another way to create it though is in Notion.
Another way to create it, though, is in Notion. It’s free to use, easy to create, and you build a Notion template once, then duplicate it, customize it, publish, and share it with your new lead or client. And they can view it on any device.
You can also use this as a CRM and client portal, so everything will be in one spot.
Add links or embed other tools like Tally for lead capture forms or questionnaires, videos, link to Google docs and drive where you can see a preview on the file, add widgets indify, Figma board if you’re a designer, checklists, calendar (which you can sync with google cal), graphs or progress bars for tracking project timeline.
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Hi, I’m Marjy! Digital Creator and Content Manager for creatives and online service providers. If you’re enjoying this post, here are other ways you can connect with me:
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