Creating A Client Onboarding Process For Consulting

We now insist on a 30 day onboarding phase with any new client. Sometimes it's an objection. Sometimes it's even a dealbreaker. But 12 years of "doing content" for clients has shown me that nothing good can come from signing up to turn around a fresh batch of content two weeks after signing the SOW. So we take our time. We talk to as many internal roles as we can, from Sales to Product to Leadership. We digest documentation and published content. We put together a project guide to define goals, content themes, key terms, resources, and available inputs—not just for our own team, but to ensure we're tracking with the client. Only then do we dig into topics and first deliverables. I've experienced the alternative: Cofounders and marketers who disagree with each other. Marketing teams with little visibility into the rest of the org. A spinning wheel of content that does little for bigger business goals. Topics and themes that sound good on paper but remain disconnected from sales and product marketing. So we take our time to shine a light, on both the promising content areas and the gaps. Yes, it's a dealbreaker for some potential clients. But anytime I've wavered on the onboarding in the interest of signing a deal, the engagement doesn't last that long anyway. Our onboarding process has gone through quite a few iterations in the last few years, but I think we've landed on something that works well: for our clients, for their customers, and for our editorial team. It's nice to see some validation of that in our onboarding feedback.

After working with 2,000+ customers and scaling to $700,000/month in revenue, I've developed a 3-pillar onboarding system to reduce churn: Pillar #1 - Remove All Friction This pillar is about making everything clear for your new client. You have to specifically instruct them on what they need to do, what you’re going to do, where to find things, how to get started, and what comes next. You don't want clients wondering: - "Where do I upload this?" - "What do I need to send?" - "Am I supposed to book the call or are they going to?" - "Who do I talk to if I have a question?" That kind of confusion kills trust fast. Instead, make everything clear with: - Step-by-step instructions with visuals (screenshots, Loom videos) - Clearly defined responsibilities (what they do vs. what you do) - Tools they already know (Slack, Google Docs, Calendly) - Complex tasks broken into smaller ones Always be guiding them forward with phrases like "The next step is..." Pillar #2 - Deliver Immediate Value This pillar is about building trust and momentum as fast as possible. Even if they joined your program to land 10 clients, just getting one reply to a cold DM early on can be a confidence builder. Quick wins are early indicators that this might actually work. Within the first 30 days, you need to show forward motion, even if the full result takes longer. Examples: - If it's cold email, get them a reply or two - If it's content creation, get their first draft delivered - If it's SEO, show the first round of research or technical fixes - If it's consulting, give them a custom game plan they've never seen before People don't need the full transformation on day one. They just need to see progress and momentum. Pillar #3 - Reward Desired Behaviors The third pillar is about training clients to be great clients. When a client follows the process (i.e. fills out the onboarding form properly, shows up to kickoff calls, gives detailed feedback), acknowledge it. - Celebrate their participation - Reinforce how their actions speed up results - Give them a reason to repeat those behaviors It's the same logic you use when hiring: "What gets rewarded, gets repeated." This pillar is really important because you can do everything right as a service provider, but if the client doesn't do their part, the results will suffer.

My Head of Fulfillment Luca Wetzel told me not to share this publicly. But this is the fulfillment playbook we’ve used for over 110+ Personal Brands at notus: For us, fulfillment starts when the client signs the contract. We then: • send an onboarding survey • schedule a kickoff meeting The onboarding survey already gives us an understanding of the client's situation. This allows us to clarify what gaps need to be filled. __ Fulfillment Phase 1: Personal Brand Sprint (4-6 weeks) Step 1: Kick Off We host a 1-hour call to: • align on goals • introduce the content strategist • run through the setup process • pre-block time in their calendar From the client's POV: • They filled out a questionnaire • Jumped on a 1-hour call → Now they have the first 4 weeks of the project already planned & scheduled. __ Step 2: Deep Dive Interview We conduct a 2-hour podcast where we talk about: • Their backstory • Their business case • Industry trends • Personal interests → Now we have all the input we need to get to work. __ Step 3: Setup Deliverables These are the 3 main strategic assets we create: 1. Media Strategy An overview of the (organic) marketing motion: • ICP analysis • Competitive landscape • Offer stack • Funnel visualization • Tone of voice • Etc. 2. Content Archetype The communication lenses that guide all content efforts and define: • What they talk about • Why they talk about it • How they talk about it It's our editorial compass. 3. Profile Revamp Here we turn their LinkedIn profile into a B2B landing page. Among optimizing core elements like: • Profile picture • Banner • Slogan We also make it easy for leads to access the next step in the clients funnel through their featured section. __ Step 4: First Content Call The goal: 4 weeks of content pre-planned before we go live. We go into the call with 4-8 content ideas drafted. By asking targeted questions, we get the input we need to turn content ideas into content pieces. __ Step 5: Client Review & Feedback Both the client and us have set blockers to give and implement feedback. After implementation, we have a finalization meeting. Now, we're ready to go live. ____ Fulfillment Phase 2: Content Engine (Ongoing) From here, we transition into our flagship content engine process. The goal is to maintain a bi-weekly content call cadence to ensure we always have fresh content input. The client only has to check the notion portal for around 1h per week to review and approve posts. The result: high-performing LinkedIn content: • with 1 strategic goal • in the client's tone of voice • churned out like clock-work Smooth like butter - just how we like it. ____ We’ve been refining this process for 3+ years - and we’re not done. This is an ever-improving motion that will be upgraded for years to come. I’ll update you here once we have a new process to share. Until then, feel free to use this as a blueprint for your own content operations Happy execution :)

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

I improved retention and onboarding success by making a change to the first step in the onboarding process. A few years (and a few companies) ago, I made a small tweak to the way we onboarded new customers—a tweak that ended up making all the difference. We stopped diving headfirst into the technical implementation. Instead, we started with what I called a Partnership Kickoff. This one shift transformed the customer experience, boosting retention and improving onboarding success rates. Here’s why: The Partnership Kickoff brought intention to the relationship right from day one. Instead of rushing to “get things done,” we: 1️⃣ Engaged all the key stakeholders in the partnership 2️⃣ Discussed goals and confirmed success criteria upfront 3️⃣ Set proper expectations on BOTH sides 4️⃣ Clarified roles and responsibilities for onboarding and beyond 5️⃣ Created space to ask questions and address concerns This wasn’t just a feel-good meeting. It was about getting ahead of risks, ensuring alignment, and setting the stage for success. Here’s the secret sauce: ⚫️ Set expectations early Sales aligned on the importance of this meeting, and CSMs communicated the who, what, and why in their first email. ⚫️ Use a New Customer Intake Form We asked customers to provide key information upfront—no assumptions or overreliance on Sales handoffs. ⚫️ Prep the right way Sending the kickoff deck in advance meant our meeting focused on conversation, not presentations. ⚫️ Lead with goals and expectations Capturing customer goals was the priority, setting the tone for how we’d measure success. ⚫️ Clarify next steps We left every kickoff aligned on what happens next and who’s doing what. The result? Customers felt heard, understood, and set up for success. It wasn’t magic, but it sure felt like it. That small change? It delivered BIG impact—the kind every CS leader dreams about. Are you being intentional about how you’re starting your partnerships? If not, maybe it’s time to rethink step one. ________ 📣 If you liked my post, you’ll love my newsletter. Every week I share my learning, advice and strategies from my experience going from a CSM to CCO. Join 12k+ subscribers of The Journey and turn insights into action. Sign up on my profile.

In the last year, Demandbase has cut our TTV (time to value) by 55%. How? Our onboarding leader Graham Grome redesigned our onboarding process around 6 core principles: 1. Start Onboarding During the Sales Process Onboarding doesn’t start with the onboarding kick-off meeting, it starts with the first conversation with the customer. The very first interaction begins the process of understanding needs, roles and responsibilities, and timelines. Through the sales process the scope plan is in development and it is essential that this is handed off to CX and the onboarding team (and that pre-Sales resources stay involved) after the deal is closed. 2. Ground in Strategy to Generate a Value Roadmap Even with the scope in place, it’s critical to begin with strategy in onboarding (not dive into tactics and tasks). You need to know what the business outcomes the customer wants to achieve and the path to get there. That is why we begin with GTM Strategy Discovery sessions and deliver a Value Roadmap with clear now, next, and later actions that align to the customer’s GTM goals. 3. Tailor Configuration to Outcomes Every onboarding should be tailored to customer priorities. No two GTM’s are the same, being flexible in configuration is really important. Out-of-the box will not grow with your goals. We keep projects moving on target, surface risks early, and ensure that platform configuration supports business outcomes, not just your setup. The goal is to help you drive measurable value as quickly as possible. 4. Bring Customer Success into Onboarding As you grow, Onboarding and Customer Success become specialized functions. To maintain a “zero hand-off” approach make sure to include the Customer Success team members who will work with the customer moving forward through the onboarding process. 5. Make sure you leave Onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan You cannot show value without it. Every customer leaves onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan aligned to their objectives, so progress and impact are clear from day one. 6. Measure CSAT Post Onboarding It all sounds good, but how do you know it’s actually happening and where the process can improve? Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys. Feedback on onboarding has to be operationalized, it’s too important to have any blind spots or to stagnate as customer needs evolve. ——— Customers have more options than ever, they are under pressure to justify their spending, they want results now (as they should!), and they know new AI-driven solutions are coming out every day. If you don’t adapt your onboarding to meet these demands, you will be in a world of hurt on churn.

"Anyone had luck getting out of a contract with (sales tool we all know)? We're 1 year into a 3 year contract and no one on my team cares about it." 😬😬😬 Saw this from a CRO in a private Slack yesterday. This is why your onboarding experience matters so much. It sounds boring. It's not boring. It's the hidden thing causing you to leak revenue. Most teams close a 3-year deal, celebrate the win, and hand it off to CS. Do a “training” for the users. Maybe QBRs. And 12 months later, the customer is looking for the exit because no one on their team knows why they should use the product. How to make sure this doesn’t happen to you: 1. Schedule the kickoff when you sign the contract Don't send an email intro from sales to CS and hope CS schedules it. Get it on the calendar immediately. 2. Give CS everything they need from the sales process What does the customer actually want to accomplish? What's the most important thing for them to do first? What are the risks on this account? Should go without saying. But most teams aren't doing this. 3. Onboarding is NOT a product walkthrough It's not training on features. It's showing them how to do the thing they bought the product for. So know what they bought it for. And show them how to do that thing. Bonus - make it interactive! Structure onboarding as a multi-part workshop. Roll out components in phases so by week 3-5, they've created something tangible they can show to the person who signed the contract. Give them a win in the first month. 4. Create superusers Now they have basic knowledge, where do you go from here? Send advanced usage tips, mini videos, new product release messaging customized for them (not the mass email you sent), social content, tips from other users. Doing this even once every 1-2 months makes a huge difference. 5. Make QBRs internal show and tell Usage stats are cool. Making your users look amazing by showcasing their work is even better. What did I miss? 👋 Hi, I'm Monica Stewart. I make enterprise revenue predictable for B2B SaaS founders Follow for more. 

Your onboarding feels fine to you. To new clients, it screams disorganization. 𝟲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝟭/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 Intake form asks for their goals. Kickoff call asks for their goals again. First email asks for their goals a third time. Message received: you don't read what they send. → Consolidate information requests into one place. 𝟮/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 Contract says "starts in 5 business days." Welcome email says "starts next week." Kickoff invite is scheduled for 10 days out. Inconsistent timelines signal unreliable delivery. → One timeline. Stick to it. Update it everywhere. 𝟯/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 Email comes from Sarah. Contract is signed with John. Kickoff meeting is with Maria. They don't know who their actual point of contact is. → Introduce the team structure upfront. One clear owner. 𝟰/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 Email says "upload files to Dropbox." Portal says "attach files here." Phone call mentions Google Drive. Conflicting instructions make them question everything else. → Audit every touchpoint. Use one system consistently. 𝟱/ 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 Welcome packet is 47 pages. Critical deadlines are on page 31. Login credentials are in paragraph 12. They miss key details because you overwhelmed them. → Put critical info first. Make it impossible to miss. 𝟲/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 They sign the contract Tuesday. Hear nothing until the following Monday. No confirmation, no next steps, no timeline. Radio silence after commitment feels like buyer's remorse. → Immediate next step email after signature. No gaps. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: "If onboarding is this confusing, what's the actual work going to be like?" First impressions set expectations for everything after. Smooth onboarding signals smooth operations. Messy onboarding signals future problems. Small confusions compound into big doubts. By week two, they're already questioning their decision. Not because your work is bad. Because your process made them feel lost. Your process might make sense to you. But you've done it 100 times. They're doing it for the first time. And they're judging your competence by it. ♻️ Repost if onboarding reveals operations. ➕ Follow me, Louis Shulman, for more tactics to stay top of mind and beat the competition. 📧 Join our weekly marketing newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gYGzEeTb