Description

How you onboard a new client sets the tone for everything that follows. A well-run onboarding process makes the working relationship easier from the start: both sides know what to expect, how to communicate, and what the project is actually trying to achieve. A rushed one creates questions and assumptions that surface at inconvenient moments later.

How to use this

The welcome email template introduces the project, confirms the key details, and sets out what happens next. Send it the day after the contract is signed.

The kickoff checklist covers everything that needs to happen before work begins: contract signed, deposit received, access granted, stakeholders introduced, and the project brief confirmed in writing. Work through it before your first substantive project meeting.

The working agreement covers how you’ll work together: communication preferences, response times, how feedback will be given, who the decision-maker is, and what happens if the brief changes. Share it at the kickoff meeting and invite the client to add or change anything.

What’s included

• Editable Word document (.docx) with welcome email, kickoff checklist, and working agreement
• PDF reference version

Who it’s for

Freelance freelance consultants starting a new client relationship or project.

Before you download

• The working agreement works best when discussed with the client, not just sent over. The conversation often surfaces assumptions worth knowing about early.
• After downloading, you will find both files in your account.
• You are getting a licence to use this and adapt it for your own work. You cannot sell, redistribute, or share it with others.