April 9, 2024 by Maddie Schneider, C&SM Head of Marketing Relations
Proactive vs. Reactive Onboarding
We’re diving into the essential steps we use for successfully onboarding new marketing clients. Inspired by the words of our very own clients, we have streamlined this process and made it as efficient and client-friendly as possible. Its all about laying the groundwork to be proactive versus reactive.
“We have been very pleased with the transition. I feel as though I can reach Emily or Maddie at anytime via email, text, or phone call. We appreciate everyone hitting the ground running and our marketing efforts never skipped a beat!” – Ben Warnecke, Plymate President
Don’t have an onboarding procedure? Use this as a sign that you NEED one!
Here’s a sneak peek into onboarding at C&SM that can be applied to your own onboarding operations!
Questionnaire
Gather additional insights with a client onboarding questionnaire. This step is crucial in understanding your client better and identifying their goals, especially if there are multiple stakeholders. Tailor separate questionnaires if necessary to get a comprehensive view. Sometimes the lead to customer pipeline is faster than expected and vital information could have been missed. This is your time to capture and ensure clarity for long term goals and their everyday needs.
Team Leaders
Assign a Team Lead and Team Lead Support to the account that best fits their needs. This ensures a personalized and focused approach. Minimizing any internal “hand-off” keeps missed communication or deadlines afar. There’s nothing more frustrating than when someone takes time off and it affects your operations! If you always have someone else just as involved, you can take a day off worry-free of any downtime for your client.
Tech Share!
Equip your client with access to the software and tools you utilize. There are a lot of organization and communication platforms out there nowadays. Ensure those necessary can gain access and team meetings/call can be joined without trouble. This can save you so much time in the long run so you dont have to waste precious meeting time trying to help someone access or join.
The Welcome Packet
This vital step involves sending a Welcome Packet to reinforce your working relationship. The packet should include:
- Team details with contact information.
- A summary of the client’s goals and the targets you’ve discussed.
- An overview of the ongoing services you will provide.
- Clear expectations for the client.
- A project timeline with milestones and meeting dates.
- Meeting schedule details.
- Information on the tools for account management.
- Status updates on pending and current items.
Launch Meeting
After completing the above, schedule a comprehensive Kick-Off Meeting. This meeting is an opportunity to:
- Introduce everyone involved/establish key decision-makers
- Confirm mutual expectations
- Address any queries arising from the Questionnaire or Welcome Packet
- Discuss next steps
A Personal Touch
Finish the onboarding process memorably. Consider:
- Sending a personalized handwritten note or just thanking them on a personal level for entrusting you with their future successes
- Promoting your client’s products or services within your network.
An important takeaway:
Start doing what you said you were going to do!
Its now time to deliver on those results you promised in the proposal stage. This is where you can truly show of the synergy between sales and service!
That’s a wrap on how WE successfully onboard new clients. We hope this checklist was not only simple enough to grasp but also detailed enough for you to grab some inspiration and adapt new processes to your own onboarding system. Remember, a smooth onboarding process sets the tone for a successful and collaborative partnership!
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