10 Must-Have Details to Include in Your Client Welcome Packet
We preach often (probably entirely too often) about the importance of your client experience, but it’s one of the key defining factors between a client having a good time with you, referring you to others, and leaving a positive testimonial… Or not.
Mastering the art of providing an amazing experience for your clients is crucial to your reputation as a service provider. We know this sounds super scary, but it can actually be pretty dang easy. As long as you’re able to check in often, respond quickly, and provide important information, you’re already at an advantage.
One way of stepping off on the right foot with a new client is by sending a welcome packet. You may have also heard it called a welcome guide, onboarding guide, or onboarding packet. We’ve sent a welcome packet or two– or a million– during our years in business, and now we’re here to share 10 must-have details you should include in your client welcome packet!
What is a Welcome Packet?
Welcome packets are used to show your client around, so that they know what to expect. They give your client a deep dive into your process, how the project will go, and more important details so that there will (hopefully) be no questions left unanswered. When you set expectations early on, it shows how serious you are about your craft and their wellbeing. There are 10 pages that we’d highly recommend to include in your packet:
A WELCOME PAGE
You absolutely want to include a welcome page with a brief introduction to yourself and your business. This copy will be a little different, though, since if you’re at the point of sending a welcome packet, chances are you and the client have already shared your introductions during the discovery call.
What we’d recommend focusing on here is getting them excited about working together. Share what they’ll gain from working with you, what their life/business will be like afterwards (or during, if this is a retainer client), address their problems now and how your services will solve them. This is your opportunity to really hype yourself up one more time.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Clients love knowing what your process of working is like and what to expect next. Give a quick overview of your process, like “Onboard and Homework > Research and Development > Implement and Launch”. Share the stages of how the project will go, and your clients will be happy.
INTRODUCE THE TEAM
This one is optional, of course, but if you have a team that works alongside you and will also be communicating with the client, this would be an awesome opportunity to share a bit about them and their roles as well. This serves as a way to help the client learn names and faces, which they’ll silently thank you for.
PROJECT TIMELINE
If you have a specific timeline for the project, do share. This could be represented as a calendar, a linear timeline, whatever floats your boat, as long as it’s easy for the client to understand. A timeline will really help to put the project into perspective for the client.
DELIVERABLES
List out the deliverables that you’ll be providing to the client during/after the project. This page will really help you look good, and the client will know what to specifically expect from you in regards to deliverables. It’s a total win-win!
RESOURCES
Any specific tools and software that you’ll be using for your project with the client that they’ll need access to, list them out and provide a brief description of what it’s used for, as well as a link to each.
CLIENT HOMEWORK
If there are tasks that you need the client to complete before you can get started, we highly recommend adding a checklist page for their homework. This will save you and the client a ton of headache early on!
FAQs
You know those questions that you end up having to answer a million times for all of your clients? Go ahead and add them to the welcome packet to make your life a little easier. We feel like we should add a disclaimer here: There’s still a very real possibility that they’ll ask anyway.
COMMUNICATION INFORMATION
Never forget to add your preferred method(s) of communication, office hours, response time, and contact information. You’ve likely already shared this with the client, but– trust us– you’ll want to add it again.
MISSION STATEMENT
It can never hurt to add your mission statement, even if just to add that extra look-how-awesome-I-am touch to your welcome packet.
Want This All Done For You?
We’ve already gone ahead and done the dirty work for you by creating a PDF Welcome Packet Template in The Creative Template Shop. This one-click add Canva template includes pages for all of the above details that your welcome packet should include.
You can grab this template or save by becoming a member of The Shop for only $47/month Once you’ve customized your template, you’ll be ready to send it off to new clients, confident that you’re making an awesome first impression and that they feel taken care of!
