How to Systemise Your Onboarding Process in One Weekend
New client. Big win. Now… cue the scramble.
Did they get the right welcome email?
Have we sent the contract?
Wait, who’s adding them to the project tracker?
Oh no… we forgot to ask for the logo again.
Sound familiar?
Whether you’re onboarding clients, customers, or even partners—an unstructured process slows things down, creates confusion, and makes you look less pro than you actually are.
The good news? You don’t need a fancy CRM or complex automation. You can build a smooth onboarding system in one weekend—with tools you already use.
Here’s how to get it done.
Step 1: Map the ideal experience
Before we systemise anything, let’s design it.
Ask yourself:
What should a new client feel during onboarding?
What do they need to know?
What do you need from them?
What internal steps do you repeat every time?
Write it out in bullet points—from the moment they say “yes” to the moment you kick off the work. This is your onboarding journey map.
💡 Pro tip: Keep it simple. This isn’t a sales funnel. It’s just about setting expectations and building trust.
Step 2: Create a reusable checklist
Once the steps are clear, turn them into a checklist you can copy every time.
This helps:
You stay consistent
Your team (or future VA) follow the same steps
You reduce mistakes and mental load
Use Notion, ClickUp, Asana, or even a Google Doc—whatever works for you.
Here’s a basic example:
Client Onboarding Checklist
Send welcome email
Share onboarding form or intake questions
Add client to shared folder or tool
Assign internal tasks (branding, access, docs)
Confirm start date
Share kickoff meeting link
Step 3: Automate what you can (but don’t overdo it)
Start with light automation. You don’t need to Zapier your whole life, just look for spots where a tool can save you a step.
Easy wins:
Use canned email templates in Gmail or Superhuman
Create form responses that auto-save to your docs
Use Calendly or TidyCal for scheduling with automated follow-ups
Set up a welcome email to send via your email platform or CRM
💡 Pro tip: Even a saved Notion page or pinned Slack message can feel like automation. Make it easier to repeat, not fancier.
Step 4: Build your onboarding folder or hub
Create a central place to store:
Your welcome email template
Your onboarding form
Your process checklist
Any assets clients might need (brand guide, timelines, etc.)
This becomes your repeatable system—something you (or your team) can reach for every single time.
You can call it: “New Client Launch Pad”, “Onboarding HQ”, “Welcome Flow Template”
Brand it however you like, but give it a home.
Step 5: Make it better each time
Your onboarding process isn’t one-and-done. It’s a living system.
After each project:
What worked smoothly?
Where did things fall through the cracks?
What did the client ask that you didn’t expect?
Tweak your checklist and template as needed. Over time, this system will get sharper—and more hands-off.
Why This Matters
Here’s the thing: onboarding isn’t just admin. It sets the tone for everything that follows.
A smooth onboarding experience builds trust, saves time, reduces unnecessary emails and meetings, and makes you (and your team) look like pros.
It’s one of the easiest systems to build, and one of the highest-impact ones to get right.
Want Help Building Your Backend? If your onboarding process feels like it’s held together with duct tape and half-remembered steps, you’re not alone. Whether you’re onboarding one client or 20, the chaos adds up. That’s why I created my Build Day service where we clean up or create one focused system in a single day. Book a Build Day or Explore all services
