Why Every Freelancer Needs a Client Onboarding Checklist
First impressions matter. When you onboard a new client, you're not just starting a project—you're setting expectations for how professional and organized you are. A sloppy onboarding experience makes clients question whether they made the right choice. A smooth, structured process makes them feel confident.
What happens without a checklist?
- You forget to collect important assets (brand guidelines, logins, content)
- Clients don't know what's happening next, so they ping you constantly
- Project kickoff gets delayed because you're still setting things up
- You miss sending invoices on time, delaying payment
- You look disorganized compared to agencies
What changes with a checklist?
- Every client gets the same high-quality onboarding experience
- You never forget a step—everything is tracked
- Clients feel taken care of because they know what to expect
- Projects start faster because setup is standardized
- You get paid on time because invoicing is part of the process
How Pinna automates client onboarding
This checklist is helpful, but manually checking off tasks for every client is still tedious. Pinna automates the entire onboarding workflow:
- Automated welcome emails that guide clients to their portal
- Branded client portals where they can see project timeline and upload assets
- Built-in invoicing that sends payment reminders automatically
- Progress tracking so clients see updates without asking
- File sharing that keeps everything organized in one place
If you're tired of manually tracking onboarding tasks, see how Pinna works. Built specifically for solo freelancers who want to onboard clients like a professional firm.