Welcome to the DOT Client Onboarding Playbook mini-course!

Module 2: What is an onboarding process?

Onboarding: Because First Impressions Matter (Big Time)

Congrats! You’ve closed the deal, made all the promises, and now? It’s time to actually deliver. That’s where onboarding comes in—your golden opportunity to roll out the red carpet and prove to your clients they made the right choice.

In this module, we’ll review the steps involved in onboarding so you can ditch the guesswork and start every client relationship the right way. To get you started, download our DOT Agency Onboarding Timeline example here.

Let’s do this! 🚀

Module 3: Why you must nail the onboarding process

Nailing Your Onboarding Process Isn’t Just Optional (Unless You Love Chaos)

Here’s the deal—your onboarding process isn’t just a “nice touch”. It’s the backbone of your agency’s success. Mess it up, and you’re in for misaligned expectations, endless client questions, and a whole lot of avoidable headaches. But get it right? That’s when the magic happens.

Long story short? If you want to grow without everything falling apart, you need to nail your onboarding. 

Let’s go! 🚀

Module 4: Overview: Onboarding Process

The DOT Onboarding Checklist: Your New Best Friend

Let’s be real—winging it is not a strategy. If you want smooth, seamless client onboarding (and a whole lot less stress), you need a process that actually works. That’s where our DOT Onboarding Checklist comes in.

In this module, we’re giving you an overview of the exact 7-step formula we use to onboard our own clients— no guesswork, no chaos, just a proven system that works.

Your onboarding game is about to level up. Download the checklist and let’s make the magic happen! 🚀

Module 5: Onboarding Checklist: step-by-step guide, building a perfect process

Breaking down the DOT Onboarding Checklist: Let’s get into it!

Alright, you’ve got the DOT Onboarding Checklist in your hands—now what? In this module, we’re walking you through the process so you can see exactly what’s included, why it matters, and how to put it to work in your agency.

No more scrambling. No more “uh…what’s next?” moments. Just a smooth, repeatable process that makes onboarding a breeze.

Download your Client Onboarding Checklist and start putting this process into action! 🚀

Module 6: The Kick-Off Call

The Kick-Off Call: Your Time to Shine!

You’ve landed the client—now it’s time to wow them. The kick-off call isn’t just a friendly chat, it’s your chance to set the tone, establish expectations, and prove they made the right choice in working with you.

This module is about nailing that first impression and making sure your client walks away feeling excited, confident, and super impressed with your agency. No awkward silences, no vague promises—just a structured, engaging, and professional kick-off call that sets you up for long-term success.

By the end of this module, you’ll have a game plan for running killer kick-off calls that build trust, eliminate uncertainty, and set your client relationships for success.

Make sure you don’t miss a thing and download our Kick-Off Call Checklist!

Ready to own the room? Let’s get into it! 🚀

Module 7: Strategy: Communicating the Strategy To Clients

From Kick-Off to Execution: Mastering Project Management

You’ve nailed the kick-off call, your client is except, and now? It’s go time. This is where the real magic happens—turning big ideas into actual results. But without the right systems in place, things can spiral into missed deadlines, scope creep, and whole lot of “Wait…who was supposed to handle that?” moments.

This module is all about communication and the things you need to execute flawless projects. Because let’s be honest, great work doesn’t just happen—it’s managed into existence.

By the end of this module, you’ll understand what it takes to run projects like a seasoned pro—keeping clients happy, teams productive, and everything moving forward without a hitch.

Keep yourself organized and access our Strategy Outline Template!

Let’s dive in and get your project management game on point! 🚀

Module 8: Sales Handovers: The Client Account Manager Approach to a Seamless Onboarding Transition

Seamless Transitions: From Sales to Client Management Like a Pro

The transition from sales to client management is critical—mess it up, and your shiny new client could start second-guessing everything. But nail it? You’ll build trust, create a seamless experience, and make sure your team is up for success from day one.

This module is all about how to efficiently transition from sales into account management without dropping the ball (or losing your mind in the process). By the end, you’ll have a rock-solid process for transitioning clients with ease—so there’s zero confusion, zero misalignment, and 100% confidence from both your team and your clients.

Let’s take the guesswork out. Check out this sample email template below to help you introduce and outline some initial key takeaways from your call.

Let’s make that handoff smooth as butter! 🚀

Module 9: Gathering information from your clients (briefing documents)

Get the info you need (without the back-and-forth emails)

Clients want everything done yesterday, but let’s be real—you can’t read minds. That’s where a solid briefing document comes in. Instead of chasing down details after the project starts, you’ll gather everything upfront, stay organized, and keep your workflow smooth from the get-go.

This module is all about how to build a rock-solid briefing document so you have all the key details before work begins. No more missing pieces. No more guessing games. Just a streamlined process that keeps both you and your clients happy.

To make things even easier, we’re giving you ready-to-use templates so you can skip the guesswork and start gathering the right info right now.

🔥 Download the briefing document that fits your needs below:

• 📌[eCommerce Briefing Document]
• 📌[Coaching & Courses Briefing Document]
• 📌[Lead Generation Briefing Document]

Grab your docs, streamline your process, and let’s get to work! 🚀

Module 10: Getting Access

The Access Guide: Your Secret Weapon for Staying Organized

Ever find yourself hunting down client logins like a detective on a missing password case? Or worse—waiting days for a client to send over access to the tools you need? Yeah…that ends now.

An Access Guide is your go-to document for keeping everything organized, ensuring you have the right permissions before work starts, and streamlining the entire onboarding process. No more delays, no more lost logins—just smooth sailing from day one.

To make things even easier, we’re giving you a ready-to-use Access Guide template so you can start organizing client credentials immediately.

🔥Download the Access Guide below and take control of your onboarding process 🚀

Module 11: Client Welcome Guide

Elevate Your Client Experience with a Custom Welcome Guide

Want to start your client relationships on the right foot and leave a lasting impression? A Welcome Guide is the ultimate way to set expectations, provide clarity, and show your clients that they made the right choice in hiring you. And the best part? We’ve made it ridiculously easy with our Client Welcome Guide Template—just duplicate, customize, and you’re good to go!

How to use it:

1. Duplicate the template and add your agency’s branding for a polished, on-brand look
2. Fill it in with everything your client needs to hit the ground running, including:

• A warm, personalized welcome message
• A quick refresher on why they hired you (because you’re amazing, obviously)
• A step-by-step onboarding checklist so they know what’s coming next
• A detailed breakdown of the onboarding process (transparency = happy clients!)
• Helpful resources & links (Access Guide, onboarding docs, etc.)
• Easy-to-use booking links so they can schedule calls without the back-and-forth emails

Once it’s all set, download it as a PDF and attach it to your intro email—and just like that, you’ll impress your clients with a sleek, professional, and totally personalized experience from day one.

🔥 Download the Canva Welcome Guide now and wow your clients 🚀

Module 12: Brand Guides

Finding Your Brand Voice: Speak Your Client’s Language

Ever had a client give you zero direction on their brand voice and then hit you with a “this doesn’t sound like us” after you’ve spent hours on deliverables? Yeah, not fun. The truth is, many clients struggle to articulate their brand voice— or worse, they don’t even know what it is.

That’s why this module is all about helping clients define and document their brand voice so you can speed up approvals, eliminate endless revisions, and streamline your workflow. Because when you and your client are aligned from the start, everyone wins.

To make things smoother, we’re giving you a Brand Voice & Messaging Template that will help your clients define their voice and make approvals a breeze.

🔥Download the Brand Voice & Messaging Template below and make brand alignment effortless! 🚀

Module 13: Continuous Improvement

Onboarding Isn’t “Set It and Forget It”—Let’s Keep Improving!

You’ve built an onboarding process that works—amazing! But here’s the thing: great agencies don’t just create processes, they refine them. Your onboarding flow should evolve as your agency grows, your services expand, and your clients’ needs shift.

This module is all about owning your onboarding process like a pro— analyzing what’s working, fixing what’s not, and making sure you’re always delivering top-tier experience

Onboarding is the first experience your clients have with your agency—so let’s make sure it’s always getting better, smoother, and more impactful over time.

🔥Let’s dive in and fine-tune your onboarding process like a boss!🚀

Module 14: Happy Surveys (Asking for Feedback)

Happy Clients, Thriving Agency: The Power of Client Feedback

Happy clients don’t just stick around—they refer, rave, and help your agency grow. But how to you know if your clients are actually happy? Spoiler: you have to ask (the right way).

This module is all about the importance of client feedback so you can improve your services, strengthen client relationships, and boost retention. Because guessing? Not a strategy.

For a deeper dive into how to collect and use client feedback effectively, check out our podcast episode: 

🎙️”Client Feedback 101: How to Use it to Improve Your Agency’s Services”

🔥Watch the episode now and start using feedback to grow your agency!🚀

Module 15: What’s Next?

You Made It! Let’s Take It to the Next Level 🚀

We hope you got a ton of value out of this Client Onboard Playbook mini-course—because let’s be real, a killer onboarding process is just the beginning. If you’re serious about leveling up your agency, we’d love to help you fine-tune the systems that keep your business running smoothly (and profitably). 

Let’s chat about how you can make an even bigger impact by optimizing:

✅ Client Retention - Because happy clients = long-term value ✅ Processes, SOPs, & Documentation - Streamline everything, so nothing falls through the cracks ✅ Reporting - Get clear insights without drowning in data ✅ Project Management - More efficiency, less chaos.

🔥Ready to fine-tune your agency for real growth? Let’s strategize!

👉[Book Your Free Strategy Call Here]