The client onboarding checklist for your first 14 days

What client onboarding is (and what it isn't)

Client onboarding is the short, structured period between a signed contract and normal day-to-day delivery. Its job is practical: get access, agree how decisions get made, and prove the work has started. When it's done well, month two feels routine instead of chaotic.

It isn't a second sales process. The client has already said yes, so you don't need to re-pitch your approach or present a long strategy deck. It also isn't the same as the work itself. Onboarding sets up the conditions for good work: the right people, the right access and a shared understanding of what "good" looks like.

It isn't open-ended either. Without an end date, onboarding drifts into weeks of half-setup, where nobody is quite sure whether you're still getting started or already behind. Fourteen days is a useful default because it's long enough to collect access and run a first review cycle, and short enough that the client sees progress quickly. Adjust it for bigger projects, but keep a fixed end point.

The 14-day timeline at a glance

Days	Focus	Done when
Before day 1	Welcome email	Client knows what happens next and what you need
1–3	Access and assets	Every account is granted and logged
3–5	Kickoff call	Written summary sent within 24 hours
5–10	First deliverable	First batch sent for approval with a deadline
10–14	First check-in	Both sides have raised anything that isn't working

Before day one: the welcome email

Send this the same day the contract is signed.

Subject: Welcome to [Agency], and what happens next

Hi [Name],

We're glad to be working with you. Here's what the next two weeks look like:

• This week: we'll get access set up and hold a kickoff call.
• Next week: you'll see the first [deliverable, e.g. "two weeks of planned posts"] for review.

To get started, we need three things by [date]:

1. Access to [accounts/tools], using [method, e.g. "the invite instructions attached"]
2. Your brand assets: logo files, fonts, colors, and any brand guidelines
3. The name of the one person who gives final approval on work

Here are some times for a 45-minute kickoff call: [times or booking link].

[Your name]

Days 1–3: access and assets

The aim is to stop chasing anything by the end of day 3.

• Create the client's folder, project and channel in your own tools.
• Send access requests for every account you need, using user invites or partner access wherever the platform offers it.
• Log every access request in one place, with the date requested and the date granted.
• Collect brand assets into the client folder.
• Collect previous reports, content or results, so you know the starting point.
• Confirm the kickoff call is booked.

Each platform has its own way to grant an agency access, and the steps change from time to time. Send clients the platform's own help page rather than writing instructions from memory. If access is still missing on day 3, send one short reminder that lists exactly what's outstanding.

Days 3–5: the kickoff call

The kickoff is where you agree how you'll work together. Cover these in order:

1. Goals. What does a good result look like in three months? Write down their answer in their words.
2. Approvals. Who approves, how (email, review link, call), and how quickly they'll respond.
3. Communication. Where you'll talk, how often you'll send updates, and how to reach you if something's urgent.
4. Reporting. What they'll get each month and which numbers they care about.
5. Scope. What's included and how extra requests are handled.
6. Anything off-limits. Topics, competitors, words or images they never want to see.

Send a one-page written summary within 24 hours. It becomes the reference point when something's unclear in month four.

Days 5–10: the first deliverable

Send something real by day 10. It doesn't need to be the full monthly scope; it needs to show the work has started.

• Plan the first batch of work from the kickoff notes.
• Review it internally before anything goes to the client.
• Send it for approval using the method agreed at kickoff, with a response deadline.
• Note every piece of feedback.

Keep the first deliverable a little smaller than usual.

Days 10–14: the first check-in

Book a 20-minute call or send a short email at the end of week two. Ask three questions:

1. Is anything about how we're working together not what you expected?
2. Is there anything you're waiting on from us?
3. Is there anything we're waiting on from you? (Have your list ready.)

Then review internally: is all access granted and logged, is the approval process working, did feedback change the plan, and is the first monthly report set up?

How to do this in Aidelly

If you publish clients' social content through Aidelly, a few onboarding steps fit naturally there. You can send the first batch of posts to the client through a review link so they can approve or comment without creating an account, and set up the client's monthly report during onboarding so the first one is ready on time. If you offer white-label reporting, set your branding before the first report goes out.

The checklist above works the same whatever tools you use.

Steps you can take today

1. Copy the checklist above into a template in whatever tool you use to manage projects.
2. Write your own version of the welcome email and save it as a template.
3. List every account you usually need access to, with the correct way to request access for each.
4. Turn the kickoff agenda into a one-page document you can fill in during the call.
5. For your newest client, check which steps were missed and fix the most important one this week.

FAQ

How long should client onboarding take for an agency?

Two weeks is a practical default for most retainers. It's long enough to collect access and run one review cycle, and short enough that the client sees progress quickly. Larger projects can take longer, but give onboarding a fixed end date either way.

What should a client onboarding checklist include?

At minimum: a welcome email, access requests with a log, brand asset collection, a kickoff call agenda, a first deliverable with an approval deadline, and a check-in at the end. Each item should have a day it's due so nothing depends on memory.

What do I ask in a client kickoff call?

Ask about goals, who approves work and how, where and how often you'll communicate, what reporting they want, what's in scope, and anything off-limits. Write the answers down in their words and send a summary within 24 hours.

How do I get account access from clients faster?

Ask for it in the welcome email with a clear deadline, and send each platform's own help page for granting access. Log every request and, if anything is still missing on day 3, send one reminder listing exactly what's outstanding.

What should the first deliverable be?

Something real but smaller than a full month of work, such as the first week or two of planned content. The goal is to show the work has started and get a first round of feedback while the plan can still change easily.

How do I handle a client who is slow to approve work?

Agree the approval method and response time at kickoff, and put a deadline on every approval request. If responses are still slow, raise it at the day-14 check-in as a process issue rather than a complaint.

What is the difference between onboarding and a kickoff call?

The kickoff call is one step inside onboarding. Onboarding covers everything from the signed contract to normal delivery, including access, assets, the first deliverable and the first check-in.