Welcome packet + portal access
You're reading it. Set aside 30 minutes to do the discovery questionnaire — it's the single highest-leverage thing you can do this week.
A small note, a clear plan, and a few promises about the next thirty days together.
Maria, first — thank you. Picking us out of the dozen agencies you spoke to is not a small thing, and we don't take it lightly.
Over the next thirty days you'll see exactly what we promised in the proposal: clear deliverables, weekly progress, and zero surprises in your inbox. We've onboarded 50+ clients with this exact playbook, and we've made just about every mistake worth making — so the version you're getting is the one that actually works.
A few things to keep on your radar: there's a checklist in this packet (your side and ours), a 30-day roadmap so you know what to expect when, and the contact info for the humans who'll be in your corner. If anything in here is unclear, the answer is always: just ask. We'd rather over-communicate than have you guess.
Excited to build something good with you.
Tap each item as it's done. Three are on us, three are on you. We'll nudge gently if anything stalls.
Day-by-day for the first month, so you know what's coming before it lands in your inbox.
You're reading it. Set aside 30 minutes to do the discovery questionnaire — it's the single highest-leverage thing you can do this week.
60 minutes. We walk through your goals, our process, the working cadence, and answer everything. Recording sent within 24h.
Our written brief — the doc that guides everything we build — lives in your portal. You sign off before production starts.
Loom walkthrough of work-in-progress, plus a written status. Your only job: react, ideally within 48h.
30-minute working session. Less status, more strategy — we re-check whether what we're building is still right.
In your hands. Loom walkthrough + clean files. 4-day feedback window opens; standard SLA: 1 round of revisions in scope.
Two humans, no chatbots. Available on Slack during business hours, email otherwise.
The 48 hours after a new client signs is the highest-leverage moment in your business. They just made a buying decision; they want reassurance they made the right one. A polished welcome packet does that work for you on autopilot — confirms the scope, sets expectations on communication and timing, introduces the team, lays out payment terms, and answers the questions they'd be too polite to ask. This template gives you the structure that converts new clients into repeat referrals.
Agencies, consultants, coaches, freelancers, photographers, wedding pros, and any service business that sells engagements over $500. If you're spending the first call repeating things you should have written down once, this is the upgrade.
1. Welcome letter. One page from you (the founder or lead) thanking them by name, restating why you're excited about this specific project, what they can expect from the first week.
2. Scope-of-work summary. What's included, what's NOT included, deliverables, milestones. The same content as the contract but in friendly prose.
3. Communication plan. How you communicate (Slack, email, weekly call), when you respond (business hours? 24 hours?), who handles what type of question, escalation if something is urgent.
4. Timeline. Calendar with key dates: kickoff call, first draft, revision round, final delivery, post-launch check-in. Specifics, not "TBD."
5. Payment terms. Schedule with specific dates and amounts. Methods accepted. Late-payment policy. The clearer this is, the fewer awkward emails about money later.
6. Team intros. Headshots and one-line bios for everyone who'll touch the project. Even if you're solo, photograph yourself professionally and include a real bio — clients trust people, not businesses.
7. FAQ. The 8-12 questions every new client asks. Address them proactively. "What if my needs change? What's the revision process? When do I get final files? What happens if I'm late on a deliverable?"
8. What to do next. One specific call-to-action for the first 24 hours: book the kickoff, fill out the intake form, send the brand assets. Don't leave them wondering.
1. Customize the template once for your business. This is a 90-minute task you do exactly one time, then reuse forever.
2. Save as a PDF AND as an editable doc. The PDF is what clients receive; the editable doc is what you update over time.
3. Send it within 1 hour of contract signature. Speed signals professionalism. A welcome packet that arrives 5 days later signals chaos.
4. Include it in your "client signed" automation. If you use HoneyBook, Dubsado, or Bonsai, attach the packet to your "contract signed" trigger.
5. Reference it on the kickoff call. "Did you have a chance to look at the welcome packet?" Their answer tells you everything about how engaged they are.
Send the welcome packet WITH a small gift. A handwritten note, a $5 Starbucks card, a piece of swag. The packet is professional; the gift is human. Both matter.
Update the FAQ every quarter based on questions clients ACTUALLY ask. Real questions, not what you think they'd ask. The packet improves over time.
Include a "who to call when" matrix. "Project questions: project manager. Billing: accounting. Strategy: founder." Eliminates the "I don't know who to ask" friction.
Add a one-page "reasonable expectations" section. The most common dispute is about pace and revision rounds. Spell them out upfront. Conflict avoided.
The sample is generic. Your version is branded with your business, your team photos, your specific service offering, your typical timeline, and your payment terms. $19 personalization, $49 fully custom at yoursaas.diy. Word-doc compatible, PDF-ready. Yours forever.