What You Need To Know About Your Onboarding Processes.
Every freelancer must know the “How-To” when it comes to onboarding their prospective clients, because it determines how well you can effectively handle and work with your prospective clients.
Onboarding a client as a freelance social media manager refers to the process of getting a new client up to speed and ready to work with you. It involves gathering important information, establishing clear communication channels, and setting expectations for the working relationship.
Here's a breakdown of the key steps involved in onboarding a client:
1. Initial meeting or call:
Schedule a meeting or call with the client to introduce yourself, discuss their social media goals, and understand their specific needs and expectations. This is an opportunity to establish rapport and begin building a working relationship.
2. Information gathering:
Request essential information from the client to understand their business, target audience, brand identity, existing social media accounts, and any previous social media efforts. This information will help you tailor your strategies and content to their specific requirements.
3. Account access and permissions:
Request access to the client’s social media accounts or, if necessary, have them add you as an admin or manager. This will enable you to create, post, and monitor content on their behalf.
4. Establishing communication channels:
Determine the preferred communication channels and methods for collaborating with the client. This can include email, project management tools, messaging apps, or video calls. Clarify how often you’ll provide progress updates and discuss any specific reporting requirements. You can project management tools like Asana, ClickUp, Trello, Jira, Kissflow, Wrike etc.
5. Setting goals and expectations:
Discuss and align on the client’s social media goals and objectives. This includes understanding the desired outcomes, key performance indicators (KPIs), and timelines. Establish realistic expectations regarding the timeline for achieving results.
6. Brand guidelines and voice:
Familiarize yourself with the client’s brand guidelines, voice, and tone of communication. Ensure that you understand their brand identity and guidelines for visual elements, messaging, and overall brand perception.
7. Content strategy development:
Collaborate with the client to develop a content strategy that aligns with their goals and resonates with their target audience. Determine the types of content to be created, frequency of posting, and content themes.
8. Approval processes:
Discuss how content creation and approval will be handled. Establish guidelines for review and approval to ensure a smooth workflow and avoid misunderstandings. Define who has final decision-making authority and establish a timeline for content approval.
9. Reporting and analytics:
Determine the metrics and analytics that will be tracked to measure the success of social media efforts. Agree on the frequency and format of reporting, as well as the specific metrics that will be monitored and reported on.
10. Contract and payment:
If not already done during the client acquisition phase, ensure that a contract or service agreement is signed, clearly outlining the terms of the working relationship, payment terms, and any other relevant details.
11. Kick-off and implementation:
Once all the necessary information has been gathered and expectations have been set, you can begin implementing the agreed-upon strategies and managing the client’s social media accounts.
Onboarding a client effectively sets the stage for a successful working relationship, ensuring that both you and the client are aligned on goals, expectations, and communication processes. It allows you to gather the necessary information to create targeted social media strategies and deliver results that meet or exceed the client's expectations.
