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Operations6 min read

A client onboarding checklist that prevents 90% of headaches

The first week decides the whole project. Here's a simple, calm way to start every engagement.

A client onboarding checklist that prevents 90% of headaches

One welcome message with everything

Send a single message on day one with: the plan, the timeline, the way you'll communicate, and the first invoice. No scavenger hunt across five emails.

Define 'done' before you start

Write down what the deliverable looks like when it's finished — number of revisions, file formats, sign-off process. Ambiguity is where projects go to die.

Pick one channel

Email, WhatsApp, Slack — pick one. Split communication across three apps and you'll lose decisions, files, and your evenings.

Schedule the first checkpoint

Book a short call or written check-in for day 5 or 7. Small course corrections early prevent big rewrites later.

Turn a good habit into a paid invoice

Payvoice creates a beautiful PDF invoice in 60 seconds — share by link, QR or email, and track when it's paid.

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