The Client Onboarding Checklist That Actually Gets Done
Most onboarding checklists fail because they're written for the business, not the client. Here's a version that gets completed.
Most onboarding checklists are written for the coach. They list every document you need, every call you should book, every form you want filled. Then the client opens it, feels like they're applying for a mortgage, and stalls.
The fix is to write the checklist for the client's first win, not your compliance file. A good onboarding sequence has three steps maximum before the first session: confirm the goal in one sentence, pick a start date, and pay or sign. Everything else can happen after they've felt progress.
Here's the structure I use. Step one is a two-minute intake form asking for one outcome and one obstacle. Step two is a scheduling link with three time options, not a calendar invite that requires back-and-forth. Step three is a single welcome page with the session link, a prep question, and a note that says "you don't need to prepare anything else."
That's it. Contracts, assessments, and deeper discovery happen in the first call or asynchronously after. You're not lowering your standards; you're sequencing them so the client doesn't quit before they start.