The onboarding checklist that actually gets finished
Most client onboarding checklists fail because they're written for you, not the client. Here's how to split them and cut the drop-off.
Most onboarding checklists I see are really internal task lists wearing a client-facing costume. They say things like 'send welcome packet' and 'set up portal access' — tasks the client can't act on. The client opens it, sees nothing addressed to them, and closes the tab.
Split it in two. The internal list is yours and nobody else sees it. The client list has five items maximum, each phrased as an action: book your kickoff call, complete the intake form, connect your calendar, read the two-page how-we-work doc, reply with your first session goal. If an item doesn't require the client to do something, it doesn't belong on their list.
Then look at the order. The single biggest drop-off I've measured is between signing and the first call, because there's nothing to do and momentum dies. Put one small, fast task immediately after signature — the intake form works well — so the client takes an action within ten minutes of paying.
Finally, time-box everything. 'Complete intake' with no deadline sits open for a week. 'Complete intake before our call Thursday' gets done in a day. The deadline isn't pressure; it's a reason to act now.
Run this for one cohort and count the support emails. That number tells you whether the checklist is doing its job.