Welcome to this week’s edition of The Solo Success Guide!

📢 Quick Note:
Last week, I accidentally mixed up the edition numbers (and the topics a bit too — oops!).
To keep things simple moving forward, we’re officially calling this one Edition 33.
#SoloLife, am I right? 😅 Thanks so much for rolling with me!

Now, onto this week's guide: setting up your client onboarding system to save time, set expectations, and start projects right. Let's dive in!

First impressions matter.
Whether you’re landing your first client or your fiftieth, how you start sets the tone.
This week, let’s build a seamless onboarding system that saves time, builds trust, and establishes professional boundaries from day one.

Onboard Like a Pro: Systems That Start Every Project Smoothly

Your onboarding process isn’t just paperwork—it’s your first opportunity to deliver an incredible client experience. Here's how to do it right:

• What to include: Welcome email, contract, invoice, project scope document, timeline, key policies (like response times).

• Automate the essentials: Use tools to automatically send contracts, invoices, and welcome kits. (No more chasing paperwork manually!)

• Set boundaries early: Define your office hours, revision limits, and response times right away to avoid future misunderstandings.

• Use templates: Create reusable onboarding templates for emails, contracts, welcome guides, and questionnaires. Save hours per client!

Want to wow your next client? Let’s build your onboarding workflow—book a strategy call today.

⚡ Quick Wins:

Three Onboarding Tweaks for a Smoother Start

• Use a pre-project questionnaire to gather key information upfront.

• Send a short welcome email sequence introducing your process and what to expect.

• Include a ‘How to Work With Me’ PDF setting expectations clearly and warmly.

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Success Spotlight: How Mia Reduced Client Onboarding Time by 70% Using Templates

Templates

Mia, a freelance graphic designer, found herself spending 3–5 hours manually onboarding each new client. This time was consumed by drafting individual contracts, composing welcome emails, and creating project kickoff guides from scratch.​

The Challenge:

• Time-consuming manual processes for each client.

• Inconsistent communication leading to client confusion.

• Delayed project starts due to administrative bottlenecks.​

The Solution:

• Developed standardized templates for contracts, welcome emails, and project kickoff guides.

• Utilized tools like Dubsado to automate the sending of these documents.

• Created a centralized client portal for easy access to onboarding materials.​Double Your Freelancing

The Results:

• Onboarding time reduced by approximately 70%, saving Mia significant hours weekly.

• Enhanced client experience with clear, consistent communication.

• Faster project initiation, leading to increased client satisfaction and repeat business.​

Takeaway: By investing time upfront to create reusable templates and automate her onboarding process, Mia not only saved hours of work but also elevated her professionalism in the eyes of her clients. This strategic move allowed her to focus more on creative work and less on administrative tasks.

Tool Spotlight: 🛠️ Dubsado Review: A Game-Changer for Client Onboarding

If you’re still sending contracts, invoices, and emails manually, Dubsado is the system upgrade you’ve been waiting for. It’s an all-in-one client management tool designed to automate your entire onboarding flow—saving time, eliminating chaos, and elevating your client experience.

Here’s how solopreneurs use Dubsado to streamline onboarding:

• 💼 Create reusable templates for proposals, contracts, and invoices—no more starting from scratch.

• ⚙️ Automate workflows to send forms, welcome emails, and payment reminders instantly after booking.

• 🧾 Set up lead capture forms that plug directly into your website and feed new inquiries into your pipeline.

• 🧠 Use questionnaires and scheduler tools to gather info and book calls—no back-and-forth.

• 🕒 Track every client in one place, from initial inquiry to final invoice.

Result: Solopreneurs report saving 5+ hours per client and seeing higher client satisfaction from day one.

Challenge of the Week: Build Your “Client Welcome Kit”

This week, carve out 30 minutes to create or improve your client welcome kit. Include:

• A personalized welcome message

• Your “How to Work With Me” guide (office hours, timelines, communication style)

• A checklist of what the client can expect next

📌 Bonus points if you turn it into a reusable PDF or template inside your CRM or Google Drive.

Why it matters: A strong welcome kit sets boundaries, builds trust, and makes you look 10x more professional—no extra admin time required.

The Solo LOL

Onward and Upward!

Onboarding isn't just about forms and welcome emails—it’s the foundation for smooth projects and stronger client relationships. The time you invest in streamlining it now pays off in trust, clarity, and repeat business down the road.

Next week, we’ll dive into “Scaling Your Business with Digital Products”—a guide to building sustainable, scalable income streams that complement your newly optimized workflow.

For now, challenge yourself to take one concrete step toward a better onboarding experience this week. Whether it’s drafting your first welcome packet or automating a single step with Dubsado, every system you build today creates more freedom tomorrow.