Start your marketing agency client onboarding checklist with the sales handoff. The account manager needs to know what was sold, what the client expects first, and which commitments depend on client input.
This checklist covers the path from signed scope to first delivery across services such as paid media, content, SEO, and creative. Keep channel-specific implementation in separate work plans, including the PPC launch checklist when advertising is in scope.
1. Turn the signed scope into a delivery brief
Record services, deliverables, exclusions, review rounds, milestones, payment prerequisites, and promises made during sales. Include decisions still awaiting client input.
Why it matters: “Manage social” might mean organic publishing to one stakeholder and paid creative production to another. Resolve that before assigning work.
Done when: the account manager can point to a named deliverable, responsible person, and acceptance criteria for the first milestone. Confirm any ambiguity with the client in writing.
2. Define business goals and a usable baseline
Ask what business change the engagement should produce, which services or audiences matter most, and how the client measures results today. Record the baseline period and data source rather than copying an unexplained metric from the sales deck.
Separate the first deliverable from the result the client ultimately wants. For example, an approved editorial plan can be due in the first week, while evaluating its contribution to inquiries requires published work and an agreed measurement period. Record both expectations so completing a deliverable is not mistaken for achieving the business goal.
Done when: both teams agree on the goal, its definition, and when it is reasonable to review progress.
3. Assign primary contacts and decision rights
Ask the client to name the day-to-day contact, final approver, billing contact, technical contact, and a backup for time-sensitive decisions. One person can hold multiple responsibilities, but each responsibility needs an owner.
| Decision | Record before kickoff |
|---|---|
| Scope or budget change | Who can approve the change in writing |
| Copy and creative | Who consolidates feedback and gives final approval |
| Website or tracking release | Who can authorize and deploy the change |
| Business feedback | Who supplies customer feedback and outcome data |
| Urgent issue | Primary contact, backup, and agreed communication route |
Why it matters: five reviewers sending contradictory edits can consume the entire first delivery window. Ask for consolidated feedback from one client owner.
4. Collect the brief and assets once
Request the audience, service areas, priority offers, positioning, brand guidelines, current creative, approved claims, and examples of work the client likes or dislikes. Ask which assets are current and who approved them.
Keep the folder organized by use: brand reference, working files, and approved deliverables. Link the current version from the delivery task so the team does not launch an outdated offer.
Done when: the person producing the first deliverable has what they need, or the missing input has a named owner and due date. Avoid requesting video files if video is not part of the scope.
5. Open the access workstream
Assign one person to coordinate access and have the relevant specialist confirm readiness. Use the marketing agency client access checklist to decide which resources to request and verify permissions. In the delivery brief, record the owner, due date, and any milestone blocked by missing access.
For supported Google accounts, agency onboarding software can replace separate setup emails with a guided connection link. Keep approval collection and other platform invitations in the delivery plan.
6. Agree on reporting and feedback expectations
Confirm the reporting cadence, source of truth, dashboard recipients, meeting format, and first review date. Record how the client will supply sales outcomes or qualitative feedback that the agency cannot see in platform reports.
Agree on how feedback becomes a decision. For example, give one client approver two business days to consolidate comments on a draft, then have the account manager confirm any resulting change to the delivery date. Silence should leave approval pending.
Done when: a reader can tell which results the first report will contain, which are still too early to evaluate, and what input the client owes before the review.
7. Use kickoff to settle open decisions
Send the brief before the meeting. Use the session to confirm:
- The first milestone and the business reason for prioritizing it.
- Outstanding assets, access, or decisions that affect its date.
- The approval process and expected feedback window.
- Who owns launch or publication, and how issues will be escalated.
- The next client checkpoint.
Do not spend the whole kickoff reading an intake form aloud. For example, if landing-page copy needs approval before design can finish, secure the copy-review date while the approver is present.
8. Close onboarding with a first-delivery handoff
Send a short record containing the approved brief, milestone schedule, owners, open risks, and links to working resources. Have the delivery lead accept the handoff.
Mark onboarding complete when required inputs are verified, the first work package is assigned, and remaining dependencies have an agreed plan. The kickoff meeting occurring is not sufficient evidence.
If this process repeatedly stalls on the same requests, use the guide to automating client onboarding to turn stable steps into reminders and status rules while keeping approvals explicit.