Perfecting your client onboarding process as a Virtual Assistant: a step by step guide
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
A new client has agreed to work with you… what now? Whether this is your first client, your first in a while, or you’re simply looking to tighten things up and make sure nothing gets missed, having a clear onboarding process in place can make all the difference.
Establishing a smooth onboarding process helps your clients feel supported, informed and confident from the very beginning, while ensuring you have everything you need to start work efficiently.
Remember, onboarding is not just about creating a great first impression for your clients - it’s about making sure you understand their needs, setting expectations and building the foundation for a successful long-term working relationship.
Contents:
What is a client onboarding process and why is it important?
‘Onboarding process’ is basically a fancy term for the series of actions you take once a new client has agreed to work with you - bringing the client into your business and becoming part of theirs, plus getting all of the legal and logistical information shared and set up. It can be as simple as one email.
As we all know, first impressions matter so it is vital that you spend time getting this process right. Beyond this, a smooth onboarding process will help your client build trust in you and your business and will ensure you have all you need from the client to get started with helping them to achieve their goals.
If you are the first Virtual Assistant (VA) they have worked with, remember they may be nervous about how this is going to work for them, and you can use this process to set them at ease.
What to prepare before onboarding a Virtual Assistant client
There are foundations you can have in place now, before a new client is even on the horizon. You should have a contract ready to update for new clients, a template onboarding email prepared, and a standard ‘kick off call’ booking link that you can send each time. More on all of these below!
Then, once a new client agrees to work with you, behind-the-scenes preparations might include:
Setting up dedicated client folders in your cloud storage and email account;
Adding them to your time tracker and project management board
Following them on social media;
Adding them to your customer list in your accounting software (or on your invoice spreadsheet);
Populating the contract;
Populating your onboarding email.
As you grow, these are all things that you (or your own VA!) could automate within your business.
(Want to know more about the various softwares I use and recommend for the above activities? Check out this blog!)
As a VA, what should you include in your client onboarding email?
Typically, this is what I include in an onboarding email:
A welcome!
A reminder of what they’ve signed up for - hours, package, services, pricing
Your business operations - methods of communication, working hours, turnaround times
Link to book / suggestions of times for your kick-off call
Description of what you will cover in your kick-off call
Contract / mention of contract (I recommend you send this separately using an e-signer) with a reminder of the key points - such as the notice period
First invoice / explanation of when they can expect the invoice
A request for any access, passwords or other information you need to get started (this can be discussed in more detail in your kick-off call, but it can be efficient to request the information here)
An introduction to team members, if you have any
It’s as simple as that. By the time you’ve completed this process, you should have what you need to start on tasks for this client. This onboarding email will be different for every Virtual Assistant, and for each client you work with depending on the services agreed upon.
Outlining your business operations and setting boundaries as a Virtual Assistant
Some of this will be included in your contract but bears highlighting in the onboarding email.
Really consider your boundaries when outlining your operations.
Yes, I talk about boundaries a lot - that's because they are super important and can be the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful client relationship, as well as the difference between loving your work and burnout.
By establishing these boundaries at the very beginning, the working relationship will be much easier to manage going forward - and you will be able to refer your client back to them, should things start to slip in the future.
Communication channels and response times
How do you prefer to communicate? With calls, Zoom, WhatsApp, Voxer, Trello, Slack, Asana, Facebook Messenger and many, many more options available, it can be sensible to limit communication channels to something manageable - for example, email, one messaging platform and your preferred project management board. However, I do have clients that communicate via email only!
Equally, think about response times and updates. How and when can they expect to hear from you? Will you touch base daily, weekly or only when tasks are completed?
Do they have a preferred way of receiving updates?
The important thing is choosing communication methods that genuinely work for you both, and making it clear what this looks like from the outset. This is a collaborative effort, so some questions during the kick-off call to clarify these things are useful.
What is a Virtual Assistant kick-off call (and should it be paid?)
A kick-off call is usually the place to answer any questions resulting from the email, deal with login, access and password challenges (2FA - 2 factor authentication - is great for digital security but can be a bit of a headache for VAs!), plus being assigned or planning out your first tasks.
The most frequent question I get asked about kick off calls is, “is this call chargeable?”
Yes!
The contract should be signed before the kick off call takes place, and from this point onwards, you are working for the client. Everything that has come before this, though - that’s your business admin and is not chargeable to the client.
Scheduling the kick-off call
In your onboarding email, you can either suggest some suitable times to your client or, better yet, use an online scheduler such as Zcal, Calendly or Google appointment booking - which allows them to choose a time convenient to them without the need for back and forth emails (I like Zcal - the free plan is excellent).
Top tip - transcribe the kick off call (ideally you’ve have transcribed the discovery call as well) and use it to build a bank of call notes between you and the client. It makes writing your to-do lists super easy, and keeps both you and your client on the same page.
VA contracts and invoicing: what you need before starting work
Virtual Assistant Contracts
Have you got your contracts in place?
There are lots out there, but I love KoffeeKlatch (you can get 10% off with my code Cozpr10) for new Virtual Assistants. Having your contract ready to edit with the client information and getting it ready for all parties to sign is really important before any work takes place. A contract protects both you and the client and lays out your business and payment terms, ensuring the client is clear from the start. The contract is another brilliant place to lay down those amazing boundaries you have set in place. It should also include your GDPR and data processing policy.
KoffeeKlatch are brilliant for affordable, easy to understand contracts, and they give loads of support in their Facebook group as well!
I also recommend using a digital signer such as AdobeSign or Dropbox Sign (again, the free account is fab!) - it’s hassle free and gives you secure signing and storage. In your onboarding email, you can reference it with something like ‘your contract will be sent to you via Dropbox Sign, please review and sign before X date’.
How to send your first invoice to a new client as a Virtual Assistant
How and when will you be invoicing your client?
Is it in advance or in arrears? Do you intend to include a time-tracked report of hours (I can recommend Toggl). Are you going to attach it to the onboarding email (if in advance), or will it be sent out through a separate service, such as Xero, Quickbooks, or FreeAgent?
I recommend using one of the above accounting services for your invoices, and getting it set up (with a business bank account) before issuing any invoices - it keeps things simpler both for you and your client (and ensures that you are ready for Making Tax Digital).
If you have agreed that payment is upfront, then do not break your own boundaries by starting billable work before the first invoice is paid. This includes the kick-off call!
What access you need from clients as a Virtual Assistant (and how to manage passwords securely)
As part of onboarding, through your email and kick-off call, you need to establish what systems/emails etc you will need access to and ensure that this access is in place. This might include email access, shared drives, social media accounts, project management tools or CRM systems, depending on the services you provide.
Consider how access can be granted or passwords shared securely. LastPass, 1password, Dashlane and similar are password management tools you may want to explore if you don’t already have something in place. It’s worth putting something in your email about being aware of 2FA, whether they need to be available the first time you log into things or whether this needs turning off etc.
If you find yourself having to work with a new system or database that you are not familiar with, you may want to spend time looking at online tutorials or reading up on how best to use it. Typically, this time would not be chargeable to the client.
Key takeaways
A smooth Virtual Assistant onboarding process helps clients feel confident, supported and clear on expectations from the start.
Your onboarding process should cover contracts, communication methods, boundaries, invoicing and system access before any billable work begins.
Having templates prepared in advance, such as your onboarding email and contract, makes onboarding quicker and more professional.
Clear communication boundaries can help prevent misunderstandings, scope creep and burnout later on.
Kick-off calls should be chargeable, as this is the point where client work begins.
A plan for secure password sharing and awareness of two-factor authentication (2FA) are essential when onboarding clients into digital systems.
The best onboarding processes are repeatable, organised and easy to adapt for each individual client.
FAQs
What is a Virtual Assistant onboarding process?
A Virtual Assistant onboarding process is the series of steps you take once a client agrees to work with you. This usually includes contracts, onboarding emails, invoicing, communication expectations, access to systems and a kick-off call.
Do I need a contract as a Virtual Assistant?
Yes. A contract protects both you and your client by clearly outlining payment terms, services, boundaries, notice periods and responsibilities before work begins.
Should a Virtual Assistant kick-off call be paid?
Yes. Once the contract is signed and the relationship officially begins, the kick-off call forms part of your paid client work.
What should I include in a Virtual Assistant onboarding email?
Your onboarding email should usually include:
A welcome
A summary of agreed services and pricing
Information about your business operations
Kick-off call booking information
Contract details
Invoice information
Requests for any access or information needed to begin work
What tools can help streamline client onboarding?
Tools such as Zcal or Calendly for scheduling, Dropbox Sign for contracts, Xero or FreeAgent for invoicing, and password managers like LastPass or 1Password can help make onboarding smoother and more secure.
What if my client has never worked with a Virtual Assistant before?
This is very common. A strong onboarding process helps reassure new clients, answers questions early and sets expectations clearly from the beginning.
Next steps
If your onboarding process currently lives in your head (or buried in old emails), now is the perfect time to streamline it. Start by preparing the foundations before your next enquiry arrives!
Here are a few practical next steps you can take today:
Create a reusable onboarding email template that can easily be customised for each client, for this you will need to:
Decide on your communication methods, response times and working boundaries
Set up a kick-off call booking link using a scheduling tool such as Zcal (make sure this particular booking link is not publicly available)
Make a plan for how you will securely request passwords and system access
Prepare a contract template ready to update and send quickly
Set up your invoicing process and business bank account before sending your first invoice
Create folders, workflows or checklists that make onboarding repeatable and consistent
Remember, your onboarding process does not need to be perfect from day one. Most successful Virtual Assistants refine and improve their systems as they grow.
If you’d like to find out how other VAs have navigated this process, The VA Village is an incredibly supportive community full of VAs ready to share solidarity, support and lessons learned - as well as expert training and coaching on all aspects of running a VA business at every stage.
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About the author:
Kayleigh Johnstone is the founder of COZ & Co, an award-winning Business Support & Visibility Agency, and the creator of The VA Village. As a qualified EMCC Coach and Mentor, Kayleigh is dedicated to helping incredible women launch and grow profitable, flexible Virtual Assistant businesses. A recognised leader in the UK small business community and a Small Biz 100 featured entrepreneur, she provides a clear blueprint for VAs who want to stop chasing the 9-to-5 and build a guilt-free business that values their individual brilliance and general neurospicy awesomeness.
