client-onboarding

---
name: client-onboarding
description: Generate a complete onboarding package for a new marketing client — kickoff meeting agenda, 20-30 question discovery questionnaire, stakeholder map with RACI matrix, platform-by-platform access checklist, 30-60-90 day milestone plan, communication cadence, escalation protocol, welcome email template, internal team brief, risk register, and a day-by-day first-week action plan. Triggers on \"/digital-marketing-pro:client-onboarding\", \"we just signed a new client\", \"build a kickoff agenda and discovery questionnaire\", \"30-60-90 day plan for the new account\", \"what access do we need from the client\". Reads the brand profile, guidelines, custom templates, and agency SOPs so the package matches house process.
license: MIT
---

# /digital-marketing-pro:client-onboarding

## Purpose

Generate a comprehensive client onboarding workflow for a new marketing engagement. Covers kickoff planning, discovery, stakeholder alignment, access provisioning, milestone setting, and communication protocols to ensure a smooth transition from signed contract to active account with clear expectations on both sides.

## Input Required

The user must provide (or will be prompted for):

- **Client name and industry**: The new client's business name, vertical, and market segment
- **Services contracted**: Which marketing services are included in the engagement (SEO, PPC, social, content, email, analytics, etc.)
- **Engagement timeline**: Contract duration and key dates — start date, first deliverable, first review, contract end
- **Team structure (agency side)**: Account lead, strategist, specialists, and any shared resources assigned to the account
- **Team structure (client side)**: Primary contact, marketing lead, approvers, and subject matter experts available
- **Account access needs**: Platforms, tools, and accounts requiring credentials or permissions (Google Ads, Analytics, CMS, social accounts, CRM, etc.)
- **Client maturity level**: Startup, SMB, or enterprise — determines complexity of onboarding, approval layers, and compliance requirements
- **Stakeholder list**: All individuals involved in the engagement with roles, decision authority, and communication preferences
- **Communication preferences**: Preferred channels (Slack, email, calls), timezone, meeting availability, and response time expectations
- **Success criteria**: What the client considers a successful engagement at 30, 60, and 90 days — and contractual KPIs if defined

## Process

1. **Load brand context**: Read `~/.claude-marketing/brands/_active-brand.json` for the active slug, then load `~/.claude-marketing/brands/{slug}/profile.json`. Apply brand voice, compliance rules for target markets (`skills/context-engine/compliance-rules.md`), and industry context. **Also check for guidelines** at `~/.claude-marketing/brands/{slug}/guidelines/_manifest.json` — if present, load restrictions and relevant category files. Check for custom templates at `~/.claude-marketing/brands/{slug}/templates/`. Check for agency SOPs at `~/.claude-marketing/sops/`. If no brand exists, ask: "Set up a brand first (/digital-marketing-pro:brand-setup)?" — or proceed with defaults.
2. **Research client industry onboarding best practices**: Identify industry-specific onboarding considerations — regulatory requirements, seasonal timing, common data sources, and typical ramp-up periods for the client's vertical
3. **Build kickoff meeting agenda**: Structure a 60-90 minute kickoff covering introductions, engagement overview, goals alignment, process walkthrough, access handoff, communication setup, and immediate next steps
4. **Create discovery questionnaire**: Draft 20-30 questions covering business context, competitive landscape, past marketing efforts, brand guidelines, content assets, data access, approval workflows, and success definitions
5. **Map stakeholders and decision-makers**: Build a stakeholder map with RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) for key activities — content approval, budget changes, strategy shifts, reporting, and escalations
6. **Define access and permissions checklist**: Create a platform-by-platform checklist of all accounts, tools, and systems needing access — with permission level, owner, and deadline for provisioning
7. **Set 30-60-90 day milestones**: Define specific, measurable milestones for each phase — discovery and setup (30 days), optimization and early results (60 days), full operation and first performance review (90 days)
8. **Establish communication cadence**: Design the recurring meeting and reporting schedule — weekly status calls, monthly performance reports, quarterly business reviews, and ad-hoc escalation triggers
9. **Create escalation protocol**: Define severity tiers (informational, urgent, critical), response time expectations, escalation paths on both agency and client sides, and resolution tracking
10. **Build knowledge transfer checklist**: List all assets, documents, logins, brand files, historical data, and institutional knowledge the client needs to provide for the agency to operate effectively
11. **Compile into unified onboarding document**: Assemble all components into a single structured onboarding package with clear ownership, deadlines, and a first-week action plan for immediate momentum

## Output

A structured client onboarding package containing:

- **Kickoff meeting agenda**: 60-90 minute structured agenda with discussion topics, time allocations, presenters, and pre-read materials
- **Discovery questionnaire**: 20-30 targeted questions organized by category (business, competitive, brand, technical, process) with space for responses
- **Stakeholder map with RACI matrix**: Visual map of all stakeholders with decision authority, RACI assignments for key activities, and contact details
- **Account access checklist**: Platform-by-platform list with required permission levels, current owner, agency contact, and provisioning deadline
- **30-60-90 day milestone plan**: Phase-based milestone schedule with specific deliverables, success criteria, and checkpoint dates per phase
- **Communication cadence**: Complete meeting and reporting schedule — weekly, monthly, and quarterly touchpoints with attendees and agenda templates
- **Escalation protocol**: Severity tier definitions (informational/urgent/critical) with response times, escalation paths, and resolution tracking process
- **Knowledge transfer checklist**: Categorized list of all assets, documents, data, and access the client must provide with deadlines and responsible parties
- **Welcome email template**: Ready-to-send email introducing the account team, confirming kickoff details, and listing pre-kickoff action items
- **Internal team brief**: Agency-internal document summarizing client context, key stakeholders, sensitivities, opportunities, and account strategy
- **Risk register with mitigation**: Identified onboarding risks (delayed access, stakeholder availability, data gaps) with likelihood, impact, and mitigation steps
- **First-week action plan**: Day-by-day schedule for the first five business days with specific tasks, owners, and completion criteria

## Agents Used

- **marketing-strategist** — Stakeholder mapping, milestone planning, communication design, discovery questionnaire development, risk assessment, and onboarding workflow orchestration