Client onboarding design

Design the first 90 days that turn new customers into loyal advocates

Map the customer journey from signup to value realisation. Create 30-60-90 day milestones. Build automation that delivers consistent onboarding. Develop resources customers use to get wins fast.

Client onboarding design
Chapters

Chapters

Chapter
1

Design onboarding journey

Onboarding journey design prevents churn. Map the first 90 days with clear milestones: setup complete in week 1, first value in week 4, full adoption in week 8 and expansion conversation in week 12.

Chapter
2

Build onboarding timeline

30-60-90 day timelines structure onboarding. Days 1-30 focus on setup and quick wins, days 31-60 drive adoption and feature usage, days 61-90 optimise workflows and identify expansion opportunities.

Chapter
3

Automate onboarding workflows

Onboarding automation scales customer success. Set up email sequences for each milestone, create task templates for CSMs, trigger check-ins based on usage data and alert when customers fall behind.

Chapter
4

Create onboarding resources

Onboarding resources reduce support burden. Record Loom walkthroughs for key features, build a knowledge base in Notion or Trainual and create checklists that guide customers through setup.

Chapter
5

Measure onboarding success

Onboarding metrics predict churn. Track time to first value, feature adoption rate by day 30, login frequency, support ticket volume and NPS at day 30. Flag at-risk accounts early.

Tools

Client onboarding design

tools

Use what you already have. But if you're starting from scratch or want recommendations, these are the tools I use with clients and personally rely on. Consider this a bonus: helpful if you need it, completely optional if you don't.

Notion
Tool

Notion

All in one workspace for docs, wikis and lightweight databases, ideal for playbooks and knowledge.

HubSpot
Tool

HubSpot

All in one CRM with marketing, sales and service, strong when you want one system that teams adopt.

Customer.io
Tool

Customer.io

Messaging platform with fine control over events and segments, good for product led journeys and complex triggers.

Loom
Tool

Loom

Video recording for updates and walkthroughs that beats meetings when you need clarity without a call.

Process Street
Tool

Process Street

Process tool for repeatable checklists with form fields and automations, good for onboarding and QA.

Asana
Tool

Asana

Project management that keeps work clear with boards, timelines and templates, good for campaign planning and cross team coordination.

Playbooks

Book summaries for marketers

The books that shaped how I think about growth. Read summaries here, then buy what resonates. Learn from the best thinkers in B2B.

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Growth wiki

Growth concepts explained in simple language

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Playbooks

Other playbooks

Playbook

Meeting scheduling

Get prospects to book calls with clear value propositions. Set up booking pages that reduce friction. Cut no-shows with reminders. Structure discovery calls that qualify. Follow up to keep momentum.

See playbook
Meeting scheduling
Playbook

Pricing

Learn pricing strategy fundamentals beyond cost-plus. Implement value-based pricing tied to outcomes. Design Good-Better-Best tiers. Package features so buyers self-select. Present pricing that reduces sticker shock.

See playbook
Pricing
Playbook

LinkedIn thought leadership

Optimise your profile so it converts visitors to leads. Warm up your network before posting. Build a content calendar that keeps you ahead. Write posts that drive action. Time publishing to maximise reach.

See playbook
LinkedIn thought leadership
Playbook

Record digital course

Plan course structure that moves students from problem to solution. Script lessons clearly. Record with simple equipment. Edit efficiently. Package for platforms like Thinkific or Teachable.

See playbook
Record digital course
Playbook

Proposal & quotes

Build proposal structure that wins. Present pricing effectively with clear tiers. Create reusable templates with dynamic fields. Automate generation from CRM. Track when prospects open proposals.

See playbook
Proposal & quotes
Playbook

Sales enablement

Create battle cards that position you against competitors. Develop case studies that prove results. Build ROI calculators. Write objection handling scripts. Design sales decks that advance deals.

See playbook
Sales enablement
Further reading

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Client onboarding design