What to Include in Your New Client Welcome Packet

Part of a great client experience and signing on Virtual Assistant clients to your business is creating a Welcome Packet.

It actually should be part of everyone’s best practices.

Client Welcome Packets are simple to make and set the tone for a great client relationship and experience from day one. Your new client’s Welcome Packet should highlight important details, next steps, payment terms, and other important information. A welcome kit can cut down on the amount of frustration and client questions that come up when hiring a new Virtual Assistant service for their business, since they will be able to reference their welcome kit for answers to any general questions they may have.

This post is all about What to Include in Your New Client Welcome Packet.

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I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about creating a client welcome packet that helps you start your client relationship on the right foot and makes your clients feel valued, informed, and excited to work with you.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up your client experience, these are the essential elements to include to make a lasting impression that turns your clients into strong relationships.

This post shares What to Include in Your New Client Welcome Packet

How to Create a Welcome Packet

First things first, how do you actually create a Welcome Packet?

Luckily, it’s pretty easy and doesn’t need to cost any money, unless you want it to. There are hundreds of free Client Welcome Packet templates available on Canva that you can edit, add to, and make your own. My own client Welcome Packet is a Canva Template I edited to make my own.

Or, if you prefer, another great option is purchasing a Client Welcome Packet on Etsy. Again, there are hundreds of options that will give you that cohesive, branded look you may be going for.

What to Include in Your Client Welcome Packet

There are some things that I would consider necessary information to include in your client Welcome Packet, while other information may not be applicable depending on the type of service you provide your clients. Nevertheless, these are some of the essential components to include which will leave your client with a great impression of you and your business.

Personalized Welcome Note

Your welcome letter should express how happy you are about working together, and should acknowledge any specific challenges or goals your client mentioned during their initial discovery call.

It’s also a good idea to include something unique about their business, for example, “I’m excited to help you get your tasty recipes and blog posts seen by a wider audience on Pinterest!”

Editing your Welcome Note for each client doesn’t need to take a whole lot of time; just a few quick edits will make your client feel special and like they made the right choice in hiring you.

From there, I like to sign off with a clear next step, like “Here’s what you can expect over the next few days…” which helps make the onboarding process easier.

Your Contact Information and Availability

Your Client Welcome Packet also needs to spell out exactly how and when clients can reach you.

I personally try not to give out my cell phone number to my clients; it’s not a hard and fast rule, but from experience, it has resulted in clients contacting me at all hours and on weekends. I am not opposed to working on a weekend if it truly is an emergency, but most of the time, things can wait.

I like to include my email address and my preferred messaging app like Slack. Having too many different ways your clients can contact you can also get overwhelming, since you need to remember to check all the places.

Next, I like to set clear expectations about my availability, office hours, and response times.

Something like: “I’m available Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM Eastern Time. I typically respond to emails within 24 business hours, and urgent messages marked ‘URGENT’ in the subject line will be addressed within 3 business hours during workdays.”

Your Client Process Roadmap

Your Client Welcome Packet should include a brief process overview from start to finish.

I like to use Canva for this by creating a flowchart that outlines each phase of the process, with estimated time frames.

If you are a general VA, it may be hard to define your client process for each client you have, but you can still outline things like when invoices are sent out, when payments are due, etc.

For example, my Pinterest Management process looks like this, (Week 1), Invoices are sent, payment due by the 15th of every month (Week 2), Monthly Pin creation (Week 3) all pins scheduled for the next month (Week 4) Analytics report emailed by last day of the month. Ongoing Pinterest account management and maintenance are happening throughout the month.

For each phase, I explain what happens on my end, what I need from the client, and what deliverables they can expect.

I gently but clearly explain that any delays in feedback will affect our final timeline.

Your Days Off and Vacation Policies

Your Welcome Packet should also outline how you will go about taking a day off or a scheduled vacation. I’ve fallen into the trap of never taking time off as a freelancer. I now force myself to take time off, because we all need it!

You should explain your process for taking any days off, how much advance notice the client will get (unless it’s an emergency), your process for taking vacation time or regular unavailability, and how your client workload will be handled during this time. Will you complete tasks in advance of your time off?

You can also highlight annual business closures, for example: Christmas, Easter, and any other times or Holidays of the year you plan on taking off yearly.

Required Forms, Documents, and Passwords

If you require intake questionnaires or any client homework before you begin your client work, you can itemize it as a to-do list in your Client Welcome Packet.

I like to explain the purpose of the forms and how the information will help me help them. For example: “This brand questionnaire helps me understand your brand’s identity to create visually stunning pin designs.”

If you need access to client accounts or systems, you’ll need to share how you would like your client to provide you with their login credentials. Many Virtual Assistants use LastPass, or OnePassword to securely share login information.

Frequently Asked Questions- FAQs

Every client has questions, and chances are, many of them are asking the same things!

Your FAQ section should address the most common questions new clients have about working with you.

These questions will be different depending on your type of business and the clients you serve. I recommend that you keep a running list of questions that come up during client calls or emails. That way, you can add these common questions to your Welcome Packet.

Don’t be afraid to include questions that set realistic expectations for your clients. For example, with my Pinterest Management clients, since Pinterest is a long-term game, I like to address this by telling my clients that it takes 3 to 6 months before seeing a return on investment on the platform.

Team Introduction

If you work with a team, you can also include a short bio and photo of your team member who will be interacting with your clients.

I like to keep these professional but personable, by mentioning what everyone’s expertise is and a fun fact with their picture. For example: “Jane, our team’s Graphic Designer, and the one creating your beautiful pin images. In her spare time, you’ll find her walking her dog Ruby, or playing at the park with her kids.”

This adds a personal touch to your Client Welcome package and helps welcome them to the family.

Feedback and Communication Preferences

Your Welcome Packet should also indicate how you would like to receive client feedback and your communication preferences. This helps clients provide input in a way that is actually helpful, while respecting your workflow and deadlines.

My preferred method of communication is by far using email so for example: “Quick updates and clarifying questions are best via email, while troubleshooting or more complex issues are best done on Zoom calls at my discretion.”

Don’t forget to mention your availability for questions or concerns between scheduled check-ins. I let clients know it’s perfectly fine to reach out: “Have questions between our meetings? I welcome emails anytime and will respond during business hours within 24 hours. You don’t need to wait for our next call if something’s on your mind!”

Creating a new client welcome guide and packet might seem like a lot of work upfront, it’s definitely worth the investment and pays off throughout your client relationship!

The best thing about a well-crafted Welcome Packet is that it sets clear expectations from day one, prevents misunderstandings before they happen, and demonstrates your professionalism and expertise right from the start.

I encourage you to start implementing a Welcome Packet in your business today, even if you begin with just a few key sections and build from there.

The positive impact on your client experience, your workflow efficiency, and your peace of mind will be well worth the effort!

This post was all about What to Include in Your New Client Welcome Packet