8 Questions to Ask in Your Agency Client Onboarding Form

For your business to grow and thrive, it's essential to look at every new client as an opportunity to earn that person's trust. The easiest way to do this? Ask them questions.

Asking ten critical questions during the onboarding process will help you uncover what's essential to your clients so you can build their trust and make the most of the working relationship.

Here are some great questions you can ask in your agency-client onboarding form!

1) Why did you decide to work with us?

Every relationship starts with two people coming together for a reason. The same goes for agency and client relationships.

Clients come to you because they need that they don't know how to fill, or they think you can help them fill it.

As such, your first question should be:

Why are you working with us? It may seem like an easy question with an obvious answer, but it serves as a great jumping-off point for discussing what both parties expect from their partnership.

Are there projects that haven't been named yet?

Do they see your work as an extension of their internal team, or is it something completely different?

Have they worked with other agencies in the past, and why did those relationships end?

2) How will we communicate?

If you're a new agency/client, there's a lot you need to figure out before work can begin. One crucial factor is how you two will communicate with each other.

Ensure there are no misunderstandings about how often and when those communications will take place (as well as whether or not they'll take place via email, video chat, phone call, etc.).

You want it clear what information is expected and when it needs to be presented—and if that changes later. It's essential to get in touch with your client quickly if an issue arises and they need some extra help or have a question that needs answering right away.

Make sure both of you are on board with communication expectations from day one.

3) How do you define success?

We've found that many organizations don't have a good definition of success in marketing, so they don't know what success looks like.

Often, you'll hear something like 'Get more eyeballs on our brand' or 'Get more attention.' We take a look at that and ask, how are you measuring your return on investment? You need to be able to see if your campaign worked.

If your agency isn't aware of their clients' metrics and KPIs for success, then there's no way for them to measure—and improve upon—their performance. What are those goals?

4) What can we do better?

When a new client joins your agency, there are many things you need to do: assess their needs and objectives and complete your own goals.

It would be best if you also were sure not to do one thing: assume that everything at their organization is exactly as it appears at first glance. You're probably very familiar with what went wrong for them previously—but make sure you understand what was right about it.

Be curious about where they came from and what made them look for an agency like yours specifically; often, it's more complicated than people might expect.

6) What would your ideal solution look like?

Before diving into an onboarding meeting, it's essential to be sure that you're meeting with a representative of your prospective client and that everyone is on board with your solution.

Asking What would your ideal solution look like? It will help ensure no missing pieces in terms of project goals and timelines. If you aren't getting answers from your potential client within 3–5 minutes of asking open-ended questions, something is wrong.

Your prospect either isn't ready, or they don't want what you have to offer. Neither outcome bodes well for success or a positive experience moving forward.

7) What else should I know about you and your business right now?

This is a great question to help you learn about your client's goals and objectives. It is also a fantastic opportunity for you to go above and beyond, showing them that you care by asking additional questions and providing valuable insight into what they might need help with.

One thing that doesn't hurt? Sending them valuable something after their onboarding call is just an FYI that lays out some of your thoughts as you get started together. And it never hurts for clients to know just how much hard work goes into being an agency partner: ask if there's anything else we can be doing on our end.

8) What are your biggest challenges this year?

Asking your client what their biggest challenges are is a great way to get their wheels turning and can help you align your priorities with theirs.

They may be facing problems that they haven't thought of as significant issues and don't know how they're going to solve them, which means you can show them a more efficient or effective way of approaching things than they may have come up with on their own.

Remember, it's never too early (or too late) for strategic input! Letting your client's problems inspire you can help lead you down some exciting new paths. And beyond problem-solving - if there are elements that overlap between their company and others within your portfolio - introduce yourself and set up a meeting!

Free Client Onboarding Form Template

We've built a free client onboarding form template on HeyForm. Feel free to import and use it on your projects. And if you fancy creating a new online form from scratch, get started with HeyForm online form builder today!