CASE STUDY: REFINING CLIENT ONBOARDING STRATEGY FOR BRIDGET BAKER
The Challenge: When “Fine” Isn’t Good Enough
Bridget Baker, of Bridget Baker Branding, had been running a successful business for 15 years, and her onboarding process was… fine. It worked, but it wasn’t great.
Her exact words? "Cumbersome, piecemeal, grassroots."
As she took on more clients and expanded her offerings, cracks started to show:
Client information came in bits and pieces. Instead of a structured intake, she was constantly chasing down details.
She had to manually remember each onboarding step. If she forgot, it didn’t happen.
Clients weren’t sure what came next. Without clear communication, they needed extra hand-holding.
Bridget knew she needed a more strategic, seamless process—but wasn’t sure where to start.
“Working with Jacki was what I didn’t even know that I needed for my business.”
The Approach: Asking the Right Questions to Find the Right Answers
Rather than throwing new tools at the problem, I started with questions.
Me: "Walk me through what happens when a client says yes. What’s the first thing you do?"
Bridget: "I send them an invoice… unless I forget. And then I realize I haven’t sent the contract yet, so I do that next. Then I ask for their info, but not all at once, so they usually email me back with some details but forget others."
Me: "So right now, onboarding is entirely manual. How often do you find yourself following up for missing information?"
Bridget: "All. The. Time."
That was the first major insight—her onboarding wasn’t just inefficient for her, it was disorganized for her clients too.
“I realized I needed a better way to communicate and automate my systems and even lean on new tools that I was ALREADY paying for to create a strategy that worked for me.”
Step 1: Mapping Out a Clear, Repeatable Onboarding Workflow
We broke her process down step by step to identify where things were breaking down:
When does the contract go out?
When does invoicing happen?
When and how do you collect client information?
When do clients get confirmation on what happens next?
Me: "What steps do you never want to forget?"
Bridget: "Contracts, invoices, and making sure clients actually know what’s happening next."
By the end of this conversation, we had mapped out a repeatable workflow—not in a project management tool, but in Bridget’s own head. Now, she could see the gaps and inefficiencies that were making onboarding harder than it needed to be.
Step 2: Improving Client Communication & Follow-Up
Next, we tackled how and when she communicated with clients.
Me: "How many emails does it take to get all the info you need from a new client?"
Bridget: "Too many."
Me: "What if you could collect everything at once, right at the start?"
Bridget: "Oh, that would be amazing. But… what if I forget to check it?"
We built out a structured communication flow so clients:
✅ Get all onboarding details upfront, reducing back-and-forth.
✅ Clearly understand what happens next, eliminating confusion.
✅ Receive thoughtful follow-ups and appreciation touches.
“I now have a structure to communicate, to follow up, and to gift my people that I love working with to show my appreciation.”
Step 3: Leveraging the Tools She Already Had
Once we knew what needed to happen and when, we looked at whether her tools were actually supporting her.
Me: "What’s frustrating about your current setup?"
Bridget: "Squarespace doesn’t let me schedule invoices, which means I have to remember to send them manually. And I have to piece together different tools for contracts, invoicing, and project tracking."
Instead of suggesting new software, we looked at how she could get the most out of the tools she was already paying for.
“Jacki’s approach is clear and simple, and didn’t force me to sign up for any new tools, but showed me what I needed to focus on within the tools I already have.”
Now, she has a refined process that eliminates unnecessary steps while keeping things easy for both her and her clients.
“I now have a streamlined system for people to purchase, to get a link to schedule, and to market to them for the future.”
The Impact: Clarity, Confidence, and a Process That Feels Effortless
Bridget now has an onboarding strategy that supports her business growth—without adding complexity.
✅ Clients get a seamless, welcoming experience.
✅ A clear onboarding sequence she trusts.
✅ A repeatable process that eliminates unnecessary back-and-forth.
Bridget summed it up best:
“My business is mostly referral-based, and I felt like I was not taking great care of my people along the way. Now, I have a system that makes sure I do.”
“Loooooved working with Jacki!”
What This Means for You
If your client onboarding feels messy, manual, or frustrating, you don’t need a new tool—you need a strategy.
I help service-based businesses like Bridget’s map out clear, scalable workflows that:
✔️ Simplify client intake
✔️ Reduce manual work
✔️ Ensure clients feel supported from day one
Want to make your onboarding effortless? Check out my services.
