SOP: Onboarding a new client

By Demo Advisor · Updated May 12, 2026

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Purpose: A consistent, professional first-week experience for every new client. Eliminates "did I send them the intake form?" mistakes and makes sure no one is waiting on us unnecessarily.

Who runs this

Primary: Lead Advisor

Backup: Any Agent

Trigger

Lead responds YES to initial proposal or fills out our contact form with confirmed interest

SLA

Welcome + intake within 24 hours

Full proposal within 72 hours

Day 0 — the same hour they say yes

  1. Mark the lead "Active" in your CRM.

  2. Send the Welcome Email template (Templates → Welcome). Personalize the first paragraph with something specific they said on the call.

  3. Include: the intake form link, a Calendly for our planning call, our standard fee + deposit info.

  4. Add them to our monthly travel-tips newsletter (in Marketing app).

  5. Slack or email the team: "New client: [name], [destination], [timeline]" so we can cover if you're out.

Day 1–3 — the planning call

  1. Before the call: read their intake form twice and pull 2–3 property options for the destination.

  2. On the call: listen for the things they didn't say — budget anxiety, travel experience level, anyone not thrilled to be going.

  3. End the call with: a specific next step, a timeline, and what you need from them before then.

  4. Same day: send the Planning Call Recap email — what we discussed, next steps, any action items for them.

Day 4–7 — the first proposal

  1. Build the proposal in our proposal template. Two to three options, priced with taxes + fees INCLUDED.

  2. Include a destination guide from our library relevant to their trip — shows you're thinking about the whole experience, not just the booking.

  3. Send with a plain-text email, not PDF-only. Clients read email, not attachments.

  4. Set a 48-hour follow-up reminder in your CRM.

When things go sideways

Client goes quiet after proposal

Symptom: no reply after 48 hours.

Response: One soft follow-up email. If nothing after 7 days, move to "Nurture" list — they may come back in 6 months. Don't badger.

Intake form reveals a deal-breaker

Symptom: dates don't work, budget way off, destination we can't service well.

Response: Be honest on the planning call. Either offer a realistic adjustment or refer them to a specialist. A gracious referral is better than a bad booking.

Handoff

If you're going to be OOO during the onboarding window, hand off formally before you leave: brief the backup advisor, update the CRM note, send a warm intro email from both of you. Never ghost a new client.

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