Automating Client Onboarding

Client onboarding is the series of steps between "I want to book you" and "Here is your contract and questionnaire." Do it manually and you are spending 15-20 minutes per client on repetitive work. Automate it and it happens in seconds.

What to Automate

A typical onboarding sequence after a client books:

1. Welcome email: Sent immediately. Confirms the booking, introduces yourself, sets expectations.
2. Contract: Sent immediately or 1 hour after booking. Your photography agreement ready for e-signature.
3. Questionnaire: Sent after contract is signed. Collects session details (shot list preferences, outfit plans, location ideas).
4. Invoice/Deposit: Sent with or immediately after the contract. Secures the date with payment.
5. Prep guide: Sent 3-7 days before the session. What to wear, what to bring, what to expect.

Building the Automation

Go to Communication > Automations and click New Automation.

1. Trigger: Select "New Booking Created" as the trigger event. You can filter by session type (e.g., only weddings, only mini sessions).
2. Step 1 — Welcome Email: Add an "Send Email" action. Select your welcome email template. Delay: 0 minutes (send immediately).
3. Step 2 — Contract: Add a "Send Contract" action. Select your contract template. Delay: 1 hour after booking.
4. Step 3 — Wait for Signature: Add a "Wait Until" condition: "Contract Signed." The automation pauses here until the client signs.
5. Step 4 — Questionnaire: Add a "Send Form" action. Select your session questionnaire. Delay: 0 minutes after contract signed.
6. Step 5 — Prep Guide: Add a "Send Email" action. Select your prep guide template. Delay: 7 days before session date (use "Relative to Booking Date" timing).

Email Templates for Onboarding

Create reusable templates under Communication > Templates:

Welcome email template:

• Subject: "You are booked! Here is what happens next"
• Body: Personal greeting, confirmation of date and time, brief overview of the next steps (contract, questionnaire, prep guide), your contact information for questions

Prep guide template:

• Subject: "Your session is coming up — here is how to prepare"
• Body: What to wear, arrival time and location, what to bring, what to expect during the session, your phone number for day-of communication

Use smart fields ({{client_first_name}}, {{session_date}}, {{session_type}}) so templates personalize automatically.

Per-Session-Type Automations

Different session types need different onboarding flows:

• Weddings: Longer sequence with timeline questionnaire, vendor collection form, and multiple check-ins over months
• Mini sessions: Shorter sequence. Just confirmation, brief prep email, done.
• Corporate headshots: Include a company-specific intake form and scheduling link for individual team members

Create separate automations for each session type. Filter the trigger by session type so the right automation runs for the right booking.

Testing Your Automation

Before going live, test the automation by creating a test booking with your own email address. Confirm every email arrives, every link works, and the timing is correct. Check on both desktop and mobile.

Common Mistakes

• Too many emails too fast: Space out your communications. Three emails in one hour feels like spam.
• Missing personalization: An email that says "Hi {{client_first_name}}" because the field was not set up correctly. Always test.
• Not handling edge cases: What happens if the client never signs the contract? Add a follow-up reminder after 48 hours.