From Inquiry to Offboarding: Build a Client Journey That Sells For You

Why Your Client Journey Matters

Your work is amazing, but if your client journey is clunky, confusing, or chaotic, it can seriously impact your ability to land (and keep) dream clients. A well-designed client experience doesn’t just feel good for the people hiring you, it works behind the scenes to help you sell your services, streamline your operations, and build referral-worthy trust. And if you ask us, that's the best and most effective marketing strategy you can have!

We’re walking you through the full client journey, from the moment someone reaches out to when the project wraps. Plus, you’ll learn how WillowSpace can help you automate and elevate every step.

Step 1: Capture Inquiries With Intention

Before the sales process even begins, you want to make sure you’re attracting aligned leads. That starts with how you present yourself and how you capture inquiries.

Tips:

• Make sure your website is a reflection of your brand and the kind of work you want to attract

• Embed a beautiful contact or inquiry form on your website (customizable in WillowSpace!)

• Ask qualifying questions (budget, timeline, goals) to filter good-fit leads

• Automate a warm, friendly email reply to acknowledge their message and share next steps

📌 Want more support here? Use our Client Management Toolkit when you start a free trial of WillowSpace to get form templates that actually work.

Step 2: Nurture Leads With Clarity

Once someone reaches out, you have a short window to create trust and build excitement. This is your moment to shine, not just with your portfolio, but with your communication.

Ideas:

• Auto-send a lookbook or media kit to explain your process, pricing, and style

• Link to a scheduler for easy call booking (no more back-and-forth emails)

• Keep the conversation warm, clear, and intentional

✨ WillowSpace helps you build this entire flow with beautiful templates, custom form builders, and lead nurturing automations.

Step 3: Send a Proposal That Converts

After your discovery call or lead response, it’s time to send a proposal. This is where you break down your services and pricing, and help the client clearly see the transformation they’re investing in.

Best practices:

• Use strategic pricing packages (2-3 tiers is ideal)

• Emphasize results and outcomes, not just deliverables

• Make it easy to accept online with one click

• If it's a "no" then get feedback (WillowSpace gives leads an option to include this automatically)

🔗 Not sure what to include? Read our post on What to Include in a Design Proposal

Step 4: Contract + Invoice With Ease

When the proposal is accepted, it's time to make things official. Send a digital contract and invoice so your client knows exactly what to expect.

In WillowSpace, you can:

• Create reusable templates for your documents, including contracts

• Add due dates, auto-reminders, and even auto-late fees

• Invoice your clients in any currency

• Use client portals to keep everything organized and on track

This makes the admin part of onboarding seamless—for both you and your client.

Step 5: Onboard With Confidence

Don’t underestimate this step. A strong onboarding experience sets the tone for the entire project.

What to include:

• A kickoff email or welcome guide with necessary next steps and links

• An intake form to collect brand files, goals, or logins

• An overview of the timeline and milestones

You can build an entire onboarding flow using WillowSpace’s form builder, contract tools, and timeline automations.

At Function, we send one, streamlined onboarding email to new clients that includes a link to: an intake form to get more contact information, a link to their project contract, a link to the deposit invoice and a link to their client portal.

📌 Want to know how your client experience stacks up? Use our Free Client Experience Audit to get a quick assessment and see where you can improve.

Step 6: Deliver the Project With Transparency

The project phase is where your magic happens. But even when the work is great, lack of communication can shake client trust. Stay transparent and proactive throughout.

Suggestions:

• Use weekly check-ins or status updates

• Share feedback forms or sign-off points

• Track milestones and share updates inside your client portal automatically

🎯 With WillowSpace, your client portal becomes a one-stop hub for documents, meetings, payments, and project tracking…no extra logins required.

Step 7: Offboard With Care

Offboarding isn’t the end — it’s the start of a long-term relationship. Clients who feel supported even after the project are the most likely to come back or refer others your way.

Offboarding ideas:

• Send a goodbye + launch celebration email

• Include final files or delivery checklist

• Send a custom gift to your client to celebrate their project wrap-up

• Request a testimonial via a feedback form

• Share about referral programs

• Schedule check-ins with your client at certain intervals or holidays

• Send exclusive services one-pager for clients

📢 Pro tip: Ask if they know anyone else who might need your services. A simple referral request goes a long way.

Let WillowSpace Be the Backbone of Your Client Journey

At every step of the client journey, WillowSpace is here to help you:

• Streamline your workflows

• Look professional and polished

• Free up time to focus on your creative work

If you're ready to spend less time in admin and more time doing what you love, try it for yourself.

Start your free trial today — no credit card required.