Five Questions to Ask Before Your Agency Sends a Welcome Email
A short checklist account managers can use to make sure the first client communication actually sets up the kickoff — not just says hello.
The welcome email is often the first message a client reads after signing. Yet many agencies treat it as a formality — a warm greeting with a PDF attached and no clear next step. Before you hit send, answer these five questions.
1. Does the client know who owns their account?
Name the primary contact, their role, and how to reach them. “Your team” is not a name. If a backup contact exists for absences, mention them briefly.
2. Is there one specific action required this week?
Clients respond to concrete requests: “Upload your brand guidelines by Thursday” works better than “Please share any relevant materials at your earliest convenience.” One action per email in week one.
3. Does the timeline match what sales promised?
Compare the welcome email against the proposal. If production needs two weeks before a kickoff call, say so. Surprises in week one erode trust faster than delays explained upfront.
4. Are internal handoffs complete?
Do not send the welcome email until sales has transferred notes, budget context, and scope boundaries to the account lead. Clients notice when their new contact asks questions the previous contact already answered.
5. Can a junior staff member send this email unchanged?
If only a senior account director can write the welcome message correctly each time, your onboarding is person-dependent, not process-dependent. Template the structure; personalise only the client-specific details.
These questions come from audit interviews with Taiwan-based studios. None require new software — only discipline before the send button.