The Fastest Way to Lose a New Client
Nov 18, 2025There’s nothing like a new professional advisor to remind you how not to do onboarding.
We’ve just started working with one, and I swear, it’s like they want me to regret it.
One form after another.
Email threads that never end.
Requests for the same information again and again.
You start the process with good intentions, and halfway through, you’re wondering if it’s too late to back out.
By the end of it? I’m not even thinking about the service anymore, I’m thinking about how I can turn back time.
The harder you make it to become a client, the more likely they are to change their mind.
You’re not the only option. People don’t always say no. They just disappear.
We talk a lot about marketing, messaging, and discovery calls, but what happens after that?
You’ve done all the work to build trust, and then…
You hit them with 19 steps, 3 portals, and a pre-call questionnaire that feels like a mortgage application.
No thanks.
Onboarding is essential – but it doesn’t have to be painful.
We need agreements, client forms, maybe a questionnaire to shape the experience. But most businesses build their onboarding around what they need, not what the client actually wants.
Here’s what the client wants:
- To know they’ve made the right decision
- To feel supported
- To get momentum fast
- To do it with as little friction as possible
The golden rule:
Get your client from decision to momentum in the fewest steps possible.
Not rushed, but clean. Not overwhelming, but clear.
If you’re getting non-completions, drop-offs, or ghosting, it’s not always your offer. It might just be that your onboarding sucks.
3 Ways to Streamline Your Onboarding
1. Cut the noise.
Look at every step you’re asking your client to take. Now ask: is this essential, or is it just something I want? If it doesn’t directly move the client forward or make their life easier, cut it.
2. Pre-fill, pre-empt, simplify.
Use tech smartly. Pre-fill what you can. Make forms conversational and use logic. Give people the option to voice-note or Loom something instead of writing essays. Meet them where they are.
3. Think like a concierge.
Onboarding isn’t just admin, it’s part of the experience. You’re welcoming someone into your world. So give them a fast win, a reason to smile, and a clear path forward.
At the risk of self-promotion, here’s a comment I received from a client yesterday:
“I want to take a moment and say a humongous thank you. I’ve so enjoyed the process of working together that it’s hardly felt like work at all. Here’s to many more chapters working together!”
When someone signs up to work with you, it should feel like a relief, not a regret.
When you work with me, I’m not here to make life harder, and I’m definitely not giving you more homework. My job is to get you where you need to go — clearly, simply, and with the least resistance possible. That starts from day one.
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