A new client usually says something like "I want my page to grow." That is not yet a plan. Onboarding turns a vague wish into a written brief you can work from and be measured against. It also shows the client, from the first meeting, that you are organised.
The onboarding conversation
Keep it to thirty or forty minutes, in person, on a call or by voice notes. Ask:
- The business. What do you sell, to whom, and at what price range? What makes you different from the shop next door?
- Customers. Who buys most? Where do they live? How do they usually contact you and pay, for example WhatsApp and MoMo?
- Goal. What should social media do for the business in the next three months? More orders, more enquiries, more people at an event, or a better reputation?
- History. What has worked before? What went badly? Have there been complaints or scams?
- People. Who approves posts? Who answers orders and complaints? Who can make decisions when the owner is busy?
- Limits. Topics to avoid, photos that need permission, and how quickly messages must be answered.
Turning a wish into a goal
A useful goal is specific, linked to the business, and something you can check. Compare: