The Biggest Client Onboarding Mistakes Interior Designers Should Avoid
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Written January 2021 | Updated January 2025
If you’re nervous about bringing on new interior design clients because your onboarding process (or lack of one) feels clunky and overwhelming, that ends today! A streamlined and elevated onboarding experience doesn’t just happen by accident—it takes experience to understand what a client will need and time to create it. But once it’s created, you’ll be able to leverage its benefits with every.single.project. By implementing a few best practices and avoiding these NINE common mistakes I’ve seen interior designers make over the years, you’ll be on your way to creating an onboarding process that not only sets the right tone for your project but also wows your clients from the start.
When I set up the client onboarding experience for my own company, I put myself in my clients’ shoes to better understand what questions I’d have, how I’d feel, and what I’d want to hear throughout the process if I were them. And yes, it took a lot of work upfront, but it was worth it. Many of our clients have told me they want their client experience to be as seamless and elevated as mine. 🙌
ℹ️ This is exactly what we help interior designers do in our Designed to Scale® Method program and with our client experience templates.
So, let’s jump into some common mistakes I’ve seen that interior designers should avoid when onboarding new clients.
MISTAKE #1: ONBOARDING A CLIENT BEFORE THEY’VE PAID.
You should have clear parameters around when your work starts and when it ends. If you onboard a client and send them welcome materials before they have signed and paid, that sets the standard that you will do things outside of a contract and without pay.
Is that how you run your business? Without contracts and without being paid?
Not if you want to be profitable, enjoy clear boundaries, or delegate to a team.
MISTAKE #2: WAITING TOO LONG TO ONBOARD A CLIENT.
Recently, I received pushback from a client’s team about the timing of onboarding. The process I developed for them involved clients being onboarded and set up in the system within one business day of payment and signing the contract.
My client’s team didn’t understand why we needed to do it so quickly when their project wasn’t starting for another month or so.
<Insert deep breath to calm down>
I discussed with her team my philosophy (I’m not sure if it’s backed by science, but it’s backed by proven results I’ve seen from working with over 100 1:1 clients) about buying psychology and clients receiving something right when they make a purchase.
→ Instant gratification.
→ Validation that they made a smart purchase.
→ Excitement to work with you when they are maybe second-guessing themselves.
If someone pays thousands of dollars and then hears nothing, they might feel like they were just a sale to you, like you only cared about them before you got their money.
It can leave a bad taste in your client’s mouth, and you don’t want to spend the rest of your project feeling like you need to make it up to them.
Your streamlined client onboarding experience should be easy to send out to clients quickly and should reassure them they made an awesome decision by choosing you.
We LOVE HoneyBook for this.
MISTAKE #3: NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION IN THE ONBOARDING PROCESS.
I would say this is probably the most common onboarding mistake I see interior designers make.
Here’s what I love about the onboarding phase: it sets YOU and your client up for success. It gathers all the information you need to get started. It details how they can make the most of their time with you. It establishes YOU as the expert they will look to for managing their project (vs the client trying to take over because they don’t feel like you’re in charge).
→ Think about what information you always need to get started. A questionnaire? Files? Photos? Access?
→ Think about what information they’ll need to know now that they’re a paying client. What new questions will they have that weren’t applicable before, but are now that they’re going to start a project with you?
→ Think about how you can make them feel welcomed into your exclusive community so they keep coming back for more (or send you referrals because they loved it so much).
You want to make sure your onboarding process is beneficial to you and supportive to your clients. This is your chance to lay it all out there and clear the way for a successful project.
ℹ️ It’s exactly the method I teach to designers and implement into their businesses. Grab our Client Onboarding Playbook to refine your entire onboarding process.
MISTAKE #4: TOO MANY STEPS IN THE ONBOARDING PROCESS.
I see this less than mistake #3, but what I do see here is too many steps in too many different places. Talk about C.L.U.N.K.Y!
I like to house as much information as possible in one email, one welcome packet, one welcome page, etc. Otherwise, it can be difficult for clients to keep track of it all. Then, they’ll start the project feeling overwhelmed and confused because they’re getting messages and instructions from all over the place.
I had a recent experience with a company I hired and the onboarding process was exactly like this. I received a document to sign from one software. An email from the person I had the sales call with. An email from the person who would be handling my account. An email from their software that sent the invoice. And an email from their assistant to gather information.
It was a lot, and to be honest, I ended up breaking the contract because the rest of the experience was just as clunky, and they weren’t able to deliver on their promise. If the onboarding experience has been more efficient, I may not have gone into the service with a bit of skepticism … but I did.
MISTAKE #5: NOT PERSONALIZING THE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE.
Your clients want to feel special, not like they’re just another transaction or they’re part of some robotic workflow that feels cheap. Read this post for how to avoid sounding like a robot.
This is why each of my three daughters thinks they’re my favorite kid! It’s not because I have a favorite kid, but it’s because of the tiny gestures I make with each of my girls that make them feel loved, valued, and seen—like they’re the only kid in the house. I do simple things, like leave notes in their lunchboxes, buy their favorite snacks, surprise them with 1:1 activities (like going to the library, taking a walk, or working out together while the other girls are busy), style their hair just how they like, have personal jokes with each of them, and know their priorities so I can tailor our conversations and activities around those.
As an interior designer, you personalize the client experience by leveraging email templates to save time so you CAN personalize all your important touchpoints - addressing clients by name, tailoring the process to their specific project, and even mentioning details that show you’ve paid attention to their unique needs or desires. The small touches that show you were listening and you “get them” will create more trust and make them feel valued.
MISTAKE #6: NOT SETTING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR COMMUNICATION.
Communication is KEY to any successful project. Without clear expectations around communication, clients may feel frustrated if they don’t hear from you often enough or overwhelmed if they hear from you too much.
And the last thing you want to do is spend the project sending tired emails to the client that always start with, “Sorry for the delay…”. This is not a good experience for clients.
On the flip side of that, if your client starts texting you on Saturday mornings and sending pictures via Instagram, that could blur the boundaries REAL quick and is the fast track to burnout and resentment.
Again, it all comes down to setting expectations around communication, business hours, preferred platforms, turnaround times, etc. This information should be clearly laid out in your contract AND your onboarding materials.
MISTAKE #7: NOT INTRODUCING THE CLIENT TO YOUR TEAM (IF APPLICABLE).
Clients like to know who they’re working with, and they want to feel like they’re in good hands. They also don’t want to feel shortchanged if they thought they were hiring you, but then your junior or someone else from your team is the only one involved.
No one, especially someone hiring a luxury service provider, wants to feel like they’re “not good enough” for the “real deal” person on the team. So, if you have a team supporting you or if you plan to bring in other team members throughout the project, introduce them early on in the process and then make a pointed introduction during onboarding.
MISTAKE #8: OVERLOOKING THE LOGISTICS OF THE FIRST MEETING/PROJECT START.
The first meeting or project kick-off sets the tone for the entire relationship. If you don’t highlight the importance of the first meeting in your onboarding process, it can lead to confusion about where, when, and how to start the work.
You definitely don’t want clients thinking you’re going to start the project the second they sign the contract. On the other hand, you also don’t want clients to think you’re going to start the project without gathering any insights or information from them before you start designing. Talk about panic mode!
I recently worked with a stylist to revamp my wardrobe and she didn’t send any intake information. No size details. No style preferences. No lifestyle notes. Nothing. I was SO STRESSED. How would she be able to nail my style and sizes and bring clothes I liked if she didn’t have any of that intake? It was an unnecessary amount of stress for me to experience when hiring a luxury service provider, and it would have made all the difference if she had sent over onboarding materials (even if short and sweet) to calm my nerves, knowing I would be in good hands because she was doing her due diligence.
MISTAKE #9: NOT PROVIDING CLEAR PROJECT TIMELINES.
Clients often have NO clue what the interior design process will entail or how long it will take. In fact, based on what’s online and on tv, a full home renovation and furnishing project seems like it can be done in a day or two (thanks, HGTV!).
But honestly, lack of clarity around timelines can be the biggest relationship killer of all time. You might know that furniture takes 12-16 weeks to go through production PLUS additional time for delivery once it arrives locally, but your client has no idea and is used to ordering things online with next-day shipping.
Or, you might know you’re presenting in two weeks, but the client may feel like they haven’t heard from you in f.o.r.e.v.e.r and be VERY frustrated by the time you email them to confirm their presentation.
Know your project timelines and communicate them in advance to clients!
While no two interior design businesses are the same, the key principles for a luxury client onboarding experience are ALWAYS the same:
→ Onboard quickly so clients feel validated and reassured in their decision to work with you.
→ Be detailed in your welcome packet to avoid confusion and set expectations clearly from the beginning.
→ Gather all the important information upfront to showcase your expertise and increase the chances of a seamless project.
→ Be proactive in your communication to keep clients informed and reduce anxiety. Stop.Being.Reactive.
→ Hit them from every angle—through email, snail mail, beautiful guides, interactive questionnaires, and thoughtful experiences that let the onboarding process be yet another part of their beautiful design journey.
Additional Articles for Interior Designers
If you recognize any of these common mistakes in your own interior design process or if you’re looking for guidance on designing a client experience that feels polished and professional, check out these resources:
