Client Intake is the bridge between closing a deal and starting work. It's the structured process of collecting everything the team needs: signed contracts, billing setup, stakeholder contacts, brand assets, existing analytics access, CMS credentials, and any existing research or documentation. Without a clean intake, the first 2 weeks of every project are spent chasing access and re-asking questions that were already discussed in sales.
A sloppy intake creates a sloppy start. Missing credentials delay research. Unknown stakeholders surface late and derail decisions. Incomplete asset collection means designers work with wrong logos. The intake checklist is the difference between a project that starts strong and one that burns its first sprint on admin.
Every credential collected before day 1. Every stakeholder identified with their role and availability. A kickoff meeting scheduled with a clear agenda. The team can start research immediately without waiting for access.
Florian Auckenthaler is an entrepreneur and marketing strategist specializing in U.S. market entry and growth for European companies. Over the past two decades he has helped brands build and scale their presence in the United States through strategy, websites, and digital marketing. He is the founder of DesigningIT, HotelGrowth, and S1MOS, an AI-driven marketing operating system.
Topics