Freelance Client Welcome Packet: Checklist + Pasteable Welcome Email

Kickoff chaos is usually missing paper, not missing talent.

I started sending a welcome packet the same day the deposit clears. Clients stop asking "wait, what's next?" in three different threads.

Checklist (send as PDF or Notion page):

CLIENT WELCOME PACKET

Included:
[ ] Signed SOW / scope (1 page)
[ ] Deposit receipt + remaining invoice schedule
[ ] Kickoff call link + timezone
[ ] Asset folder link (client uploads here)
[ ] Comms rules (Slack / email only; response window)
[ ] Revision rounds included: [N]
[ ] Delivery format + dates (rough / final)
[ ] How change orders work (one sentence)
[ ] Support window end date (if any)

Pasteable welcome email:

Subject: You're in — next steps for [Project]

Hi [Name],

Deposit cleared. Here's your welcome packet: [link].

Before kickoff on [date/time tz], please:
1) Upload assets to [folder]
2) Confirm the scope page still matches what you want
3) Reply with anything that's changed since the proposal

I'll lock the brief on the call. Work outside that page is a change order.

Talk soon,
[You]

I sent this to a SaaS client who used to drip assets for nine days. Folder filled in 48 hours. Clock started clean.

Related: https://dev.to/marcusvale/freelancer-parallel-project-conflict-notice-email-7l8
Also: https://dev.to/marcusvale/freelancer-tool-access-revoke-on-pause-email-1fjo

Full ops pack (intake, pause, change order, offboarding) lives here if you want the rest of the emails:
https://scienceartist.gumroad.com/l/freelancer-client-ops-bundle