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Erica Holthausen
Experienced Ghostwriter for Sought-After Consultants.
Hi, I'm Erica!
I help consultants demonstrate their expertise, expand their influence, and increase their impact and income through insightful content.
On a more personal note, I am a writer, an avid reader, and a novice printmaker.
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I recently refined my client onboarding checklist and thought it might be a helpful resource! If it's helpful, please feel free to steal and modify to suit your purposes.
Without further ado, here it is in all its just-a-checklist glory:
Without further ado, here it is in all its just-a-checklist glory:
Client Onboarding Checklistย
The purpose of this checklist is to create a process around welcoming new clients. Our goal is to make sure that everyone involved in the engagement is aligned with one another so that we can work together effectively. It is also a way to exchange information, set up meetings, and start building the relationship.
Preparation
- Connect with the client on LinkedIn.
- Enter client details into CRM and PMS.
- Prepare an agenda for the kickoff meeting.
- Send the agenda and confirm the date and time of the meeting.ย
ย
Project Kickoff
I am looking forward to working with you! Todayโs call is designed to set the stage for our work together. It is an opportunity for us to get some clarity around our goals and expectations, to gather information, and schedule our next steps.ย
- Introductions
- Review administrative matters
- Confirm contact information
- Microsoft Word or Google Docs
- Style guide (House)
- Summary will be emailed
- Managing expectations
- Responsiveness and deep work
- Availability limited to office hours
- Review project summary and define success
- Review the project summary and discuss scope creep.
- What would make this a successful project for you?
- ย Review past experience
- Have you worked with a writer in the past?
- What was that experience like for you?
- What worked well? What would you change?
- Any questions?
- Review the editing process and discuss limits
- Send a polished draft to the client.
- Client tracks changes and reviews for tone, voice, accuracy, and style.
- Client returns copy deck with tracked changes and comments.
- Schedule a review call to review the draft, changes, and comments together.
- Writer makes edits, tracks changes, and sends the revised copy to the client.
- Client reviews and approves edits, comments on those they question, tracks all changes, and returns the copy deck to the writer.ย
- Next steps and timelines
- Deliverables, responsibility, and timelines.
- Schedule all meetings for the roadmap.
- Q+A
Follow-Up
- Update CRM and PMS
- Email the client
- Summary of the meeting
- Tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines
- Scheduled meetings
- Deliverables
- Send a welcome letter by mail.
Thanks so much for sharing this,ย ๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟ! I'm pinning this to the sidebar as a useful resource for people to reference ๐
Keep us posted on how this is performing for you as you put it into practice!
Keep us posted on how this is performing for you as you put it into practice!
· 1 reply
Wow! Thanksย ๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟ! This is invaluable.
I was recently thinking about how I should probably formalize my client onboarding process...Now I have no excuse!
I was recently thinking about how I should probably formalize my client onboarding process...Now I have no excuse!
· 1 reply
๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟ - Thank you for this list! It's the only one I've seen around that's this detailed.
Although some of it goes over my head, I'm new, I understand the bones of it and really appreciate you sharing your knowledge.๐
Although some of it goes over my head, I'm new, I understand the bones of it and really appreciate you sharing your knowledge.๐
· 1 reply
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My friend Kevin Monroe is hosting a free gratitude challenge starting December 7. I participated in the last one and will be doing it again. As many of you already know, something powerful happens when we tap into gratitude. I'm trying to develop a daily gratitude practice, so this challenge has been especially helpful. A few of the things I love about this particular challenge? Each prompt is accompanied by a lovely illustration, which immediately made me think of ๏ปฟ
Jenni Kowal
๏ปฟ's self-care card deck. The prompts are practical, simple, and actionable. In just a few minutes a day, your entire perspective can change. It made me think of ๏ปฟ
Mary DeRosa Hughes
๏ปฟ Gratitude Adjustment book (and Mary, I think you and Kevin would get along famously)! Finally, the community is global and generous and kind. Very much like this community.
Anyway, if you're interested you can sign up at http://thegratitudechallenge.community/.
๏ปฟ
Anyway, if you're interested you can sign up at http://thegratitudechallenge.community/.
๏ปฟ
Oh I loooove thisย ๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟย !! I am definitely signing up :D I'm glad that you thought of me and I'm excited to embark on this!!ย
· 1 reply
๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟ - thank you so much for thinking of me! ๐ I really love this idea...just signed up. Can't wait to get started on the challenge and meet some wonderful new people in this community!ย
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A lot is being shoved into these last two months of 2020!ย
I've mentioned elsewhere that I am pivoting my business a bit. In some ways, it's a small move from more traditional content marketing for consultants to ghostwriting articles for subject matter experts who wish to be published in industry trade journals and on association websites. In other ways, it's a huge shift that allows me to focus on the work I love most: writing research-based articles, position papers, and reports.ย
I've been working on a new way to introduce myself, and I'd love your feedback:
I've mentioned elsewhere that I am pivoting my business a bit. In some ways, it's a small move from more traditional content marketing for consultants to ghostwriting articles for subject matter experts who wish to be published in industry trade journals and on association websites. In other ways, it's a huge shift that allows me to focus on the work I love most: writing research-based articles, position papers, and reports.ย
I've been working on a new way to introduce myself, and I'd love your feedback:
A published writer with research skills honed as a litigation attorney, I help subject matter experts become industry leaders by ghostwriting articles that allow them to claim their space in the most influential publications in their fields.
That's the neat and tidy version. Owning the fact that I am an attorney, trained at the University of Virginia School of Law (something a lot of people think I should make explicit), is something I am just now becoming comfortable sharing. The truth is that I use the skills I learned in law school and as an attorney every single day. But it still feels show-offy. Also, I've been in marketing for the last 20 years. Is that also worth mentioning? This change and the editorial framework I developed for my writing projects will be a major part of the website re-write. A less neat-and-tidy version follows:
My name is Erica Holthausen. I am the founder of Catchline Communications and the creator of the CORD editorial framework. I am a published writer with 20 years of marketing experience and stellar research skills honed at the University of Virginia School of Law and while practicing as a litigation attorney in Boston. I help subject matter experts become industry leaders by ghostwriting articles that allow them to claim their space in the most influential publications in their fields.
In tangentially-related news, I am moving to New London, Connecticut, next month! This is a huge move for me because I will have an office to support my business and a little back yard to support my love for gardening. And the front porch is wicked cute.
Erica - congratulations on your upcoming move that includes an office! The longer version of your introduction is excellent also. The inclusion of 20 years of marketing and UVA are both wins for building credibility.
· 1 reply
I love this direction,
Erica Holthausen
! And what a beautiful new home!
I think the way you've written both versions here are useful. But, I think you need a one-sentence version that's a lot shorter. Thinking in terms of a website headline and what your advocates will actually remember...what's the simplest form of this that will connect to your audience?
I'm thinking along the lines of:ย
I think the way you've written both versions here are useful. But, I think you need a one-sentence version that's a lot shorter. Thinking in terms of a website headline and what your advocates will actually remember...what's the simplest form of this that will connect to your audience?
I'm thinking along the lines of:ย
I help subject matter experts become thought leaders in their industry.
ooo! Tell me more!
This nails the who (subject matter experts) and the What's In It For Me (become a thought leader in your industry).
If I'm someone who considers myself an SME, and I want to be a thought leader, you have my attention. Now we can talk about the how and why I should believe you can deliver on it.
This nails the who (subject matter experts) and the What's In It For Me (become a thought leader in your industry).
If I'm someone who considers myself an SME, and I want to be a thought leader, you have my attention. Now we can talk about the how and why I should believe you can deliver on it.
· 1 reply
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In a week filled with anxiety and uncertainty,
Charmaine Dymond
is a constant source of light! Her email newsletter is all about doing good in the world. She even includes tips for solo professionals, because every little bit matters. She also shares some great resources on LinkedIn and introduced me to The Noun Project this morning. It's a source for stock images and icons that are actually diverse and inclusive. So, thank you, Charmaine! For spreading a little good into the world!
Ah this is such a great way to start my morning! Can you link me to her newsletter so I can subscribe too??
· 2 replies
๏ปฟ
Erica Holthausen
๏ปฟ , you are so awesome! Thanks so much for sharing and for your kind, encouraging words! I'm so glad you're finding In the Good helpful.
And I'm so embarrassed at how long it took me to see this post! I disappeared for a bit with work and life (and the newsletter!), but I'm back now! :)
And I'm so embarrassed at how long it took me to see this post! I disappeared for a bit with work and life (and the newsletter!), but I'm back now! :)
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A colleague is looking for a social media manager to guide a start-up technology company's social media efforts. I don't know a lot of details, but I suspect it would be a fairly robust project. A lot of the technology revolves around mobile. Is this you or someone you know? Drop me your contact information (either in the comments below or DM me through messages) and I'll send it along!
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Hi Erica, is the job opportunity still open? My girlfriend, who is becoming an engineer and is a very empathetic person, is starting out as a social media manager and would be happy to help your colleague. Maybe you can connect them both: her email is vave.natalia@gmail.com. Have a great day! :)
· 3 replies
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A colleague of mine is building out a website and wants to aggregate content from a number of different platforms (industry websites, associations, and possibly social media). Is there a tool you use that you love to do this work? Is the question way more complicated than I think it is?ย
Any help on this is greatly appreciated!
Any help on this is greatly appreciated!
One thing I've come across recently is Mailbrew. I'm not sure if they limit your sources to what they've already curated or not, though.ย
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Filtering: the way I did it was to import everything as drafts and then manually publish what I wanted.
Do I have 1 I like? No, I haven't done this in a decade. It wasn't worth the hassle for me.
Do I have 1 I like? No, I haven't done this in a decade. It wasn't worth the hassle for me.
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A post from one of my other networks:
Does anyone know a good Webflow designer/developer?
Does anyone know a good Webflow designer/developer?
The ideal person will have immersed themselves in Webflow, know the platform inside and out, and be able to push it to get the most out of it. Open to a design/developer combo as well as a developer only.
The person could be at an freelancer or indie agency.
The person could be at an freelancer or indie agency.
I'm looking to add someone with these skills to my network, and hopefully feed them business.
Let me know if this is you (or if you know someone), give me your contact information, and I'll pass it along!
Let me know if this is you (or if you know someone), give me your contact information, and I'll pass it along!
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Heyย
Erica Holthausen
ย ๐
if you are still looking for one, I'm available and would like to connect.
if you are still looking for one, I'm available and would like to connect.
· 6 replies
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I think it was a week or so ago thatย
Brandon Osborne
recommended Quoters to help manage the proposal process. I picked up a copy from AppSumo (If you're interested, Brandon has a code that will get you $10 off and get him $10 towards his next purchase), and ignored it.
Until this week.
I just finished putting together a proposal on Quoters. I tested it out by sending a copy to myself. It is a game-changer and is going to make this entire process sooooo much easier!
So, thank you, Brandon!ย
Until this week.
I just finished putting together a proposal on Quoters. I tested it out by sending a copy to myself. It is a game-changer and is going to make this entire process sooooo much easier!
So, thank you, Brandon!ย
Amazing! I was just thinking to myself, "I haven't heard fromย
Brandon Osborne
ย in a while..." and I'm glad he's still poking around! ๐ย
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I just finished putting together an ebook to use as a lead magnet. The original version was heavy on jargon, a little too developer-y instead of writer-y, and definitely too repetitive. I'm hoping this strikes the right tone and I'd welcome your feedback!
The audience: Consultants. Typically solo professionals and small consulting firms specializing in business and nonprofit management, human resources, sales, marketing, finance, education, environmental health and safety, supply chain, or sustainability.
The goal: Help people understand what they should include on their website and encourage them to seek help if they need it!
The perspective: I'm a writer, so most of this focuses on the content. But content, design, and development work together to create a user experience, so you can't really think of content alone. I give an overview of websites 101 and then get into what types of copy go onto each page.
The concern: Is this too simple? Do you think business management consultants and other non-marketing consultants would find this valuable? Or did I miss the boat?
The audience: Consultants. Typically solo professionals and small consulting firms specializing in business and nonprofit management, human resources, sales, marketing, finance, education, environmental health and safety, supply chain, or sustainability.
The goal: Help people understand what they should include on their website and encourage them to seek help if they need it!
The perspective: I'm a writer, so most of this focuses on the content. But content, design, and development work together to create a user experience, so you can't really think of content alone. I give an overview of websites 101 and then get into what types of copy go onto each page.
The concern: Is this too simple? Do you think business management consultants and other non-marketing consultants would find this valuable? Or did I miss the boat?
This is awesome, Erica! Really clean design โ I think it's great. My only suggestion would be to incorporate screenshots or links to pages who do this well. Not only outline what you think should be included in the copy, but also show an example of someone doing it well. Double the learning, double the fun.
Really great as is, though!
Really great as is, though!
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Oh there it is! I think this is great (not too simple!) I agree with @
Jay Clouse (he/him)
ย - adding a little bit of variety on each page with screenshots or examples helps the flow of the PDF - and helps break up sections as well.ย ย
I can definitely see this content being repurposed for a high-level Social Media post, and then you can link them to the sign up page!
I can definitely see this content being repurposed for a high-level Social Media post, and then you can link them to the sign up page!
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Hi Erica,
Not too simple. The simplicity element helps the cause.
Crisp and comprehensive!ย
Not too simple. The simplicity element helps the cause.
Crisp and comprehensive!ย
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Last week I felt like one of those circus performers with a ton of plates all spinning on different sticks.ย
Way. Too. Many. Plates.
So, I came here. Freaked out a bit. Andย
Brandon Osborne
,ย
Jay Clouse (he/him)
,ย
Josh Robbs
,ย
Bill Lynch
, andย
Bill Fox
reminded me to breathe and gently stopped a few of those plates from spinning, stacked them up in a nice, neat pile, and put them to the side. They also reminded me to breathe and assured me that I wasn't the only one who felt like a whirling dervish from time to time.
Thank you, gentlemen! You have no idea how much I needed that bit of perspective!
Way. Too. Many. Plates.
So, I came here. Freaked out a bit. Andย
Thank you, gentlemen! You have no idea how much I needed that bit of perspective!
