Introduction
I’m thrilled you’re considering a partnership with GK3. If you’re like most of the prospects I speak with, one of your biggest questions is, “What happens during onboarding? How long will it take? And how much time does my team need to invest?” These are great questions, and the answers are critical to ensuring our engagement sets off on the right foot.
At GK3, we define onboarding as the first 45 days of our engagement. This isn’t just about setting up systems or checking boxes; it’s about laying a foundation for long-term success. During this period, we focus on aligning our teams, understanding your goals, and building a strategy designed specifically for your business. By the end of onboarding, you’ll have a clear 90-day roadmap and confidence in our partnership.
Here’s what you can expect from every step of our onboarding process.
The GK3 Onboarding Process: Your First 45 Days
Day One – Welcome and Introductions
Day one is a milestone—the start of our official partnership. The moment the contract is signed, we hit the ground running. You’ll receive a personalized welcome package that includes:
- A welcome video introducing you to your GK3 account team.
- An overview of the team members who will be working on your account. This includes your dedicated account manager, production specialists, and anyone else involved in ensuring your success.
This initial step is all about building relationships. We want you to know who we are, feel comfortable with the team, and understand the support system available to you.
Your time investment: Minimal. You’ll simply review the welcome materials and get acquainted with the team.
Week 1 – Engagement Essentials and Knowledge Transfer
During Week 1, we focus on setting the stage for a smooth collaboration. This includes two major components:
Alongside this checklist, we’ll provide step-by-step instructional videos to make setup as easy as possible for your team.
2. Internal Knowledge Transfer
While you’re completing the checklist, we’re having an internal meeting to ensure your GK3 account team is fully up to speed. We discuss:
- Why you hired us and what problems you want to solve.
- The goals and challenges you shared during the sales process.
- Potential quick wins we can implement to make an immediate impact.
This alignment ensures that everyone on our side understands your needs, so we can hit the ground running.
Your time investment: About 1 hour to complete the checklist and provide access to the necessary systems.
Week 2 – Vision Alignment Call and Baseline Review
Week 2 kicks off with a Vision Alignment Call, the official start of our collaborative journey. This is where our entire team and yours come together for a one-hour session to ensure we’re aligned on goals and expectations.
Vision Alignment Call
Here’s what happens during this meeting:
- Introductions: We make sure everyone knows who’s who, so communication is seamless.
- GK3 Overview: Even if you’re familiar with our capabilities, we revisit how we work and what you can expect.
- Scope and Goals: We confirm the scope of work and revisit your goals to ensure alignment.
This meeting sets the tone for a collaborative and productive relationship.
Baseline Review
While the Vision Alignment Call gets everyone on the same page, the Baseline Review digs into your existing assets to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities. This includes:
- CRM Setup: We evaluate how your team is using it, from lead scoring to pipeline management.
- Website Audit: Is it optimized for conversions? How strong is its SEO foundation?
- Content and Campaigns: We analyze current materials and campaigns to understand what’s working and what isn’t.
Your time investment: 1 hour for the Vision Alignment Call. The Baseline Review is handled entirely by our team.
Week 3 – Discovery and Vision Workshop
In Week 3, we dig even deeper during the Discovery and Vision Workshop. This is a collaborative session where we ask questions, clarify goals, and explore opportunities.
After the workshop, we document our findings in a SMART Goal Summary, which serves as a guiding document for the next steps.
Your time investment: 2-3 hours, typically split into one or two sessions.
Week 4 – HubSpot Launch Configuration
Now that we have a clear understanding of your systems and goals, we move into technical setup. Week 4 is dedicated to configuring HubSpot (or integrating with your existing CRM) to ensure everything is ready for campaigns.
Here’s what we do:
- Customize properties to track the data most relevant to your business.
- Integrate HubSpot with your website, CRM, and social media platforms.
- Create templates for emails, landing pages, and blog posts.
This is largely an internal process, designed to set up a seamless infrastructure for campaign execution.
Your time investment: None—our team handles everything.
Week 5 – Buyer Persona Workshop and Snapshot
Understanding your audience is key to creating campaigns that resonate. During the Buyer Persona Workshop, we collaborate with your team to define your ideal customers.
Here’s what we focus on:
- Decision-making processes: What motivates your audience to act?
- Pain points and challenges: What problems do they need solved?
- Demographics and Preferences: Who are they, and how do they prefer to engage?
After the workshop, we provide a Persona Snapshot—a detailed profile of your target audience that guides all future strategies.
Your time investment: 1-2 hours for the workshop, plus time to review the Persona Snapshot.
Week 6 – Investment Pillars Workshop (The 5 P's)
In the final week of onboarding, we hold the Investment Pillars Workshop, which evaluates your offerings across five key dimensions:
- Product: What makes your product unique? How does it solve your audience’s challenges?
- Price: Are your fees competitive and transparent? How do they align with your value proposition?
- Performance: What results have you delivered, and how do you communicate that effectively?
- Process: Is your methodology consistent, scalable, and adaptable to market changes?
- People: Who is behind the product, and why should investors trust them?
This workshop helps us craft messaging that highlights your strengths and addresses any potential objections.
Your time investment: 1-2 hours for the workshop.
Day 45: The 90-Day Roadmap Session
By Day 45, all the hard work pays off. During this session, we present your 90-Day Roadmap, which includes:
- A detailed content strategy.
- Quick wins to achieve immediate results.
- A campaign plan for the next three months.
This roadmap ensures everyone is aligned and ready to move forward with confidence.
Your time investment: 1 hour for the session.
Conclusion
The first 45 days of our partnership are designed to build a strong foundation for success. From aligning on goals to setting up systems and crafting detailed strategies, every step of the onboarding process is intentional and focused on delivering value.
At GK3, we believe that a well-structured onboarding process isn’t just about starting strong—it’s about ensuring long-term success. If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, let’s talk. We’d love to help you achieve your goals.
Topics: Content Digital Marketing Digital Distribution Asset Management Website Sales Enablement CRM Automation Lead Generation Technology