Marketing Manager Onboarding Checklist
Everything you need to onboard a marketing manager from Day 1 through their first 90 days. Customizable for your company size and work setup.
Last updated May 21, 2026 • By Pro Sulum • Free to use, no signup
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Day 1: Get the new marketing manager oriented, credentialed, and introduced to the client portfolio before end of day.
- Complete HR onboarding paperwork and benefits enrollment — Finish all tax documents, direct deposit forms, and benefits selections through the HR system. critical
- Set up Asana or Monday.com account and join all active client workspaces — Provision access to the project management platform and add the new manager to every active client project. critical
- Join Slack and add to all client and internal channels — Create Slack account and add to #general, #client-[name] channels, and any relevant internal team channels. critical
- Gain read-only access to Google Analytics 4 for all managed accounts — Add the new hire as a read-only user to GA4 properties for each client they will support. critical
- Set up Google Drive access and review folder structure — Grant access to the agency's shared Google Drive and provide a walkthrough of the client folder naming conventions. critical
- 30-minute welcome meeting with agency director or hiring manager — Cover agency culture, communication norms, client relationship philosophy, and 90-day expectations. critical
- Agency team introduction and office or tool tour — Meet all team members, understand each person's role, and get a walkthrough of how work flows through the agency. important
- Review and sign confidentiality agreement covering client data — Complete the client data confidentiality and NDA paperwork required for accessing client accounts. critical
Week 1: Build enough context on active client accounts to begin contributing to deliverables under supervision.
- Review account history documents for all assigned client accounts — Read through the account brief, historical reports, and any client communication notes stored in Google Drive. critical
- Shadow two client strategy or check-in calls with existing account manager — Observe client calls without speaking to absorb communication style, client preferences, and active project status. critical
- Set up HubSpot or agency CRM access and review contact records — Access the CRM, review the records for all assigned client contacts, and understand how the team logs client activity. important
- Set up SEMrush or Ahrefs account and run first site audit on one client domain — Access the SEO toolset and run an audit to start building familiarity with the client's organic search performance. important
- Access Meta Ads Manager and Google Ads for all assigned client accounts — Confirm access to paid ad platforms and review recent campaign performance reports for each client. critical
- Review the agency's creative brief template and last three briefs produced — Understand the agency's standard for documenting strategy before creative work begins. important
- One-on-one introductory meetings with each team member — Schedule 20-minute sessions with designers, writers, and strategists to understand how each person works and what they need from a marketing manager. important
- Review the last three monthly client reports for each assigned account — Read recent performance reports to understand what metrics each client cares about and how results are communicated. important
- Review 30/60/90-day expectations with hiring manager — Discuss the written milestones for each phase and confirm how performance will be evaluated at each checkpoint. critical
- Set up Figma access and review brand guidelines for each assigned client — Access design files and brand guidelines to understand visual standards before reviewing or requesting creative work. important
Month 1: Begin co-owning at least one client account and producing independent deliverables that meet the agency's quality standard.
- Lead first client status call with manager present as backup — Run the agenda, take notes, and own the follow-up action items for at least one client check-in call. critical
- Write first independent creative brief for a client campaign — Draft a full brief using the agency template, get feedback from a senior strategist, and revise before presenting. critical
- Complete 30-day check-in with agency director or hiring manager — Review progress against month-one expectations, identify skill gaps, and adjust the development plan. critical
- Attend a new business pitch meeting or proposal review — Observe or contribute to a proposal for a prospective client to understand how the agency sells and positions itself. important
- Participate in the agency's weekly team meeting and contribute a client update — Share a brief update on one client account to begin building confidence presenting in team settings. important
- Review HubSpot reporting workflows and create first custom report for a client — Build a dashboard or report in HubSpot or Google Data Studio that the client will receive at the end of the month. important
- Define two campaign hypotheses to test in month two for a primary account — Write a short document proposing two tests with defined success metrics to show strategic thinking. nice-to-have
- Review billing and time-tracking process for client hours — Understand how the agency tracks billable hours, what the billing cycle looks like, and how to code time to client accounts. important
90 Days: Own at least one client account independently, demonstrate strategic judgment, and contribute to agency growth.
- Complete 90-day performance review with agency director — Review all milestone expectations, receive formal feedback, and set goals for the next quarter. critical
- Present a quarterly performance report independently to a client — Prepare and deliver a full QBR or monthly report to a client without manager backup on the call. critical
- Share onboarding feedback and suggest one process improvement — Write a short retrospective on the onboarding experience and propose one specific improvement to help the next hire. important
- Develop a 60-day growth plan for one assigned client account — Write a strategic document outlining recommended changes, new campaigns, or budget reallocation for a key account. important
- Complete one certification relevant to the agency's primary service offering — Finish a Google Ads, HubSpot, or Meta Blueprint certification to deepen technical knowledge in a core channel. nice-to-have
- Participate in or lead an agency knowledge-sharing session — Present a case study, channel update, or tactical finding to the full team to contribute to collective learning. nice-to-have
- Receive direct positive feedback from at least one assigned client — Reach a point in the client relationship where the client proactively shares satisfaction with the manager's work. important
- Review contract and scope-of-work documents for all owned accounts — Read the active contracts for each client account to understand deliverable commitments, billing terms, and renewal dates. important
Hiring a Marketing Manager for the first time can feel overwhelming for a small business owner juggling multiple roles without an HR team to guide the process. You have limited time and no proven plan to follow. This often leads to uncertainty about how to set expectations, what training to provide, and how to avoid costly mistakes. Without experience onboarding someone in this role, it is easy to worry about doing it wrong and slowing down your business instead of helping it grow. The most important priority during the first week for a Marketing Manager at a small business is understanding the business’s core goals and brand identity. They need to quickly learn what makes your products or services unique, who your target customers are, and what you want marketing to achieve. This gives them a clear focus and helps avoid wasted effort on campaigns or tasks that don’t align with your business objectives. Spending time reviewing past marketing efforts and current challenges will set the foundation for their work. One simple but effective training method is what we call "Record & Delegate." Before your new hire starts, record a short 5-minute video showing yourself completing the top three to five marketing tasks that are essential to your business. This might include posting on social media, setting up an email campaign, or updating the website. That video becomes the standard operating procedure (SOP) for those tasks. Your new Marketing Manager watches it and then takes over those responsibilities. This approach helps you avoid micromanaging and stops you from becoming a bottleneck. It also gives your employee clear guidance and confidence to get started right away. The most common mistake small business owners make when onboarding a Marketing Manager is expecting them to immediately know how everything works without providing enough context or clear priorities. Often, owners either dump a long list of tasks without explaining the why or give vague instructions hoping the new hire figures it out. This leads to confusion, wasted time, and frustration on both sides. Instead, focus on a few key priorities, provide clear instructions, and give room for questions. By 90 days, a Marketing Manager ready to work independently in a small business will consistently deliver marketing content and campaigns that align with your business goals without needing daily supervision. They will have built a routine for reporting results and making small adjustments to improve performance. They should be comfortable identifying new marketing opportunities and managing the tools you use. At this point, they add value by taking ownership of marketing projects, allowing you to focus on other parts of the business knowing that marketing is in capable hands. If you want a Marketing Manager who documents their own processes and builds systems as they go, rather than requiring you to document everything first, that is what a Virtual Systems Architect does. Start with this checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
I hired someone for this role before and it did not work out. What usually goes wrong?
Most failed Marketing Manager hires come down to one of three problems: the owner skipped structured onboarding in week one, there was no documented process for the hire to follow, or expectations were never made explicit. The new hire guessed, made mistakes, and the owner assumed the person was the problem. In most cases the process was the problem. This checklist closes all three gaps. Start with a clear first week, a Record and Delegate video for each core task, and written expectations before the hire ever logs in.
How do I know if I really need a Marketing Manager right now?
If your marketing tasks are taking up too much of your time or you’re missing opportunities to grow because you can’t keep up with promoting your business, it’s a good sign you need dedicated help.
What skills should I look for in a Marketing Manager for a small business?
Look for someone with hands-on experience in digital marketing, social media, content creation, and basic analytics. They should be adaptable and comfortable working independently.
How do I set clear expectations without an HR background?
Start by defining your business goals and what success looks like for marketing. Communicate your priorities clearly and provide examples of what good results mean to you.
How much supervision will my Marketing Manager need at first?
Expect to spend some time guiding them in the first few weeks, but using tools like the Record & Delegate video method can reduce the need for constant oversight.
What tools should I provide to help them succeed?
Provide access to your website platform, social media accounts, email marketing tools, and any analytics dashboards. Make sure they also have clear login information and instructions.
Can I onboard a Marketing Manager without a formal process?
Yes, but a simple, clear process like recording task videos and setting priorities helps your new hire get up to speed faster and reduces errors and confusion.
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What if someone else ran this onboarding process for you?
Pro Sulum's Virtual Systems Architects document your processes and run new-hire training from Day 1 through Day 90, so you never have to.
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