First impressions matter. When a new client is invited to the Quilia app, an automated welcome message sets the tone for the whole relationship.
Your firm already has one. Every firm gets a Welcome message automation with default copy in it, switched off until someone turns it on. You do not need to build it, only to make it yours.
Where to find it
Messaging → Automations, in the automation named Welcome message. Edit it the same way as anything else you send.
When it sends
The moment a client is invited to the app, not on a schedule. Its trigger is the client being invited, and it is one of the only automations that sends immediately rather than waiting for the next send window.
That matters for how you write it. The client is opening the app for the first time, following the invite link, and this message is what they find waiting. A welcome that arrived the next morning would land in an inbox they had already looked at and found empty.
What to include
A welcome message has one job: make a stressed person feel like they picked the right firm and know what happens next. Five things earn their place.
- A thank you, and a way to reach a person. A phone number and "call any time and we will put you through to your case manager" does more for trust than any paragraph about the firm's history. See what you can personalize for the variables that fill in per client.
- That work is underway. One sentence, and resist listing what you are gathering. A client who handed over their insurance card at signing reads "we are collecting your insurance details" as proof nobody looked at it.
- What you need from them, if anything. Be specific here, where being specific helps. "Add any photos you took at the scene" beats "upload your documents." If you already have everything, say you will ask when you need something.
- How to reach you. A phone number, named explicitly.
- The Onboarding video. Quilia filmed a two-minute explainer for exactly this moment. Put the link on a line by itself so it plays in the app.
What to leave out: a timeline, a dollar figure, and anything about what the firm will "aggressively pursue." Week one is when you know the least about the case and the client remembers the most about what you promised.
For full sample copy and the worries this message needs to answer, see What to Say in an Onboarding Phase Message.
Check the default copy before switching it on
The copy that ships with the automation is deliberately generic, because it has to be true for every firm. Read it as a starting point rather than something ready to send, and replace anything that does not sound like you.
In particular, take out any line inviting the client to reply. Give them a phone number instead.
Switching it on
Turning an automation on queues sends to everyone who matches it, so it is a deliberate step taken in the portal rather than something the API or an assistant will do for you. Read the copy once more, then switch it on.
Pro Tips
- Keep it warm but professional - Clients are often stressed; a friendly tone helps
- Include actionable next steps - Tell clients what to do first
- Keep it concise - Clients may skim; put key info up front
- Write it for a seventh-grade reader - See Writing Messages Clients Actually Understand
- Update seasonally - Review your message quarterly to keep it fresh