I've been onboarding a new client for the past week and we're already stuck. They want campaign performance tracked, leads reported, and clear ROI numbers, but they won't give me access to their analytics, ad accounts, or CRM. Every request gets met with "we'll send a screenshot" or "let me check with IT."



I can't optimize what I can't see. Without proper access I'm essentially guessing, and that's a fast track to mediocre results and a frustrated client blaming me for it. I've explained this twice already, calmly and clearly, but the message isn't landing.



Part of me understands the hesitation, since account access feels risky to some businesses. So I'm putting together a simple permissions guide showing exactly what I need, why, and how to grant limited access safely. Hoping that removes the fear factor and moves things forward.



Anyone else run into this? How do you get clients to hand over the keys without it turning into a trust issue? I've seen Digital Marketing Services teams handle this with a formal access checklist, which seems to help. Would love to hear what's worked for you.