Your Backend is all out of Whack! | Level Up Series

You’re working really hard, you know where you want to go, you want to grow your business, you want to make a consistent income, you want to do what you love,  & serve your clients well. 

The right clients, charging more, & Working ON your business

But right now these clients just are not the right people for you. The things that you’re doing in your business is all that busy work that doesn’t move the needle, &  you find yourself working IN your business, not ever ON your business. What do you do to move your business to the next level so that you can up-level and attract the clients that you seek?

One of the first things you may want to look at is your backend systems. They may be all out of whack…and not working for you! Let’s look at ways you can implement these systems so that they take some tasks off your to do list, while simultaneously enhancing your client experience. 

Do you have a consistent system for keeping track of your clients or projects?

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every single time! That’s just a waste of time, and time–and thus,  money!! Being efficient & reducing the amount of time it takes to finish a project = more money per hour. I like the way that sounds!!

I’m a huge advocate of a Client Relationship Manager (aka CRM) like Dubsado or Honeybook because they give you the tools to keep track of your clients, canned emails, workflows, contracts, & invoices all in one place. 

Having a tool like a CRM means that you can effortlessly provide each client a consistent experience–adding to your perceived value &  allowing you to raise your prices. Implementing some simple workflows can automate the process of sending out emails, contracts/invoices, or remind you of tasks that need to be accomplished. 

If you don’t feel like you’re ready for a CRM, at least have a system for keeping track of your clients, progress of a project, and canned emails. 

Your client journey

In order to set up your system in a way that works for you,  you have to make sure that you know what your client journey looks like. Outline the different steps that you take your client through in your time together…it’s time to get out those post-it notes!

Get ahead of their Questions

One of the biggest parts of my client experience is ensuring that a client is always educated and knows what the next step is. Question how you can get ahead of their questions, give them everything they need before they know that they need it…raising your professionalism and authority in your industry.

Consider sending the following types of emails throughout your journey:

  • Confirmation (for appointments, contracts, invoices, etc)
  • Next steps they need to take
  • Next steps you’ll take
  • Tips & tricks
  • How to prepare for ____

Tools to help you

Here are some tools that you could consider adding to your toolbox to help you with a consistent client experience: 

  • Gmail canned responses (free)
  • Google Calendar
  • Project Management tool (Trello, Asana, Notion)
  • CRM (Dubsado, Honeybook, 17 Hats)

meet Gari-Ann

Gari-Ann Kia is an accomplished Branding and Product Photographer with a passion for helping creatives and professionals elevate their brand by showcasing their product, promoting their services, or simply enhancing their brand image. Gari-Ann's expertise in branding and product photography will help you stand out from the crowd. With years of experience in the field, Gari-Ann has honed her skills and developed a unique approach to visual storytelling that resonates with her clients and their target audience to help them stand out from the crowd.

Gari-Ann currently lives in the Washington DC area with her husband and two children. She enjoys traveling with her family, some of their favorite destinations have been Santorini, Wanaka, Paris, & Aix en Provence. In her free time, Gari-Ann enjoys giving back to her community by supporting fellow military spouses & their families and mentoring other small business owners.

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