Today’s post, like yesterday is business related, so if you are interested in a peek into the behind-the-scenes logistics of how I run my business, then absolutely keep reading!

Yesterday I told you all about Dubsado- the Client Relationship Management System that I have been implementing into my business over the past 6 months or so. If you want to read my original post introducing this system and providing an overview of why I decided I needed to implement a CRM system in my business. Read that original post HERE!

In today’s post I want to share 3 of my favorite Dubsado features and how they have helped me organize or streamline my business in a way that I feel I am better able to serve my clients and friends! Because to me, everything truly meaningful in my business comes from serving my clients and friends, and if something isn’t contributing to that end goal, then it doesn’t belong 😉

1. Automatically triggering workflows! There are so many benefits to the Dubsado workflow set-up, but one of my favorite features is the automatic e-mail response to any inquiries received! Whenever a potential client fills out my contact form (also created and linked to Dubsado) it triggers the beginning of a workflow. Depending on whether the potential client is interested in portrait or wedding photography, they will be added to a different workflow that applies to them and their needs. I have implemented an initial automatic e-mail response to any wedding inquiries so when a potential client first submits their inquiry they automatically receive an e-mail back from me to let them know that I have received their e-mail, that I will check the availability of their date, and that I will get back to them within 24 hours. I also include a few educational links giving them an overview of my photography packages and pricing, who I am, etc. I love having this e-mail send immediately to provide any inquiring bride or groom with the most essential information they need up front, BEFORE I have a chance to check their date and get back to them! From my perspective, I love having the initial e-mail be automatic because it takes the pressure off of me to have to respons myself immediately- if I had to do that I would be in front of my screen 24/7, and I love this feature from a client’s perspective because it gives them the reassurance that I have received their inquiry AND it gives them the most important information up front so they can start looking through that while waiting for my first personalized response!

2. Invoices and Contracts! Before I found Dubsado I was sending invoices and contracts separately through two different platforms (one for invoices and one for contracts), now I am able to use one system to send my contracts AND my invoices. I love being able to upload and store all of my contracts in Dubsado and then attach and send each contract to the corresponding clients. In Dubsado I have all of my portrait and wedding contracts stored and due to the use of “smart fields” customizing the contract to a specific client and their linked job is so so simple! With Dubsado customizing and sending invoices is also so incredibly simple. Instead of having to custom write a new invoice every time I have a new client (which I had to do when I used my old system), now I have a collection of invoices that I have put together for my most popular packages, and whenever I need to send an invoice along to a client, I can quickly customize and adjust the details of the invoice to fit the client and then it is ready to be sent off! Such a huge time-saver for me! And not only is the fact that I can send invoices and contracts through Dubsado a time-saver and such an upgrade for me compared to what I was working with before, it also really has simplified the process for my clients. Instead of several different e-mails coming through to them – one with a link to a contract, and one with a link to the invoice, each taking them to third-party platforms to complete them – NOW I send ONE e-mail with a link to both, and my clients can access both the invoice and the contract to sign and pay directly from this one e-mail!

So there you have it, two of my favorite Dubsado features that have helped me streamline and simplify my business in a way that has helped me be able to focus more on my clients and how to serve them better, rather than being so overwhelmed and consumed with all of the behind-the-scenes work. There are so many more wonderful features to Dubsado, and maybe I will be posting another blog post with a few more of my favorite features soon, because honestly, there are so many benefits!

If you are looking to try out a CRM system, be sure to give Dubsado a try! You can use my affiliate link below to get a free trial and then after your free trial if you decide to purchase a subscription, you can get 20% off your first year or month (depending on if you choose a monthly or yearly plan!) 🙂