The answer is a passionate “YES” you should have an email list. Business owners should look at email marketing as a micro-blogging sales channel that enables you to directly reach your target audience without having to dance around a social media algorithm. 

Every hour you spend on Instagram is an hour spent growing Mark Zuckerbergâ€s empire. Every hour you spend cultivating an email list is an hour spent growing yours—something you own. Iâ€ll jump off the soap box on that one for now… however, it is important that photographers understand the capabilities of leveraging email marketing beyond their previous ideas of how it is traditionally used.

The second question I normally get from photographers is, Okay! Then what do I send in my email newsletters?

I get that this is a heavy question! You have so much on your plate that sometimes the idea of coming up with more content to write about can be exhausting. So I am using todayâ€s blog post to give you an ideation jumpstart. I’ve created a list of 23 email ideas for photographers to send to their audience. So if you feel stuck, just refer back to this list, batch your content, schedule the emails in Flodesk and you will be good to go.

3 types of emails photographers should consider sending: 

1. Promotions / Sales:

Promotional emails are your revenue generating emails. If you’re needing to increase your income for the month don’t forget to talk to your email list. They’ve subscribed to your list for a reason, so let them know when you have an awesome promotion happening! A promotion doesn’t have to just be a sale on something you offer. It could be sharing the news about something new you’ve added to your shop, or even highly relevant affiliate marketing. Here are some ideas to get you started. 

• Product / Service Promotions
• Announcing new offerings
• Discounts
• Print sales
• Gallery wraps
• Album sales 
• Highly relevant affiliate marketing
• Photography courses
• Mobile Presets

*Tip: During the slower seasons, consider using email marketing to run physical product promotions (prints, albums, gallery wraps) to increase cash flow in otherwise slower revenue generating seasons. I share about some of these ideas in my blog post on Passive and Diversified Revenue Ideas for Photographers. Additionally, these slow seasons serve as a fantastic time to do album designs and handle revenue generating aspects of the business that you cannot take on while you are in shooting mode. Email helps you to re-engage with previous clients seamlessly and makes running sales a breeze.

2. Client Education 

These types of emails are some of my favorite ones to write because I am getting to pour into my audience. Education will create a bond with your audience that you might not currently have, and it will also make you stand out as a go-to expert. Share things with your clients that you wish they knew before coming to a shoot.

This can be original content or content repurposed from educational blog posts. It is so important to equip your clients with all of the information that they need in order to have a great experience. By translating this content into bite-sized, super informative email newsletters you can ensure that your clients feel supported before, during, and after their time working with you. 

The goal of educational emails is to solve pain points and provide resources to give your clients an extraordinary experience.

• Write down all the things that might be stressing your client out before a shoot. How can you share resources to remove that stress? Here’s an example:
  • What if it rains?
    • Share your plan B and showcase how you create stunning imagery even in bad weather. 
    • Here’s a blog post I wrote to help you out with rainy weather shoots. 
  • What should I wear?
    • Share your tips for picking out the perfect outfit for their shoot. Share examples and links that make them feel confident in their decision.
• Teach them how they can ensure their photos are backed up for a lifetime. Share how clients should be backing up their image files and review with them your image storage timeline and policies. 
• Share insight with them on what to do to prepare for the best shoot. What should they bring with them? Checklists are an easy way to accomplish this!
• If there are things that frustrate you with your clients (especially instances that have happened more than once), address those pain points in advance so that they don’t happen in the future. (Running late to a shoot and missing the light is a big one! This is where education can help to fix problems before they happen!)
• Walk through the client experience and think about all the questions you get asked from clients, break those down into one or a series of emails.
• If you’ve already created a client guide, turn those into bite-sized emails
• Share some of the most successful photoshoots and explain why they worked so well – throw a little client testimonial from that shoot in there as well! 

*Tip: Consider building a workflow in Flodesk for all new clients that walks them through a series of educational nurturing emails that covers these questions over the course of a few days / weeks leading up to the shoot or event. These emails can trigger automatically and spread themselves out over time.

3. Surprise & Delight (Nurturing) 

Now here is where we get to have a lot of fun with email marketing. Creating emails that spark joy for your clients! When going through this list I want you to think of your audience as a group of friends that you’re desiring to nurture. Brand affinity is built through consistent nurturing. Advocacy is earned by providing value more often than asking for something in return.

Remember, surprise and delight components of email marketing may not give you an immediate boost in income (and some may even require a small investment), but by nurturing your audience you will remain top of mind when they need to book or refer a friend. It boosts the ‘like, know, and trust’ factor. It creates a deeper connection and therefore transforms the way they feel about your brand.

• Celebrate them
  • Anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays (even ‘fun’ light-hearted holidays) give you an opportunity to love on your clients. Leverage email communication as a vehicle to maintain the relationship with your clients longterm, by popping into their inbox to celebrate them at different stages of their lives and different parts of the year.
• Run a Contest
  • Have your audience share one of the photos you’ve taken by posting it on social media and tagging you. By doing it, they’re entered to win something fun!
• Run a Date Night Raffle
  • You could get some of your local vendor friends in on this one! Talk to your florist friend about delivering a bouquet of flowers to the winner, and reach out to a local restaurant to see if they’d donate a meal and join in on the fun!
  • *bonus!* Want to see even more people participate, and get more vendors involved? Have the proceeds of the raffle go towards a local charity! 
• Giveaways
  • This is another way you could partner with other local vendors, by partnering to give away a 30 minute session, flowers, etc.
  • You could also give away a product like prints or presets.
  • Think of some fun items that they’re going to love! Maybe a bottle of wine (you can use wine.com and it will ship directly to them, and usually within a week!), or even a Starbucks gift card.
• Partnerships with other brands 
  • The opportunities here are endless. Partner with local restaurants for date nights, spas for self care days, or local boutiques to help your clients look their best on the day of their shoot. Pull together a collection of items for a favorite things gift basket giveaway. Remember that working with brands isn’t just a strategy for bloggers! Send brands an email or a DM on Instagram to get the conversation started.
• Start a book club 
  • Remember, you’re pouring into your audience just as you would a group of friends, this is a great way to build relationships! Kick off a book club or do a monthly review of a book in your newsletter just ensure that the books you choose are relevant to your core audience. For couples getting married, choose books that relate to wedding planning or highlight publications providing value in that season of their lives. For family sessions, highlight books for children that parents might be interested in or that showcase your values as a brand.
• Gather them together
  • Host a yearly barbecue for all of your clients or plan an annual picnic!  BYO so it’s less stress on you, all you have to do is pick a location and send out the invitation. Also consider virtual happy hours leverage online connection as a vehicle to gather everyone together and spark newfound friendships.

One email could have all 3 components or you can break them up individually. The choice is up to you. I always recommend experimenting with different ideas to see what creates engagement and excites your audience the most. At the end of every email remember to create a CTA (Call to Action). Whether it’s participating in something like a giveaway, clicking for a free download or resource, or responding to a question you asked you can grow your business and your audience’s affinity for your brand through consistent communication.

Ready to start your email list? Sign up for Flodesk with my Flodesk referral link or use the code NATALIE at checkout for 50% off the first year of your subscription.

Originally published in July of 2020

The post 23 Email Ideas for Photographers appeared first on Natalie Franke.

This is such a powerful and inspiring new chapter, as Rising Tide Society transitions its leadership to a committed and visionary group of business owners. Before we celebrate what this development means for the future, however, first we need to look back on the story of Rising Tide Society because its come so far over the past eight years.

Credit: Madison Short Photography

Today, Rising Tide Society boasts more than 200 chapters and thousands of active members from all corners of the world from Knoxville, Tennessee and Lubbock, Texas, to Tokyo, Japan and Wiesbaden, Germany. 

But where we are today is far beyond what we originally thought possible years ago, and the glimmer of an idea for what has become Rising Tide Society was born right here, in Annapolis, Maryland.

We were creatives, tired of hiding how hard entrepreneurship can be

When Davey Jones, Krista Jones, Hugh Hayes, and I first started Rising Tide Society years ago, we had a modest vision. However, the idea of community over competition has become more of a norm, that wasn’t always the case. 

Years ago, when I was a wedding photographer, I was tired of working within a community that pit us against each other that used to be the status quo. 

I felt so alone at the time, and I was noticing that no amount of success was fixing it. In fact, I was starting to notice the more success you find as a business owner, the harder it is to find people to connect with, because some may view you as a threat. 

Credit: Tessa Rae Photography

What’s so interesting (in a good way) is how many conversations I’ve had in recent years with people who will say things like, Well, of course people support each other! Of course you support other women in business! Why wouldn’t you? A rising tide raises all ships, right?

Oh my gosh, it warms my heart to hear such a change in tune. 

Because no, this wasnâ€t always the case. 

Again, this idea of community over competition has become so commonplace and ingrained in the independent business community that some may not realize how painful and untrue it was for so long. When we first started floating that community-celebrating mantra, there were those who didn’t like it, convinced that such an idea could never stick.

Still, the four of us set about to change that in our own way

We didn’t have anyone to connect with about the challenges of entrepreneurship, so we laid the groundwork for such a community to exist.

Back then, our big hairy audacious goal was simple:

What if we can get like¦ 20 people together every month in Annapolis to talk about business? 

Given what Rising Tide Society has become, that may seem small, but it was a big reach goal for us at the time. We didn’t know if anyone would be interested. 

But we went for it anyway the vision for what could be was worth it.

Credit: Ashley Kristen Photography

Each month, a few of us creatives would get together at a local cafe in Annapolis to support each other in a way we hadn’t been able to find elsewhere before. We’d talk about business, share ideas, and get feedback on challenges we were facing. 

At the time, just in that small, nascent state, it was inspiring. I don’t think any of us could have imagined that anyone else would want to host a meeting like that, let alone that it would become the organization we know today, with structure and true leadership. 

We were lonely creative business owners and entrepreneurs who wanted to foster a sense of community and true togetherness for others who might feel the same way. 

We had no idea what was to come. 

The partnership between Rising Tide Society and HoneyBook 

Credit: Enuel Viera Photography

Needless to say, thanks to all of you truly, you, the members and leaders, are the true heroes of Rising Tide Society here we far surpassed our dream of a modest 30-person meetup once a month in Annapolis. 

But that kind of rapid growth came with its own challenges.

On the one hand, we were breathtakingly inspired each and every day to see what Rising Tide Society was becoming. Also, the way so many of you were championing the idea of community over competition, enabling it to take root within our culture was beyond anything we could have possibly imagined.

On the other hand, we were volunteering as founders of the organization, and we were struggling to support and build Rising Tide Society the way it deserved while also managing our own independent businesses. 

Then HoneyBook took notice of what we were doing, at just the right time. 

HoneyBook’s leadership saw our vision 

And the HoneyBook cofounders believed, with additional support, Rising Tide Society could and would make a massive impact in the independent business community. HoneyBook sought to build up the very community they also champion and empower every single day through technology, education, and advocacy.

Looking back, we were able to do so much to strengthen the foundation of what Rising Tide Society is (and will be) through the acquisition by HoneyBook.

HoneyBook offered an avenue toward sustainability, so we could focus entirely on building the Rising Tide community as our full-time jobs. It enabled us to focus on establishing the foundation of our leadership structures, vetting candidates to lead chapters, and more. 

Credit: Lauren Carnes Photography

The stability offered by HoneyBook enabled us to establish this level of critical infrastructure. It is how we’ve been able to transform a movement into a true community that thrives, with leaders who have the best interest of members at heart, so we can move forward together, as one. 

This is particularly true once the pandemic hit. The Rising Tide Society was founded based on the momentum and spark of magic that happened within our in-person meetups. Without HoneyBook and the dedicated support of team members like Kait Masters and Wendy Zook, COVID-19 would have potentially killed everything we had worked so hard to build. 

Instead, we were able to experiment with different types of events (like virtual and hybrid gatherings), fight fiercely for the health of independent businesses, and explore new avenues of expansion to bring resources to the community, as we looked ahead to what a post-pandemic future might look like.

Rising Tide also expanded to serve more than creatives

Thanks to HoneyBook, we also expanded the scope of our membership from only creatives to independent business owners of all kinds. 

To me, that’s so incredibly special. 

Rising Tide began as a group for creatives, because that’s what we were… creatives. However, when you invite others in with different backgrounds, everyone grows and learns together. Purposeful inclusion of diverse perspectives is how we all grow and thrive together.

This opening of the door to other types of business owners is what I see as a fundamental turning point for Rising Tide Society of what it is today and why it will continue to flourish in future.

Now, it’s time for Rising Tide Society to take the next step independently

After nearly eight years as part of HoneyBook, the Rising Tide Society is now a self-organized community-led entity. This is truly a remarkable moment. In partnership with HoneyBook, the Rising Tide Society has secured non-profit status and has appointed a board of business leaders from within the community to guide its future development.

I am truly honored to be joining the inaugural board and whole-heartedly support the new leadership of Rising Tide. This group of independent business owners cares so deeply for continuing our core mission.

All of our board members, leaders, and volunteers have raised their hands time and time again to support this community. They are heroes in my eyes.

Additionally, what truly warms my heart is how much support HoneyBook is showing the new era of Rising Tide Society leadership:

The people you see above (and all those behind the scenes!) are the true visionaries of what’s to come.

They are bringing fresh ideas to the table, and they are breathing new life into the original vision that began years ago at a small cafe in Annapolis. 

And they are doing so in a truly independent way. I’m so grateful to all of the leaders, committee members, and newly appointed board members for the hard work they’ve put in behind the scenes, over the past several months, to bring us to this incredible moment today. 

Because this new generation of Rising Tide leadership realized something important. They raised their hands and said that if you want to create a community that is truly by independent business owners, for independent business owners, it must also be just that: independent.

Yes, we can, should, and will continue to partner with like-minded brands and companies, it is absolutely essential to do so from a place of true independence. As a self-run, self-managed organization, the alignment and pure intention that keeps the community first, always, remains intact. 

So, are you in?

I hope you’re as excited as I am about what’s next for Rising Tide Society. If you are wondering how you can get involved as we look ahead to the future, here’s what you need to do:

• Sign up for the Rising Tide Society email newsletter, which will be launching soon with news, updates, and information you won’t want to miss!
  
• Check out the Rising Tide Society landing page to stay up to date on this exciting new future. This website is a work-in-progress and we are excited to have updates on new chapters and scheduled meet-ups arriving soon. 

And from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to all of you who have championed Rising Tide (either as active members or even on the sidelines). I am so grateful to all of you and to HoneyBook for growing this organization into something that has eclipsed everything I thought it could become. 

You are living proof that community will always win over competition, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

The post Rising Tide Society’s exciting new beginning as an independent nonprofit appeared first on Natalie Franke.

Now, here we are. The Independent Business Podcast with HoneyBook is no longer a proverbial “what if” twinkle in my eye. Rather, with more than 10 episodes and almost 15,000 downloads as of the time I’m writing this, it’s very much a reality. Am I dreaming? Sometimes I feel like pinching myself just to check.

I’ll admit, one of my favorite parts about this podcast — aside from the fact that it’s helping all of you kick independent business butt and take names — is that I get to learn alongside you. Each week, I connect with absolute industry all-stars (many I have admired for ages) to bring insights into our space in a way that’s never been done before. 

We get to walk this journey of education and growth together, and that is so incredibly rewarding to me. 

But (speaking of growth) I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t take a moment to pause and reflect on what we’ve learned so far in this process of creating the Independent Business Podcast. We love a good “lessons learned” rest stop, am I right? Because even though this is only the beginning of the story of this podcast, I already have a few key lessons I’m itching to share with all of you.

 Related: The story behind the Independent Business Podcast

1. Let’s talk about video and audio in podcasting

I had an inkling about what it would mean to record a podcast that is available in both audio and video formats, but actually going through this process has reaffirmed one key hypothesis I had when you take this approach — those who enjoy your podcast on video are often an entirely different audience than those who choose to listen to your podcast via audio only.

More than that, those who are audio podcast listeners are true devotees of the format, meaning they have very high expectations for the quality of your audio. On the video side of the equation, the same holds true for expectations around your visuals and graphics.

(That’s why we were very purposeful in what podcasting equipment we chose, with the help of an incredible expert.)

In a way, although it’s the same show, I now see the video version and the audio version of the Independent Business Podcast as two wholly separate products that collectively reach a much larger audience than I originally anticipated. The perk, of course, is that while they are two separate, standalone content offerings, they can be created at the same time from the same source material.

 Related: What podcast equipment we use for the Independent Business Podcast

This is *chef’s kiss* beautiful to me because, in a world where we don’t have time to do it all, the idea that you can take one powerful podcast conversation and distribute it across multiple channels, in different ways is a win-win. It’s efficient for you as a creator, and it’s effective in reaching a wider audience, based on a multitude of different content consumption preferences.

2. Growing a podcast is hard work (but totally worth it)

Don’t get me wrong, I went into the Independent Business Podcast with my sleeves rolled up, ready to do the work. But even with that mindset, I want to talk about how much metaphorical and literal elbow grease it takes to grow a podcast from scratch. 

To be fair, we’ve had some truly humbling success right out of the gate, for which I am truly grateful. Almost 15,000 downloads after only two months? How?! 

That said, it’s not as easy as it might seem to attract subscribers, rather than one-off listeners, when folks happen to come across your podcast in the wild about a topic that interests them. Sure, maybe they loved the content, but was it enough to earn a permanent place in their podcasting roster? Not always.

 From HoneyBook: Book valuable, qualified leads faster with HoneyBook AI

So, if you’re currently a frequent or “casual” listener of a podcast you really love (it doesn’t have to be mine), take a moment to become a subscriber — it means more than you know. It will not only help the shows you subscribe to grow, it will also increase their download counts. 

3. A guest’s platform size doesn’t dictate episode popularity

This was another revelation that surprised the HoneyBook team and myself with the Independent Business Podcast. 

While every single episode we’ve shared so far is wildly invaluable for independent business owners, we noticed that those episodes with very clear, business value takeaways were more popular than those topics that were a bit more broad and inspiration-focused.

What’s important to note though, is we’re going to continue to experiment and test. Honestly, this is one of the things I love about this podcast — in a way, it’s one giant experiment. We’re never going to get to a point where we aren’t in a mode of discovery and learning and iteration. For instance, right now, we’re running experiments about how we title episodes. 

 Related: How to set client expectations in the instant gratification era

I think this approach should be true of anything you create, though. The first version of something you put out into the world (especially as a creator) should, in theory, be the “worst” version of whatever that thing is. 

You shouldn’t come out of the gate expecting to be a champion in perpetuity. Instead, you should start with the mindset of, “OK, we are so proud of what we’ve built this first time out. But now, what can we learn, and how can we get better every single time?” Is this kind of work sexy? No, but that’s how you achieve impact and longevity. 

4. I spend more time preparing for the podcast than recording it

This was another thing that surprised me, although given that I’m an “always be prepared” kind of gal, maybe it shouldn’t have. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

I recognize this may not be the case for every podcast in existence, because sometimes prep work isn’t really required. You just need to show up with your fantastic brains and an idea, and you’re off to the races. 

However, in the case of the Independent Business Podcast, I do spend more time preparing to interview our guests than I do physically in the recorded conversation. I dig into who they are, their current projects, and their areas of expertise, as well as a bit of research to see what scientific research exists about the topic. 

 Related: You don’t want to focus on clientflow, but your life depends on it

I also spend time reviewing what other thought leaders in the space are saying about this topic, because I want to make sure that when we share a new conversation with you via the podcast, it’s fresh information rather than a rehash of insights you can find elsewhere. 

That way you walk away from the podcast feeling smarter, like you know something brand new that will genuinely help you make more informed decisions within your business faster … or at least more effectively.

5. Finally, it’s OK to not totally love how you look and sound

Alright, if you’re one of those people who has always dreamed of doing a podcast or video series — or heck, even just getting on social media more with your beautiful face and big ideas — but has avoided it because you don’t like how you look or sound, I am going to let you in on a little secret.

 Related: Tap into your independent business AI superpowers with HoneyBook AI

Those of us who are already doing it also struggle with the “cringe” factor around how we look and sound. Seriously, for the most part, none of us possess a shield of confidence that allows us to be absolutely enamored with our voice and appearance, including yours truly.

Like I talk about in my upcoming book, Gutsy, you’ve just gotta do it scared. 

You’ve gotta give yourself grace, accept that you’re a human being, and move forward with your big dream, because your purpose and your vision for what could be are worth the leap. Plus, while it’s a bit “humbling” (yeah, we’ll go with that) at first to see your face and hear your voice all the time, it gets easier.

Looking back on the first 10 episodes of the Independent Business podcast

Becoming a business owner and embracing your inner CEO with Ellen Yin

Transcript

“I think curiosity is one of the most underrated strengths that you can have as an entrepreneur. So it’s not that I know everything, or I’m this genius, or you know, that just everything comes easy to me. It really is because I’m willing to get curious and ask a lot of questions.”

* * *

“One thing that has helped me a lot in combating doubt, is reminding myself of the impermanence of many of our decisions. I think, as CEOs, as business owners, we often attach too much to our expected outcomes of something because we feel that we have already risked so much to even be here building our businesses.

So every further risk we take, take feels like this has to work out or else right. But I think one of the things that has actually aided me most in our trajectory, and our growth has been this willingness to realize that many of the decisions we make in business and in life, quite frankly, are not permanent in the sense that they can be reversed, right? They’re not so final as we would make them out to be…”

* * *

“… the reason why I recommend people do not end their emails with let me know if you’re interested, is because a statement does not invite conversation … essentially, when somebody reads that you’re giving them permission … you’re automatically giving them that leeway to be like, oh, I’ll just take a mental raincheck on responding to this because there’s there’s no open loop, right?

If you ask someone a clear direct question, especially at the end of the email, the likelihood that they will respond is much higher because they don’t want to leave you digitally hanging…”

Video marketing: The science of showing up with XayLi Barclay

Transcript

“And honestly, sometimes I’ll (send personalized video messages) in the DMs. And people are like completely shocked. They’re shocked to hear me say their name. They’re shocked to you know, see me speaking directly into them or pouring into them or sharing about something.”

* * *

“So, what I love about the times we’re in now is that content creation has grown legs to where you don’t — like it used to be a thing, right where you would have to have all of the fancy cameras like all of your favorite YouTubers really used like high quality cameras and things like that. And they still are.

But if you’re starting out, we have more people starting out than ever, I feel like and they’re using what they have, they’re using what they have in their hands. So start with your phone, if you have a laptop, you can use a webcam on your laptop as well — the best thing that you have is what you have.”

* * *

“Every single platform is video centric right now. Right now, short form content is definitely at the forefront. But then when we think about our business goals as independent business owners, long form content is where that sweet spot lies.”

Grow your business in a recession with Donald Miller

Transcript

“I personally don’t think there’s ever a bad time to start a business. And I don’t think this is a bad time to start a business.”

* * *

“Don’t ask anybody to respect you, until you can respect yourself. Because when you respect yourself, you show people how to treat you, you show people how to talk to you. So don’t expect other people to be all nice to you and to think of you as a trustworthy, respectful person, if you don’t think of yourself as a trustworthy, respectful person.”

* * *

“Well, the very first year, or two or three of your business, you need to obsess about something that most of us don’t want to talk about. You need to obsess about cash, where are you going to get it? How are you going to keep it? How are you going to not let any of it go? You’ve just got to do that. Business is about making money.

And a lot of people don’t want to think about that. They don’t want to be the sort of person who obsesses about money. They don’t want to be in it for the money. You know, I would agree that you shouldn’t be in it for the money if you’re in it for the money. It money is very fleeting and it doesn’t satisfy you. However, if you your business is going to eat money, and it’s going to eat a lot of it.”

How to change the world from where you are now with Danielle Coke

Transcript

“…there’s nothing wrong with knowing your lane and occupying it. But also, you can never be all things to all people at all times, there will always be somebody who’s disappointed. And the responsibility is not on me to speak to all things at all times. Because that’s what community is for. That’s what the collective is for. That’s why we lean on other people. And we learn from other people and we amplify each other’s voices because I cannot be the resident expert on things that I have no context on, because knowledge and context are two different things.”

* * *

“Just know that impact does not come without a cost. And most people want this to be easy. And most people want it to be a seamless transition. But this is not just about positioning your business to be more trendy, or trying to keep up with the times, this is a decision that you’re making to draw a line in the sand and declare that you care about other people. And you care about injustice, and you care about fighting oppression. And so if that’s the case, you got to stand 10 toes down on that, and know that you are entering a whole different arena, where more is required of you in that way.”

* * *

“…one thing that I had to make known very quickly, was that I’m not a resource, I’m a person, Because the content and the art that I would create was very, from a very specific vantage point. It was from, you know, my young, black female voice — also there was faith tied into there, and just many different aspects that make up who I am as an individual.

And so people would come and be like, I don’t appreciate this, because this doesn’t take into account my worldview. But that’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m a person, not a textbook. You can find all the information that I’m sharing in a way that reaches your specific point in context, if you want to Google it. But for me, (my presentation) was just a part of staying true to who I am as a creator is to not leave my individuality and my personality on the table in order to appease the masses.”

9 stats every independent business owner needs to know with Akua Konadu

Transcript

“I just think of when I finally took the leap, I left my full time job, I did not have a plan. It was not intentional. I was so sick of my current quality of life that I was like, whatever happens on the other side has to be a lot better than where I’m currently at now.

And I know that’s not for everybody, right? Like I know, that’s not however, I just know, for me, I wanted something more than myself. And I did not care how much money I made as long as I got to live a life on my own terms that is rooted in joy, peace and content.”

* * *

“…people want more for themselves. And I think that was before the pandemic. And I think it just revealed that even more, I think it just was like, it just was an open wound that just ripped wide open, where people were finally, like, I have had enough, I want more for myself, this is not what life is supposed to look like, especially right now. And all of the trauma that everybody’s enduring, I want more, and I want more control over my life and how I choose to live it.”

* * *

“…that also was a heavy contributing factor as to why I wanted to start my own business was because the micro aggressions that I was experiencing on a daily basis, in my last job. And especially working in a corporate space — well, not just corporate, just any job in general — especially I think, for people of color, we I feel like I have to act a certain type of way.

We cannot be fully and truly ourselves, and who we authentically are. Because in a lot of these spaces that (are) predominantly white, certain things maybe just not are understood or accepted. And so you do have to kind of put on kind of a different mask, which is extremely exhausting. Who wants to live that way? I want to be free to be myself … I want to be in spaces where I am celebrated, not tolerated.”

Your voice matters: How to advocate for your business with Sharon McMahon

Transcript

“The one resource I can recommend to people is a website called Openstates.org. And you would go there, you would enter the address of your independent business. And you would immediately displayed on the next screen, who represents you in your state legislature, what their, what their names are with their email addresses, our phone numbers, mailing addresses, and you can then very quickly and easily reach out to them.

And I will tell you that if you are polite, professional and persistent — three things that most independent business owners know how to be; we all know how to be polite, professional and persistent — you can make things happen.”

* * *

“(Start by) telling your own story of why you started an independent business, why being a business owner is important to you why you want to be a good citizen of your community. Why independent businesses are the backbone of society, telling your own story will often have a far greater impact than following some specific format…”

* * *

“You can have the best product in the world or the best service in the world. You can be the best makeup artists or the best hairstylist or make the best journals or whatever it is. And if you do not have the persistence to show up every day, nothing will come of that.”

Invest in your future as an independent business owner with Ankur Nagpal and Jess Catorc

Transcript

“I also think there’s a bigger retirement problem in this country like yes, we can talk about business owners, but I think in general like retirement is it’s pretty scary and it’s totally broken in this country. Like I think for a long time, like the government is sort of just passed the buck to the employer.”

* * *

“I cannot stress slash encourage people enough to actually take the time to do a financial forecast. I think when people hear it, I think we need to come up with a better name than a financial forecast. Because that just seems like just the most boring, daunting thing. But really, it’s just mapping out what you’re doing now. And what you will probably be doing the next 12 months or you know, however much you want in the future.”

* * *

“One of the most important things that I’ve seen both from creators and startups is one being able to listen and pivot. Because you can have the best idea! But if even if the demand was there, but it shifted, or if there’s like a more nuanced approach that you could take for a problem or pain point …

I think that you just have to humble yourself and listen to your customers or the audience and be able to read like, okay, what are the opportunities there? Being able to pivot has been trend that I’ve seen very successful people.”

How using AI in business can help you grow with Dawn Richardson

Transcript

“I think there is a lot of fear in the unknown. And that is (why) I really wanted to create a safe corner of the internet, where they can learn those things and fill those gaps. How can I use this? Is this safe? Am I smart enough to use it? This is something that I hear from creatives all the time. And it’s hard because we are so intelligent, we are smarter than this tech, (even though) it might not feel like it.”

* * *

“…it’s okay to be resistant, you know, like, it’s okay to be resistant, it’s okay to be afraid. But give yourself the time, the grace and the the ability to sit down and actually dive into these tools. So you can get to know them, figure out how it’s going to work for you. Because if you just assume it’s some like crazy robot in the background, that’s what it’s going to be.”

* * *

“I don’t think (AI) is going to replace people. But I do think it’s going to allow us to either take on more clients to grow our business, or it’s going to allow us to adapt and change our process to make it even better and a better experience for everybody involved.”

Psst! Don’t forget to check out HoneyBook’s new AI tools! (Here’s my take on why they’re definitely game-changers for your business\!)

How I made a quarter million dollars in the creator economy with multiple revenue streams with Jay Clouse

Transcript

“I need(ed) to have a clear understanding of how cash is going to flow into the business to cover savings and expense goals. That was the really painful thing that I tried to share with as many people as I can, because people don’t often think about like the accounting and the reporting and the cash flow side of things. And they go through these feast and famine cycles of freelancing.”

* * *

“Do I also see people getting a little bit more sophisticated and understanding that they can get more bang for their buck with an aggregation of smaller creators who have an engaged audience? Absolutely, takes more work, it takes more sophistication, but definitely opportunity there.”

* * *

“Having multiple revenue streams is good, because it makes you more resilient. However, it can also be kind of a distracting activity to try and build up six revenue streams all at the same time when none of them are working really strongly. My recommendation is to build a direct revenue stream, make it strong, and then start to say, ‘Okay, now what do I add on another direct revenue stream?'”

Self discovery + knowing your worth with Arielle Estoria

Transcript

“We don’t talk about the grief of change. We talk about the grief of loss, but it’s the same thing losing parts of us — losing who we were or what we did believe. There’s a grief that comes with that for ourselves and for other people who are familiar with us being that way. Then there’s an illuminating and bringing light to, ‘Okay. This is who I am who I am today. This is who sits before you. And this is the light of what I’ve left.'”

* * *

“I think (getting told ‘no’) has been so much the foundation of being an artist — like the everything is connected to rejection at some point. So I just had to create a backbone with that. I had to create a backbone with that.

I also had to trust that the spaces that would be open to what I offer, the opportunities and the doors that would be open, were doors that were just so very distinctly made for me and for what I was doing.”

* * *

“I love hearing conversations about these big companies in these big spaces that actually do work with the people working and running the organization. You’re allowing them to take rest days, you’re giving them yoga massages on site, you’re nourishing them throughout the day — and not just like stuffing them with like coffee and to just keep producing. You’re reminding the people that they’re people, and that they’re humans and not machines.”

The post 5 lessons from behind the scenes of the Independent Business Podcast appeared first on Natalie Franke.

Sure, it’s exciting. It’s also overwhelming, particularly if you’re an independent business owner. How do you even begin to unpack what real possibilities exist for you with AI? Or, is AI simply out of reach for independent businesses?

Independent Business Podcast: Transform your business with AI, feat. Dawn Richardson

The answer to that last question is, of course, no. It may not feel that way given the scale of the day-to-day discourse around AI, but it’s true. 

Big corporations aren’t the only ones who can harness the power of AI and tools like ChatGPT. You can, too, as an independent business. In fact, you absolutely should — and we’re going to talk about that in just a moment, because HoneyBook is making that possible with two new AI-powered product updates they’ve announced this week. 

But first, I want to talk about why I’m particularly passionate about the idea of independent entrepreneurs like you finding ways to embrace AI within the four walls (virtual or otherwise) of your business. Yes, AI can help you shore up inefficiencies in your processes or make clientflow automation even easier. 

More than that, though … 

AI gives you more time (your most precious resource)

If you’re a long-time listener, first-time caller of NatalieFranke.com, you may remember I am so passionate about clientflow (the entire experience your client has with your brand, from inquiry to offboarding) because of my views on time. 

“Work to live, don’t live to work.”

I hear this mantra thrown around quite a bit. The reality for many of us, however, is that we’ll spend more hours working than we will with our friends, family, and other loved ones. In the moment, lost minutes (or sometimes hours) on inefficiencies within our business may not feel like that big of a deal … but those minutes and hours pile up in the blink of an eye. 

Related: How to set client expectations in the instant gratification era

Simply losing 3 hours per week (30 minutes per day) on inefficiencies — or manual tasks you haven’t gotten around to automating — will quickly total up to almost a week of lost time over the course of a year. Six-and-a-half days to be exact. A week you could have spent living, loving (or heck, even just napping), not working. 

Of course, that’s assuming you’re only wasting 30 minutes per day. But are automation and AI the answer to that, or do they create more problems?

At first glance, AI may feel like a step toward dehumanizing your business at a time when it’s more critical than ever that you make it easier to trust your brand in order to buy from you — something that making your business seemingly more robotic seems to contradict. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

When utilized appropriately, AI can actually free you up to spend more time doing more impactfully human things within your business. It’s kind of like taking what was already possible with clientflow automation and putting it on steroids. 

This is really exciting because, as humans, we only have a finite amount of time on this planet. That means we need to work smarter within our businesses (using technology like AI) to use our time more effectively. 

From HoneyBook: Leveraging AI to empower independent businesses

That way we have more time to be human. Whether that’s working on more high-impact, human-driven projects within your brand (starting a podcast, creating more video on social media, or spending more time serving clients), or being more available to spend time with those you love.

Which is why I’m so excited about HoneyBook’s new AI product updates 

OK, now, let’s get into the good stuff for those of you using HoneyBook — or those of you still eyeing up HoneyBook as a way to make your independent business clientflow *chef’s kiss* perfect.

Now is your time as an independent business owner to leverage AI. 

Let’s look at how HoneyBook AI makes that possible … 

NEW: AI-powered priority lead notification

Have you ever wanted to know which of your leads were more likely to book, to be high value, or to book a high-value project specifically? That’s possible with HoneyBook’s brand-spankin’-new priority lead notification feature.

When a lead converts on a HoneyBook form you’ve embedded on your website, or shared via email, social media, or elsewhere, our AI will get to work. 

Based on the information your new lead shares through the form, and your historical HoneyBook data, our little AI robots will crunch the numbers to determine if your lead is a priority — more likely to book, more likely to be high-value, or more likely to book a high-value project. If the answer is “Yes!” (and you have the HoneyBook app on your phone), you’ll get a push notification like the one shown above. 

From HoneyBook: Book valuable, qualified leads faster with HoneyBook AI

What does the HoneyBook AI catch that you may not? It’s all in the data, actually. For instance, did you know that leads that come in by referral are 4X more likely to book? That’s something HoneyBook’s AI can analyze for you.

The benefit for you is that you can make smarter decisions faster about your inbound leads. Particularly since speed can often be the determining factor in whether or not you land a client. 

NEW: AI composer (BETA)

One of my absolute favorite stats that came out of HoneyBook’s clientflow research (in partnership with Visa) earlier this year is this one:

86% of buyers we surveyed said a quick response was the reason why they selected their service provider. This is data supported by research from Harvard Business Review, which found brands that responded within an hour to an inquiry were 7X more likely to qualify that lead.

How can you make your response time faster, so you can be on the happy end of that little data point? HoneyBook’s AI composer, which enables you to generate professional, personalized email responses, so you can get back to your prospects (and your current clients!) faster. (You can join the waitlist for this BETA feature here.)

Again, I know adding more robots into your communication processes may feel like a great way to dehumanize your brand at first. But there are ways you can easily address that, particularly in those first-touch emails to prospects who fill out a form on your website … 

You can create a one-to-many introduction video (like the one above!) that puts a human touch on your brand without you having to create a personalized response for every single person who walks through your virtual website door.

Pair that with one or two sentences of generated general information, you’ve got an AI-powered, automated, yet still hyper-human response you can get out the door quickly, to increase your chances of making the sale.

Related: You don’t want to focus on clientflow, but your life depends on it

This is a powerful opportunity for those of you who may have concerns about AI enabling a loss of control within your business. AI composer allows you to be more efficient in a way that remains within your control — you’re just working smarter, not harder, at scale. 

That’s how you set yourself apart from the competition, because no one who is truly succeeding out there in business (no matter the size of their company) is doing so with an entirely manually operated business. 

Yes, you are smart enough to use AI in your business

One of the most common misconceptions about AI among independent business owners is that it’s incredibly complex to use, with a steep learning curve that makes it different to embrace. (This is something I talked with Dawn Richardson about in a recent episode of the Independent Business Podcast.)

To be fair, I think feeling insecure about any new technology is totally normal. Anything that disrupts the status quo or our “comfortable” ways of doing business can seem a bit spooky at first. 

However, if you’re someone who sees the promise of AI, but is also struggling with fears like, “This is just too much for me to understand, I don’t think I’m smart enough to figure this whole AI thing out,” please hear me when I say this … 

Related: 4 powerful, simple ways to automate your clientflow with HoneyBook

AI is so much more accessible than you think. AI isn’t just for the big tech companies with large headcounts, massive research departments, and experimental budget to spare. 

The key here is to make smart choices about how you choose to integrate AI within your business in a way that makes sense for you. You can start by asking yourself questions like:

• Where am I experiencing the most pain in my business? (If it’s with lead qualification or prospect response time, HoneyBook can help you out! ) 

• Where am I currently losing the most time in my business with low-impact tasks that are taking me away from high-impact opportunities?

Don’t listen to those folks on social media telling you that you’re already a failure for not knowing “these 73,870 ways you should already be using AI in your business.” If you use AI to only save yourself 30 minutes a day, 3 hours per week, you’re a success because you’ve given yourself one week back per year to use however you see fit. 

And that’s freakin’ incredible. 

AI can be an extension of you in your business, with you always at the wheel, in total control of the direction in which you move forward.

The post Tap into your independent business AI superpowers with HoneyBook AI appeared first on Natalie Franke.

When we price ourselves, we’re putting ourselves in the position to quantify the value we’re providing to others (experience, expertise, the craft of what we do) — and that is a playground our prickly little imposter syndrome gremlins to play on more than anything. 

Do I really provide value?

If someone pushes back on my pricing, are they questioning my value?

Wait, are they right that I’m asking too much?

Is what I’m doing really even that special?

Am I even good enough to be charging these prices?

By a show of virtual hands, how many of you have caught yourself spiraling, trying to answer one, some, or all of the above questions? In case you’re wondering, my virtual hand is 100% raised right alongside you because, oof — pricing.

Related: 5 undeniable independent business trends you can’t ignore 

Which is why we’re going to come together today and talk this out. Because I have no doubt that, no matter who you are, you do provide value. You’re not asking too much. Yes, what you’re doing is that special, because you are unique. And yes, you are good enough to charge your worth. 

Now, let’s talk about how to make you feel that way, too.

Strengthen your pricing confidence muscles

OK, it’s time for a little tough love, but only because I care. I wish there was a fancy magic trick or “battle-tested” independent business process for building your confidence muscles around your pricing. I really, really do. 

But here’s the truth:

No one, including your prospects, will see your value unless you do. 

Really. It all begins with you and your mindset. You set the tone for how others perceive your value. If you don’t believe you possess value in the work you’re offering, no one else ever will. You have to believe in you if you want anyone else to do the same. 

Related: Go behind the scenes of the Independent Business Podcast

Now, in all fairness, I know this is a lot easier said than done. Wouldn’t it be great if we could end this article right here, though? “Oh! All I have to do is BELIEVE IN MYSELF?! Why didn’t I think of that?!” 

Sigh, I wish. Trust me. 

I know how hard it is to bet on yourself when you wish there was a little more proof in the proverbial pudding that betting on yourself is going to pay off. That’s exactly why I wrote my second book, Gutsy, which is coming out later this year. 

If you’re waiting for others to give you the permission slip in life you need to do what you want to do on your terms, you’ll be waiting forever. And if you’re waiting for others to tell you the value you bring to this world, you’ll be waiting forever.

You have to do it scared. 

Before you expect anyone else to validate what you offer, you have to start within you. You have to look in the mirror, know the value you bring to the table without needing the sign-off from anyone else, before you expect anyone else to follow suit. 

Related: Gutsy, the 2nd book from Natalie Franke now available for preorder

The nuances of communicating value

One thing we must acknowledge is that assessing and quantifying “value” is subjective, and you can’t make assumptions that you and your potential clients have the same definition of “value.”

So, when you’re leading the way in setting the tone for how prospects see your value, you need to get inside the mindset of your potential customers of how they assess and determine value when making purchasing decisions.

For example, one of the most common mistakes I see folks make in the wedding photography space is they publish content that interests other wedding photographers, but then wonder why they’re not attracting new clients. They’re creating content for themselves, for their community, and no one else. 

Related: How to set client expectations in the instant gratification era

Potential wedding photography clients aren’t interested in gear. They don’t care if you’re photographing a dress with a $50,000 camera or a potato as long as it looks stunning. They’re interested in how you make the days of your clients special; they’re interested in the process, the outcomes, what it’s like to work with you, and so on.

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about marketing or sales conversations that include talking points about pricing, you have to contextualize everything you say and do around the priorities of your clients, not your own. 

How do you do that?

Review old sales calls you’ve had with people who went on to become ideal clients and note the questions they ask you. Survey your clients (bonus, as part of your clientflow!) and ask them what about the process of working with you was magic for them, in their words. 

Take the time to notice what it is that brought your clients to your doorstep and kept them happy throughout the process of working with you, and then integrate those learnings into how you approach conversations of your value. 

Whenever you have a sales conversation about pricing or simply the work you do, make your prospects the hero of that conversation. Lead with their needs, goals, and challenges, not your own.

Also define who isn’t right for you

Here’s the thing, when you start within you, betting on yourself even when it’s scary at first, many people — well, more specifically, the right people — will catch the vision of your value, too. 

But not everyone will, and that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. 

You aren’t meant to serve every single potential client you meet. I think this is something we all know intellectually. However, it’s easy to forget when we’re sitting with someone who is not the right fit for us, as they’re responding negatively to how we price our services. 

Related: Why you keep attracting bad clients (+ how to fix it)

You may have a clear picture of what your value is, validated by your findings in gathering feedback from your current ideal clients. But the wrong person will never, ever, ever catch the vision of your value and will be more prone to pushing back on pricing. 

Not because you’re doing anything wrong; they’re simply a bad-fit client.

That’s why I love to encourage independent business owners to not only take time to define who their ideal clients are, but also to define with the same exacting detail who isn’t right for them. 

Because, sometimes you can have two prospects who look nearly identical “on paper,” but there could be a lack of alignment in values. Maybe they don’t share the same reverence for the craft behind the work you do, which is their prerogative! Maybe they’re a shopper who always prioritizes price as the determining factor, no matter what they’re buying, which is also totally OK! 

Whatever the differences may be, they are not a reflection on you. But it’s on you to take the time to note what those differences are, so that when the wrong people come a-knockin’, your self-esteem doesn’t take a beating, and you know to walk away (politely) from the prospect.

For example, if can’t accommodate a prospect’s request for a very limited budget based on your current pricing, here is one of my favorite scripts:

“I am honored that you love my work. Unfortunately, due to the scope of the project and the budget allotted, I won’t be able to provide you with the experience that you are looking for. Let me recommend a few other businesses that are more competitively priced.”

Know your worth, and don’t bend for those who aren’t meant for you.

Related: How to respond when someone asks you to work for a discount (+ examples)

How you talk about pricing matters

OK, now we’re going to dig into a bit of handy psychology that can make all the difference in how prospects perceive your pricing — whether they’re evaluating your pricing on your website during the ever-important research phase, or during a live sales conversation with you. 

Commonly, independent business owners will talk about pricing on their website with language like this: 

“Our packages typically start at $5,000.”

Now, your packages may start at $5,000 but go up to $12,000 depending on a number of different factors. But since you may be worried about scaring folks off with that high of a number without being able to talk to them about what those factors are and how they influence pricing, you may leave that part out. 

Independent Business Podcast: How to grow your business in a recession with Donald Miller

You shouldn’t do this.

There’s a principle in sales called “price anchoring,” which is when you give potential buyers a price point they can refer to when they make decisions. 

When you say your prices start at a particular number — the very low end of a range, potentially — you are anchoring your prospects psychologically to that number. When your prices start at a particular number, anything less than that feels like a bargain. Anything more than that, however, feels too expensive. It’s a steeper climb to get that price up to where it needs to be — you have to make the case for it.

So, what should you do instead?

When you take this approach of saying “clients invest between X and Y,” you mitigate the risk of prospects experiencing sticker shock. On top of that, you’re positioning your work and what you do as an investment, not a transactional commodity that can be priced down like a car at a dealership. 

Seriously, this seems like a small thing, but the psychology of how you frame pricing is much more powerful than you may realize. 

Here’s another example. When you use whole numbers for your pricing — rather than anything with 99 at the end of it — you’re positioning your offerings in a way that is more attractive to buyers who spend more, because they’re not searching for the “best deal,” they want quality from a vendor who knows their worth.

“But what if I couldn’t afford my own services?”

I hear this a lot, and I have two words for you:

That’s OK. 

Really, it’s totally OK that you’ve priced yourself out of being able to afford you. You’re allowed to only be accessible to a certain level of clientele above where you perceive yourself to be, wealth-wise. 

From HoneyBook: 15 pricing models for independent businesses

I struggled with this when I first started my wedding photography business in Annapolis. I couldn’t afford the way I wanted to price myself, and that held me back a bit at first. I would show up with “packages that start at $3,999,” and the luxury wedding photography client I wanted to book wouldn’t bite. 

Depending on what it is you do or sell, this may resonate with you or it may not. But if it does, hear me when I say this: Just because you can’t afford your own services doesn’t mean you aren’t a luxury.

You absolutely are. 

Don’t let fear hold you back

So much of what it takes to feel confident about your pricing simply comes down to your mindset. It comes down to moving through the fear, the what-ifs, and the naysayers who will never be on your side, to know and stand by your worth. 

I know it’s not easy. In many ways, it’s a lifelong process of learning and believing and growing in the confidence we have for ourselves. But the only way I’ve ever learned to overcome these insecurities is by showing up and taking action even if I’m still learning to trust that I am truly enough. 

Related: How will AI and ChatGPT impact your independent business?

You’re a human being, so fear is always going to be part of the equation, no matter how much experience you have or how much success you’ve achieved in your career. At some point, though, you have the choice as to whether you let fear be the thing that holds you back — or let it be what fuels you to move forward. 

We’re not asking ourselves, “How do I become someone who walks through walls completely unphased, knowing I’m worth a billion dollars no matter what anyone else ever says about me?”

What you need to ask yourself instead is:

• “How do I show up every single day with an understanding of the real value I provide?” 
• “How do I continue to improve myself and what I do every single day, so I can become more of an invaluable resource to my clients?”
• “How do I price myself in such a way where I can give my clients the focus they deserve and the quality of work I’ve promised, without overextending myself to make ends meet?”

Of course, you won’t be perfect at this. 

You’ll have days where it’s harder to embody the confidence you know you need. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll learn. You’ll grow. 

It’s why “do it scared” is one of my favorite mantras.

You’ll have bad days, you’ll have good days, but you’ll still always be moving forward. Staying and sitting in your insecurities isn’t going to get you where you want to go. 

Know your worth. Charge your worth. Move forward. You’ve got this.

The post How to feel more confident about your independent business pricing (+ examples) appeared first on Natalie Franke.

I know, this isn’t our first conversation about clientflow. But you can bet your bottom dollar it will not be our last. That’s because clientflow — the entire experience your client has from the moment they land on your website to the moment they complete work with you — is that freakin’ important.

For instance, recent research found that 86% of consumers would pay more for better customer experience. Given the instant gratification era we live in, this data likely isn’t too much of a surprise — especially since, off the clock, we’re all consumers, too! 

On top of that, when you’ve got a clientflow problem, your clients aren’t the only ones who suffer. As an independent business owner, clientflow issues can all too easily leave you feeling disorganized, constantly behind the eight ball, and sending more “thank you for your patience!” emails than you’d like.

Related: Go behind the scenes of the Independent Business Podcast

That’s why I’m here today to share my favorite, super simple clientflow automations you can set up using HoneyBook. You deserve to make more money from happy clients because they know you’re going to deliver a superior experience. More than that, though, I think we can all agree you deserve more freedom and sanity as an independent business owner. 

1. Automate initial touchpoints in your sales process

If you missed HoneyBook’s new clientflow data report, in partnership with Visa, released earlier this year, here’s a key piece of information you need to know. How quickly you communicate is crazy important to your clients and prospects. In fact, Harvard Business Review found that brands that responded to an inquiry within an hour were seven times more likely to qualify that lead.

HoneyBook makes it easy to automate this part of your sales process. Whenever someone fills out an embedded HoneyBook contact form on your website, you can set up an automated email response to give an estimate of when they can expect to hear back from you. 

Related: 5 undeniable independent business trends you can’t ignore

You can even take it a step further to include your HoneyBook scheduler link, which allows a prospect to book time on your calendar to chat without having to wait to hear from you! 

2. Guide service selection more strategically with prospects

If you want to increase the chances of a prospect saying, “I do!” to working with you — sorry, you can take the girl out of wedding photography, but you can’t take the wedding photography out of the gal! — personalize how you share your products and services with them. 

Sure, you can point them to your website for more information about what you do, so they can make an informed decision on their own. Or, you can use HoneyBook’s interactive sales brochure templates to create an experience that is customized to the unique needs and goals of your prospect. 

You’ll not only speed up the decision-making process, you’ll also communicate a degree of focus and care for your clients that they may not find elsewhere. 

3. Get to know your clients with an automated onboarding questionnaire

HoneyBook user Liz Murphy shared she loves using the platform’s questionnaire functionality to onboard her clients:

“When I’m onboarding a new client, a lot of things need to get squared away very quickly, based on the needs of my clients. For example, do they have specific communication preferences? Are there other stakeholders that need to be involved? 

Related: You don’t want to focus on clientflow, but your life depends on it

Sure, we can take an hour covering all these questions in a kick-off call, but I’ve found that using HoneyBook to send an automated email with a questionnaire covering these questions is way more effective and efficient. By the time everyone arrives at the kickoff meeting, we already know all the basics, and we’re getting down to work much faster.”

4. Brand and automate your invoicing processes

Cha-ching! That’s right, HoneyBook makes it crazy easy to get paid — one of the most exciting (and important) parts of being an independent business owner — in two key ways: 

• You can give your clients a polished invoicing experience with branded invoice templates you can customize with a few simple clicks. 

• Reduce the number of late payments you receive (and the need to manually send reminders) with automated payment reminders you can set to a specific payment schedule.

What’s also amazing about HoneyBook is that you can see when your clients view reminder emails and invoices, giving you peace of mind that your communications aren’t being eaten by the dreaded spam folder.

Remember, prioritizing clientflow is your ticket to freedom

Time is the most valuable resource any of us have — and when I am talking about us, I mean us as human beings, not just business owners. 

There’s just one problem. 

When we’re heads down in our independent businesses, day after day, week after week, month after month, we often don’t see how inefficient our “efficient” processes are. Sure, as a one-off, spending 30 minutes on a manual task that could be automated seems smart — it’s faster to “get it done,” than to take yourself out of your day-to-day to build clientflow automations. 

Related: How to set client expectations in the instant gratification era

But those minutes add up. For example, if you get sidetracked with a 30-minute task only six times per week, the math gets a bit scary. That’s 180 minutes (3 hours) per week, 810 minutes (13.5 hours) on average per month, and 9,360 minutes (156 hours or 6.5 days) per year.

What would you do if I could give you a week back at the end of the year, assuming you’re only losing 180 minutes per week on clientflow issues?

If your time matters to you, I’ve got a simple challenge for you — book a single hour on your calendar each week to implement some of the clientflow automation ideas I’ve shared above. You’ll be surprised at how much your clients will thank you … and how much happiness and fulfillment you’ll unlock as an independent business owner.

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