If you are a service provider that deals directly with clients and you are not using a CRM (client/customer relationship management) software, you are missing out.
Why? Because they take all the client facing tools you use (invoices, contracts, scheduling, emails) and put them into one neat little dashboard.
These days I am a big fan of Dubsado. It allows me to create a seamless client experience form start to finish. How? My inquiry form creates a client project, from there I can send proposals, contracts, questionnaires, invoices, schedulers and more.
So what are the top 3 tools that your CRM probably (read SHOULD) have?
- Scheduling – if you are scheduling clients, you should use your CRM to input your availability/schedule, and then send that scheduler to clients so that they can pick a date, sign a contract, and pay a retainer…all in one place. Bonus points for setting up your scheduler to send reminder emails and automated invoices for payments.
- Onboarding – use your CRM to create awesome questionnaires that give you an edge when you are onboarding a new client. Ask them in depth questions that align with your brand. Heck, you can head off potential poor matches with unique questions on your inquiry forms!
- Email templates – if you send the same email over and over, you need to have templates. Most CRMs will allow you to personalize your templates with short codes (for instance, “client first name” “event date”, etc). Some examples of email templates to create might include welcome emails, digital product delivery, invoice reminders, and follow-up with review requests.
If you aren’t using a CRM or you are unhappy with yours, you can use code CAITLINTHOMAS to try Dubsado for free and save 20% off of your first month or year.
