FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: How I Use Dubsado to Manage My Wedding Photography Business
Overwhelmed with emails and organizational tasks related to managing your wedding photography clients? I got you! Well, actually, Dubsado does! Dubsado is the customer relationship management solution I use to keep track of wedding day details, client emails, and So. Much. More. Streamline your business and make more time to do the things you love—like actually taking pictures! Bonus: I’ve got a 20% coupon off your first month or year for you. Click here or use code loribarb at checkout.
No More Paper Planner
When I started my wedding photography business, I was using a paper calendar to keep track of wedding dates and a filing cabinet to store a folder for each client’s paperwork. Paperwork that included the physically signed copy of the contract the client signed at our meeting or mailed back to me.
Not a great system. Fortunately, I’m an organization freak and nothing ever fell through the cracks (whew!) but as my business grew, I knew there has to be a better way.
Enter Dubsado. A custom stationery friend of mine turned me on to Dubsado one day over lunch. I signed up that day and haven’t looked back.
From the moment a client inquires on my website to the post-wedding survey email I send them (gotta get those reviews and testimonials!) each and every client flows through my Dubsado client management system.
Now I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Dubsado takes some setting up on the front end. There are paid services that can help get you started ie Dubsado has a super helpful getting started video series. And honestly, it’s SO worth it! Once you’ve got everything set, you’re on cruise control!
From Start to Finish
My flow looks something like this:
1. I have a Dubsado lead capture form embedded on my Squarespace (aff link) website. When a potential client fills out that inquiry form, they choose the type of photography they’re interested in (wedding, proposal, etc) That selection gets them funneled into a workflow for that particular type of photography. Now I could have Dubsado automatically send them info based on that funnel, but I like to customize things, so I respond personally to inquiries.
2. In that response, I use Dubsado’s scheduler to set up a call or in-person meeting with the client. I set my schedule and the client is able to choose from available dates and times and we both get confirmation and appointment reminder emails.
3. The next step in the flow is to send the pricing proposal. For weddings, my proposal includes three packages the client can choose from. They pick their package and are led through the contract signing and retainer payment process. And it’s completely hands-off for me! Is there anything better than waking up to a signed contract and retainer payment?
Easy peasy lemon squeezy but the workflow is really just getting started here! The Dubsado scheduler comes into play again when we schedule the couple’s engagement session!
4. As the months pass approaching the couple’s wedding date, I have a series of check-in emails that go out to them. Some of them offer planning tips or suggested vendors, others remind the couple of the importance of taking a date night off from wedding planning and doing something fun.
5. As we get closer to the wedding, couples get a Dubsado questionnaire where they enter their wedding details – everything from venue addresses to timelines to emergency contacts for the day of the wedding. This gets morphed into their wedding day timeline with minimal effort on my part!
6. Balance due invoices (and those icky but sometimes necessary past due reminders) are all set up to go out automatically based on the wedding date.
7. Post-wedding, couples receive the link to their image gallery via an email sent using Dubsado. Wedding album choices (fabric or leather cover? 10×10 or 12×12 album) are made using a Dubsado form and final client sign-off on the album design (an absolute must before sending an album to print) are all done utilizing a form in Dubsado.
8. The final step in the wedding flow occurs after image and product delivery when I send the couple a satisfaction survey and ask for Google reviews. I keep meaning to add a one-year anniversary email message step into the workflow, but it just hasn’t happened quite yet!
More Time to Do What You Love
You can see how much Dubsado streamlines in my wedding photography business and the time it saves me allows me to spend more time doing what I love and that’s actually taking pictures!
Dubsado offers a free trial for your first 3 clients and if you use my link you get 20% off your first month or year!
Give it a try and let me know what you’re going to do with all the time Dubsado saves you!
