My Client Management System | 104

Do you ever feel like you're drowning in client requests, project specifications, and email threads that seem never-ending?

Trust me, I've been there.

I’ve had clients tell me they want to work with me in the future, and because I was disorganized, I forgot to follow up.

I dropped the ball. They went with some other photographer, and I lost out on thousands of dollars.

So I got organized.

An organized approach doesn't just make you look professional; it leads to bigger client deals too.

I used to think I could just keep track of everything in my email inbox. After all, I was a one-man show. How complicated can things get?

It wasn’t until I saw clients working with other photographers over me that I realized I was actually losing money by being disorganized. And most creatives don’t see this as actively losing money, but they are. This requires a mindset shift.

Even worse, I used to think I was entitled to work with clients again and again.

Luckily, I realized it’s on me to be reaching out to them for future work. They don’t owe me anything. I’m the one in control of my success.

This was a freeing realization.

Let’s get organized.

Project Management

When juggling multiple clients, staying on top of all their needs can quickly become a nightmare. But turning them down? Not an option. Solution? Implementing a robust project management system.

As soon as a client signs on to work with me, they get added to my project management software. I’m using Notion for this, but there are loads of other great ones like Asana, Click Up, Monday, etc. Pick one, and stick with it. They’re all effective.

Identify what’s important for your creative biz to keep track of. For me, it’s the number of photos, editing styles, to aspect ratios, must-have shots, mistakes from other creatives… it's all there. For my Creative Biz Launch students reading, you already know you get this template as a free bonus in the program as part of the Creative Biz Dashboard.

I also keep track of project status all the way from the mood board and prep call to the final asset delivery and beyond.

At a glance, I’ll know what projects have to get done that week and how long they’ll take.

What happens when I finish a project? Time to get another one. In comes the CRM.

CRM (Client Relationship Manager)

Using a CRM is the easiest way to have an organized sales pipeline. Your pipeline shows exactly where each client is at a glance. You’ll see if they’ve just been contacted for the first time, they’re waiting on the proposal, or they need to be followed up with for a new project. I’ve got about a dozen stages in my CRM for clients.

A CRM is different than project management because you’re managing sales, not services. Once you complete a project with a client, your CRM will tell you when it’s time to follow up for the next one.

Let’s say I complete a project and the client says they’re coming out with new packaging in 3 months. I made a task to follow up with them in 3 months. This sounds super simple, but most creatives just don’t do this simple thing.

Successful businesses do the simple things well, consistently. That’s what leads to success. Not some fancy complex strategies.

What CRM do I recommend? If you’re a Creative Biz Launch student, you’ve already got the custom-built one inside the program (Notion Template). I recommend using this one until you’re at $3-4k/mo from client revenue. At that point, I’d switch over to something like Close to really stay organized.

If you’re not a CBL student, Hubspot is a decent alternative. I don’t really recommend using something like Honeybook or any CRM that advertises it’s specific to creatives.

Client Experience

There’s this crazy stat that most clients decide if they'll work with you again within hours or days of signing a contract. That's before even seeing the final work! (feel free to fact-check me on this - I forget where I read this).

The secret? An incredible customer experience. Respond promptly, onboard efficiently, and just be there. It's a surefire way to ensure repeat business.

Always send that welcome email within an hour of them signing the contract along with that deposit. An automated CRM can do this for you a lot of the time.

Firing Bad Clients

We've all been there. Some clients can be not so great to work with. My strategy?

1. Always be respectful and understanding. Try and work it out and reset expectations for the next project.
2. If they’re still a headache, double or triple your rates to a point that the headache will be worth it. If they say yes, well you’ll earn a big paycheck. If they say no, you get rid of this client and can easily find a new one. By the way, if you don’t have a client acquisition system yet, watch part 1 of this free workshop.

Managing clients might seem daunting, but with the right tools and approach, it's a breeze. Remember, it's not just about delivering exceptional photos; it's about the entire experience.