The Creative Entrepreneur’s Guide to

SYSTEMS, AUTOMATION &

WORKFLOW

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Cor

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1KEY TIPS

2WHY SYSTEMS IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY, REVENUE, AND QUALITY OF LIFEBy Geomyra L. Pollard

4WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY: ADVICE FROM A “WORKFLOW GURU”By Dawn M. Roode

7SYSTEMS MADE SIMPLE: HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME AND INCREASE YOUR EFFICIENCYBy Liz Muroski

9HOW AUTOMATION AND WORKING EFFICIENTLY CAN LEAD TO A BETTER CLIENT EXPERIENCEBy Vanna Van Oss

11TOP 3 TOOLS I USE TO STREAMLINE MY COMPANY AND WORK EFFICIENTLY By Chante Gulley

13HOW TO CREATE EFFICIENCY IN YOUR WORKFLOWS WHILE REMAINING PERSONALBy Annie McCarty

18DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND RECOMMENDED RISING TIDE BLOG ARTICLES

15TIPS FROM THE COMMUNITYFrom Feyisola Ogunfemi, Kevin Dennis, and Jordan Gill

19WHO WE ARE

Table of Contents

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1KEY TIPS

ONCE YOU BUILD IT, DELEGATE IT: Once you’ve built your system, created an operations manual, and mapped out your workflow, delegate it. Whether it’s through a software or service, or by hiring someone to execute your workflow, delegating tasks that don’t require YOUR hand on them frees you up to grow your business in other ways. For example: finally nailed down your brand voice and created a system for social media content creation? Look into tools like HootSuite or CoSchedule, or hire a social media manager to run with the work you’ve put in on the front end. Then, you can get back to doing what you do best (and what only you can do!).

FIND A CRM THAT WORKS FOR YOU: Just like every person is different, every business is, too. Finding a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system that works for you can make all the difference in your business. When researching, make a list of priorities for your business and how you work. Look for key features like templated contracts, automations, recurring payments (that are secure and give you peace of mind!), and simple workflow mapping. Of course, our team here at Rising Tide and HoneyBook is always here to help with anything you need. And as a Rising Tide member you get 50% off your first year of HoneyBook, so start your free trial today!

CREATE SYSTEMS TO INCREASE YOUR EFFICIENCY: It’s not uncommon to jump right into business, serving clients, and never get around to building out a proper system for every service or product you offer. When deadlines are looming, client emails are in your inbox, and you’re feeling the pressure to check items off the to-do list, building out systems and workflows are a last priority. However, if you ever hope to streamline your business, provide a consistent customer experience, and grow your business beyond yourself, systems are a must. Set the intention to map out your systems and processes early on using tips from this guide to help build a sustainable and profitable business.

1 | Systems, Automation & Workflow

It’s no surprise that creating efficient systems can not only ease stress and simplify your business, but it can also do things like improve your overall customer experience, and ultimately bring in more dollars to your bank account. If your goal is to get automated in your business and streamline your workflow, this guide features insight from the experts on quick tips, as well as long-term processes, you can implement starting today!

Ready to get your systems, automation, and workflows streamlined for your business? As a Rising Tide member you get 50% off your first year of HoneyBook, so start your free trial today to save yourself time, uplevel your business, and get back to doing the work you love most.

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In the online space, you have probably heard the word “systems” and thought one of a few things: 1) What the heck are systems?, 2) Systems don’t apply to me, 3) I don’t need systems in my business, or 4) I know I need systems and I need to find time to implement them.

The truth is, every business (and family) can benefit from having solid systems and workflows in place. Before we dive deeper into how to implement systems, let’s first define them. I have found that when we more accurately define something, we have a better chance of implementing it into our lives, because we better grasp how it impacts us.

Merriam Webster defines systems as a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. Systems are essentially the best steps it will take to create your most desired outcome. Systems are automatic, they outline a process or routine, they solve an issue, or create an experience. Systems move business owners from being reactive to

proactive. They help you use your time in the best possible way, which most often leads to greater business growth and more time to focus on other areas, whether in your life or business.

When working with my coaching clients who are seeking to put systems in place, we follow my PRQ model. It is my belief that having solid systems in place increases your p roductivity (hello more free time!), r evenue (cha-ching!), and affords you the opportunity for a better q uality of life (#whatmattersmost). PRQ represents the benefits of having systems and workflows in place and improves your workplace efficiency.

Systems are typically the last thing most business owners focus on. As they’re not flashing red priorities that have a deadline attached to them, businesses will often run their operations on the fly for years. But, the fact of the matter is, we all face the age-old challenge of “too much to do, too little time.” Systems are the very tool that allows business owners to “work smarter, not harder.”

WHY SYSTEMS IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY, REVENUE, AND

QUALITY OF LIFEGeomyra L. Pollard

Photo by Jens Kreuter Photo by Al Ghazali

3 | Systems, Automation & Workflow

Let’s explore setting up systems and the PRQ model a bit more in-depth. By writing down all of the steps that make up the functions and tasks in your business or project, you are essentially setting the foundation for creating a system and workflow. The next step is to use a CRM such as HoneyBook to assign tasks and monitor the progress through the workflow. By creating the system, everyone on your team knows exactly where a project or client is in the workflow. If you’re using HoneyBook , they make it possible to create templates for repetitive tasks so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel (hello, productivity!).

Naturally, when we are making the most use of our time and team members, we become more profitable and productive. Keeping up with tasks and workflows and assigning appropriate team members to them also means you have more opportunities to focus on revenue generating and specialty tasks within the workflow. Take a look at your current systems and determine if there are steps you need to add or tasks you may be able to outsource. Lastly, by having systems and workflows in place, you not only level up your productivity and increase your revenue, you also carve out more time to focus on what matters most.

What systems do you need to put in place in your business and home? What can you outsource or delegate to your team or family member? What will you do with the time you save by putting systems in place?

In order to start prioritizing your systems and workflows, follow my quick-start tip below.

Quickstart tip: Block 2-3 hours off on your calendar to begin working on your systems and workflows. Pop open a spreadsheet and write out every single task from A to Z that takes place within your business or even a repetitive task or chore at home. Assign a team member or yourself to each task that you have written out. Make a note of the resources and templates that are linked to each task. Once you have your draft in place, pop open HoneyBook and upload the workflows. Lastly, work with a coach on automating and streamlining your processes and systems to eliminate redundancy, increase your work efficiency, and improve your productivity, revenue and quality of life.

GEOMYRA L. POLLARDCoaching for CreativesWashington, DC@coachforcreativescoachingforcreatives.co

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I worked in the media business for more than two decades, and during my time as production director at Vogue and managing editor at Harper’s Bazaar, I gained a reputation as a “workflow guru.” I was brought in to create systems for new magazines, to consult on workflow at historic titles, and to find efficiencies in budget and staffing across the board.

In my more recent journey as a creative entrepreneur, I have often found that lessons that were hard-won then have been helpful to me now—and sometimes, well, they go against conventional wisdom.

1. THAT SHINY NEW BIZ APP MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR YOU AND YOUR WORK EFFICIENCY.

I have tried a handful of times to ditch my old-fashioned to-do lists for tech-based lists. Each time it seems like a no-brainer—download an app, have my to-do lists at hand across my devices anywhere I am. Friends swear by apps such as Wunderlist and Todoist; their enthusiasm was contagious. But I learned through experience that digital list-making simply isn’t for me. I found myself grabbing pen and a scrap of paper every time I thought of something new, or printing out my lists so I could have the satisfaction of physically crossing off completed items (come on, don’t you love that?!).

Whether it’s task management software or how you file invoices, virtual scheduling or email automation, the best system for you is the one you will actually use!

Bottom line: A system only works if it works for you.

Photo by Rawpixel

WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY: ADVICE FROM A “WORKFLOW GURU”

Dawn M. Roode

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2. JUST BECAUSE A COLLEAGUE WORKS ONE WAY DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO.

You differentiate your creative work from others by your style, services, personality—and your systems may reflect that.

Example: So your fellow photographer sends out a 3-page questionnaire to new clients? If you find that delayed turnaround times for that are putting a kink in your workflow, consider a different route on how to become more efficient. Read key questions to a client over the phone and jot down their answers, perhaps. It might take a few minutes longer, but in addition to the satisfaction that, yes, you got the answers you need (!), you also benefit from hearing the inflection in their voice when they gave some important opinions.

Can you think of other parts of your process that differ from, say, your mentor’s? That’s more than okay, of course, just remember that your systems should reflect what you do.

Bottom line: Evaluate your systems based on your experience, not that of others.

3. RECORDING YOUR PROCESS SHOULD NOT BE ONE BIG PROJECT.

Okay, I admit that this one sucks. No one wants to interrupt their work to jot down what they just did every few moments. As a creative entrepreneur, I so get this: You’re in the flow, making what you make, letting all that right-brain mojo flow…who wants to switch to left-brain thinking to take utilitarian notes?

I speak from experience, though, when I say that trying to record your process while not in the midst of it is dangerous:

• Many tasks are so automatic that you don’t even think about them—you just do them. Those are the ones you’ll inevitably skip when writing a task-by-task list. Sure, you always copy your finished portfolio to a backup disk, for example, but if you don’t write it down as part of your process, you will not be able to delegate tasks with confidence.

• If you write out a set of tasks for a given project type before you have actually completed one such project, chances are you will miss some key actions. It might seem like you’re getting ahead of things by writing it out beforehand, but honestly, it is more time-consuming to go back and make amendments than it is to do it right once.

• Some projects might end up being one-offs. Back in my Vogue days, for instance, we occasionally produced mini magazines that were sponsored by one advertiser. It was never worth my time to create a unique workflow for these, however, because each one was different—and the differences were substantial enough that a step-by-step plan that didn’t apply would have been more of a

Photo by Estee Janssens

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distraction than a help. So make sure that you don’t waste time creating a detailed workflow for a product unless it’s one that will become part of your stable of offerings.

Bottom line: Recording a step-by-step workflow as you are working has myriad benefits—and, once complete, is truly impactful to your business.

4. AN UPFRONT INVESTMENT IN TIME WHEN RESEARCHING A NEW CRM/CMS IS WORTH IT FOR YOUR WORK EFFICIENCY!

Congratulations—your business has picked up enough that your old spreadsheet system isn’t cutting it! That’s a good problem to have, and one that can be easily addressed by a Client Management System.

Before you pull out your credit card to get the software your friend has, though, I recommend giving a few a trial run. Definitely solicit (and give weight to) colleagues’ recommendations. But remember that your business may have slightly varying needs, your budget different, and your preferences personal.

Before I subscribed to HoneyBook, I tested out two other competing software packages. I was ready to pull the trigger on another based on my experience with the two-week trial and a glowing referral from a web designer. But one thing that was lacking from that particular CMS nagged me, and I tried out HoneyBook. That final trial run on HoneyBook felt “just right,” as baby bear might say.

Bottom line: You may be impatient (I was!!) during a two-month period putting systems to the test; in the end, though, this due diligence is worth it for your business.

DAWN M. ROODEModern Heirloom BooksNorth Jersey/Chatham, NJ@modernheirloomwww.modernheirloombooks.com

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Simplification is everything when it comes to systemizing your workflow because, let me tell ya, with systems, the more does not always mean the merrier!

In small doses, systems are incredibly valuable, but it also doesn’t take much for them to become incredibly complex and overwhelming, which can actually hinder your work efficiency. Far too often I see small business owners get bogged down with fancy tools before they’re ready. The primary objective of systems is for them to serve you, not to stunt you! That’s why, the most common advice I give to my clients when it comes to systems is to be strategic and keep it simple. There are a plethora of amazing tools out there that will make your life easier, but you’ll only stunt your growth and decrease your productivity if you take on more than you can handle.

First off, a “system” does not always mean a service or program so, let’s break down that barrier of confusion real quick. There are services that can help you systemize your business BUT there are also organizational techniques and tweaks that can help you better prioritize and visualize what’s in front of you.

For example: From a marketing perspective, if you know you continuously fall behind with posting to your social media platforms because you only share on a whim, when it’s convenient, a new system for you could be as simple as starting an Excel or Google spreadsheet to help you plan out 10-14 days worth of social media

SYSTEMS MADE SIMPLE: HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME AND INCREASE YOUR EFFICIENCYLiz Muroski

content on the same day each week and making it routine - an organizational technique. Then, as your experience and comfort level grows, you can evolve that system by incorporating automation - a service or program that schedules and shares your social media content for you and, thus, further helps you maximize your time, increase your efficiency, and frees you up to achieve other meaningful tasks.

If you start slow and systemize based on the current needs of your business, your budget, and your goals, the more efficient and productive you will be in a) determining and learning a new system and b) learning how that new system can truly benefit you. Believe me, it is so much easier to add the essentials to your toolbox as you grow than it is to start with everything and constantly consolidate.

START HERE... HOW TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AT WORK:

1. Analyze and make a list of the repetitive administrative SPECIFICS that you spend the most time on in your business. Don’t just generalize it to items like client management, email marketing communications, or social media marketing. Be more thorough and write things like “time spent writing my Instagram captions and researching hashtags” or “remembering to pin at least three times per day” or “manually creating custom client documentation.”

Photo by Tanialee Gonzalez

Photo by Toa Heftiba

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2. From that list, rate those tasks based on the amount of effort required from you [1 being the least - 5 being the most].

3. Then, evaluate the items that consume the bulk of your effort and determine which have the most influential impact on your business growth right now. Do any of them fall in the same wheelhouse? For example, social media marketing often takes the cake here. Why use one resource for scheduling Instagram, one resource for scheduling Pinterest, and one resource for scheduling Facebook and Twitter when you can dig a bit deeper and find one service that does it all for social media? Or, worse, why spend an hour writing an Instagram post at random when you can spend an hour planning out content across your channels for a week in a spreadsheet and then input them into an all-in-one social automation service, like Buffer? It’s just a matter of selection and simplification.

4. Finally, find one solution for your biggest time suck that will allow you to work more ON your business, instead of in your business. Remember, that doesn’t have to be a paid program or service. Start small if this is new to you and go with that social media spreadsheet you update every week until you’re comfortable taking it further.

Remember, no matter how you decide to systemize, effort will always be required from you when running a business. There is no hands-free approach to entrepreneurship. Do your research, know what you can handle, be willing to experiment, and work your way forward slowly and strategically. Before you know it, you’ll be cruising the cruise!

LIZ MUROSKIDigital Marketing Coach for Small Businesses @ Liz Muroski MediaPinehurst, NC@lizmuroskimediawww.lizmuroskimedia.com

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Let’s make it known: your clients are craving structure and direction from you. They want to know the next steps; they want your advice, knowledge and guidance in whatever field of expertise for which they hired you. And speaking of hiring you, the likely did so because they know you are going to help them look their best, feel their best, ease their stress, or give them more free time. So let’s make sure we’re doing our part to make it happen!

Below are 3 simple steps to automate your workflows and put processes in place. In doing so, you’ll be able to better serve your current and future clients more consistently and more efficiently, ultimately leading to happier clients, five-star reviews, and more referrals.

STEP 1: TO BE MORE EFFICIENT… KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep it simple; you don’t need fancy technology to get started. Open up a blank document and make a list of every single touchpoint you have with a client from start to finish throughout an entire project. This should be your dream process, so add in the things you’re not doing, but want to start doing (i.e. a welcome email, an onboarding gift, a review request at the end of your process, etc.). Often times creating one process may lead to 2-3 follow-up processes. This list may be quite lengthy depending on how many interactions you have with a client. The list will also continue to change and morph over time as you discover better ways to serve your clients. However, it will increase your productivity in the long run by starting simple and mapping out your touchpoints.

STEP 2: CATEGORIZE YOUR TOUCHPOINTS

Once you’ve laid out the overall framework from step one, you’ll be able to see specific areas where you can create processes. Each touchpoint within your client experience will likely fall within one of the following four overarching areas:

HOW AUTOMATION AND WORKING EFFICIENTLY CAN LEAD TO A BETTER CLIENT EXPERIENCEVanna Van Oss

Photo by Joyce McCown

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(1) Emails to potential clients, current clients, or vendors/colleaguesFrom responding to a new inquiry, to sending a contract and onboarding a client, to requesting a vendor’s pricing or availability, you will save yourself time in the long-term by creating “copy and paste” templates to fill in and customize as you see fit.

(2) Internal documentsLook for gaps within your business where you’ve said “I should have taken better notes” or, “oh shoot, I forgot to ask them ____.” To provide a consistent client experience, look for internal process you can write and use during meetings or phone calls. Internal documents can also include checklists, after action reviews (which can help you see areas for improvement), budgets, or spreadsheets.

(3) External documents for clients to fill out and send back to youWhat do you want or need to know about your clients? Are there questions you can ask them before a meeting to help yourself prepare for a meeting? This may also include a client profile questionnaire to help you get to know your clients early in the process. Or, if you’re a photographer, it may be a shot-list template, or if you’re a DJ, maybe it’s a song/music template.

(4) External documents to help educate clientsYou’re the expert and your clients hired you for a reason. Help guide them, educate them, and keep them on track by being that expert you are. These documents can be developed by asking yourself: “How can I help set my clients up for success?” “How can I help them be prepared and know what to expect?” “How can I get better results and make MY life easier by helping them?”

STEP 3: TIME BLOCK YOUR SCHEDULE TO WRITE

You may find this to be the hardest step of them all; finding time to actually write the templates and documents. Start by setting aside a few hours each day for a couple weeks until you get to a point where you feel the processes are starting to work for you. This is the key to becoming more efficient in the process! It’s really important you keep the momentum going on this project. Processes and systems work best if you can build upon them. It’s like the snowball effect of workplace efficiency, you may write one email template and find it leads to two more follow-up email templates, which is an amazing thing!

Lastly, I do not believe automating your business has to be complicated. You don’t need any fancy technology or software to write out these processes or put systems into place. However, there IS some really awesome technology like HoneyBook that can help you manage each touchpoint and ensure you are following through, which is worth every penny of the investment.

VANNA VAN OSSFounder + Principal Planner @ Blue Sparrow EventsAustin, TX@bluesparroweventswww.bluesparrowevents.com

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When I first started out, I was a complete mess. I was doing everything the hard way and had no idea how to make it better. When I thought about my “why,” which is to spend more time with friends and family, I knew something had to change. I heard and read so many discussions about different programs and productivity tools such as “this vs. that.” Spoiler Alert: There is no right answer to any of those, everyone is different and therefore everyone’s business blueprint requires something that fits their company and helps them work more efficiently. Something that might work well for others may not necessarily work well for you! The truth is you just have to try it out for yourself and see how you like it - it’s that simple! Today, I am going to share 3 tools that I totally can’t live without and how they have transformed my company.

3 BEST TOOLS FOR WORK EFFICIENCY

Acuity - This is an online scheduling tool that helps you maximize your time and work more efficiently by allowing clients to book their own appointments on your calendar. I used to go back and forth via email about finding a day and time that works best and now with just a few clicks each client can see my availability and select a time to chat. I also love how it syncs with my Google Calendar, and I have it on my phone so if I have another commitment, I can add it to my Google Calendar and it will block that time frame from my calendar in Acuity.

TOP 3 TOOLS I USE TO STREAMLINE MY COMPANY AND WORK EFFICIENTLYChante Gulley

It’s that intuitive!! Acuity also let’s me add in questionnaires as well, so if clients want to schedule a particular meeting such a “quick chat,” I have questions that correspond to that type of meeting. Another amazing feature is that you can auto send reminder emails. I have one set for 24 hours in advance and 1 hour in advance. It’s amazing! I also only want to schedule 3 meetings in one day, so after 3 meetings are scheduled in one day, it automatically says I’m unavailable that day! This program is life changing and has saved me so much time to say the least!

Asana - This is another online tool that helps you manage your projects and increase your productivity. I use this program with the leadership team for our TuesdaysTogether group to stay organized and to track our progress. I also use this program as a checks and balances system for each of my clients on the back end. I love that you can assign a task to a person and add a due date. The best part is that Asana will send you emails reminding you that your task is due soon so I can stay organized with all of my clients. I use the same template for all of my clients and I can just copy the template

Photo by Jens Kreuter

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and update the name. This saves me so much time! I also use Asana for smaller projects that I may have such as styled shoots or group projects. There is so much you can do with this program, I even use it to organize my marketing plan and yearly goals and create deadlines for myself! I love how you can choose to have each project in a list view or a board view as well. All in all, Asana has kept me organized and on track!

HoneyBook - I love HoneyBook so much, and it has completely changed the way I do business. My clients LOVE the online contract signing and payment feature. They appreciate that everything is all in one place and they can even sign up for autopay, which has been one of my favorite features ! It makes things super seamless for my couples, and I am all about it! I also love that I can embed a Honeybook contact form onto my website so when I get a lead all of their info is in HoneyBook and it automatically creates a project. Once I get a lead, I have it set up in HoneyBook to send a personalized (I address each prospective client by their name which is really important to me) automated email. I also add my Acuity scheduling link if they want to take the next step and set up a “quick chat” with me. No more scrambling to write an email when I get a lead… they get it right away, and I just sit back and let my workflows and automations do the work for me, knowing it provides the best efficiency as a creative as possible. It’s such a relief and saves so much time!

Remember, find the program that fits your style and company. Not every tool is right for you even if it works for someone else.

CHANTE GULLEYForever Taeken Weddings and EventsTuesdays Together Inland Empire@taekenweddingswww.forevertaeken.com

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When it comes to automating your client workflow, you will increase your efficiency, but one of the most common concerns is that by doing so, you will inevitably lose the personal connection that you have with your clients. When your workflow steps happen in the background, without you manually triggering each one, how can you still provide a personal touch?

Well let me tell you, I’m a BIG fan of automation. Not only does it save time in the day-to-day of running my business and boost productivity, but it also helps me ensure that each and every one of my clients receives the same high level of service, at the right time in the process.

But even I, the self-proclaimed queen of automating #allthethings, holds a few steps near and dear. And it’s by doing this, by holding on to a couple of touchpoints in my client workflow, that I’m able to offer an experience that is consistent and EASY for me, yet truly tailored to each client I serve. So what does this look like in practice? Let’s break down a basic workflow…

A BASIC WORKFLOW: MAKING WORK MORE EFFICIENT, BUT ALSO PERSONALIZING THE CONVERSATION

1. START WITH AUTOMATION. When someone reaches out for the first time, they expect you to not only respond, but to respond quickly! Use your client management system to automate an email that’s sent almost immediately after someone submits your website contact form. Depending on your business model, this email could prompt them to schedule a discovery call with you, it could automatically send them your pricing guide, or it could simply confirm that you received their message. But the key is that it’s automated, and it’s happening FAST. Remember, with systems & automations, work efficiency is key!

2. FOLLOW UP WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH. Regardless of who you serve or how you serve, it’s unlikely that you’d book a client without connecting with them on a personal level, so use the next touchpoint to start to build that relationship. Again, this could happen via phone or video chat, via

Photo by Anete Lusina

HOW TO CREATE EFFICIENCY IN YOUR WORKFLOWS WHILE REMAINING PERSONALAnnie McCarty

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email, or with an in-person meeting, but regardless of the channel, be sure that you’re connecting BEFORE you send your booking documents.

3. AUTOMATE YOUR BOOKING PROCESS. The goal when booking a client is to make the process as EASY as possible for the client. Send them to just one spot to choose a package/view your pricing, sign a contract or services agreement, and pay their deposit/invoice. Bundle all of the booking steps into one nice, neat, automated package.

4. PERSONALLY ONBOARD EACH CLIENT. Depending on your business model, this could vary. But my personal preference and how I onboard each of my clients is to start with a templated onboarding process and customize it for each new client. I have templates I use for my onboarding email, my “getting started” questionnaire, and my onboarding checklist, but I customize them for each client so that they’re super relevant and personal to each client’s unique business situation. Because of these templates, this part of the workflow only takes me a few minutes to complete, but gets the relationship off to a great start from day one.

5. AUTOMATE REGULAR CHECK-INS. While you’re busy doing the work, your client may be wondering what’s happening behind the scenes. And depending on the type of business you have, there may be periods of time when your client doesn’t hear from you. To make checking in easy, automate it. As part of your internal onboarding process, schedule an email (or series of emails) to be sent to your client to fill space while you’re busy working behind the scenes. Or, schedule a monthly phone or video chat check-in with your client so that you have dedicated time set aside to connect.

6. PERSONALLY OFFBOARD EACH CLIENT. When the working relationship is over, the last memory your client will have of you will be during the offboarding process, so make it count. Start with a standard offboarding checklist (to make sure you’re dotting all your i’s) and a solid email template, but be sure to personalize it so that your client knows how much you’ve valued the relationship. If you plan to keep in touch, mention it! If you’d appreciate a referral or introduction to a business friend who might need your help, ask for it! And be sure to summarize the deliverables you provided or results you achieved together. This is potentially your last interaction with this client, so take the extra time to make sure it’s personal and indicative of the working relationship you had.

There you have it! Six simple steps that balance automated and personal touches in your client workflow, making your work more efficient, but still sounding human in the process. If you need help mapping out your client workflow - from new inquiry through offboarding - sign up for my free Workflow Mapping Worksheet here .

ANNIE MCCARTYOnline Business Manager + Workflow Specialist @ Efficiently AnnieScranton, PA@efficientlyanniewww.anniemccarty.com

TIPSFrom The Community

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Feyisola shared some great insight into the discussion of “When to Automate, and When Not to Automate Your Sales Process” — get a few of her tips below, and find her entire article on the blog on October 25 to learn more.

WHEN TO AUTOMATE YOUR WORKFLOW

Automation:

• Welcome series of 3-5 emails after sending a brochure or proposal to a client – this is a great way to make a great impression while they are comparing you to other vendors. Include a few tips, and reminders for them to reach back out to sign, pay, book a consultation, or whatever is next in your specific sales process.

• Send a detailed design questionnaire – if you offer a design service and need lots of information to prepare a proposal or before your first consultation, consider sending a design questionnaire automatically to anyone who inquires so you can get them to fill it out while you still have their attention. P.S. HoneyBook offers this feature!

WHEN TO MANUALLY CONNECT (WHILE STILL WORKING EFFICIENTLY)

Manual Steps:

• Sending a proposal or brochure - Many times, you have spoken to the client or at least received a contact form entry with some information from the client prior to sending a proposal or brochure. Why not pull some of the information that you learned about them and incorporate it in your response. For instance, is your client concerned about choosing ‘the right’ color palette for their wedding or home design project? Respond by letting them know that you understand their concern and incorporate color selection in some of your packages. Maybe even highlight a review from a client who raved about your design service. This shows the client that you process and use the information that they give to you to create the right experience for them and builds trust!

• Text/phone call follow-up to a proposal – Did your inquiry come with a

FEYISOLA OGUNFEMI Statuesque EventsLaurel, MD@statuesqueeventwww.statuesqueevents.com

16 | Systems, Automation & Workflow

KEVIN DENNISFantasy Sound Event Services@fseseventswww.fantasysound.com

phone number, and has your client become unresponsive by email? You’d be surprised how many millennials respond to text messaging! Think about it, many doctors offices, airlines, and shipping services like Amazon send text updates in addition to email alerts – we can, too! Consider sending a text with a brief intro and a specific call to action to follow up, and see how that goes. If you get no response, no need to push it, but if you do get a response, try to get the client to book an appointment, then coach them back into reading and replying to your emails! And remember that not every client is a millennial, and in some cases parents of a bride/groom may be in the planning seat and they may respond better to a phone call instead of an email or text. Wisdom and flexibility is key in this stage.

APPS THAT IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

As creatives and business leaders we generally all share the same elusive dream – more time to be creative. However, the demands of clients, staff, and day-to-day tasks rob us of that one simple thing that we desire. We need a hero! Enter technology and the rapidly growing world of apps. Employing just some of the following will save you time, make your business more efficient and more professional in appearance, and even allow you to be more creative!

DoodleSchedule meetings for groups of people without the headache of trying to juggle schedules through multiple phone calls. Each invitee can contribute feedback on suggested dates until one is found that works for everyone.

When I WorkEasily create your team’s schedules by blocking out shifts for every staff member. You’ll gain the ability to manage the schedule at a distance and to ask your employees to clock in and out at any time and location, great for monitoring works hours and accrued time.

HootsuiteNo business is ever finished with marketing and spreading the word. Hootsuite allows you to manage most of your social media platforms from a single, user-friendly dashboard. Pre-schedule posts, monitor feedback, and feed a single message out to a variety of sites from one convenient home base.

BasecampBasecamp project management software helps you manage major events or assignments with your team through shared task lists. You can assign a job to someone, communicate back and forth with questions or resources, and monitor overall progress on an interface that is intuitive and easy-to-use.

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JORDAN GILLSystems Saved MeDallas, TX@systemssavedmewww.systemssavedme.com

ONBOARDING HACKS TO STREAMLINE YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS

Streamline Scheduling Your Sales CallsStop the calendar ping pong right now. No one likes to be bothered going back and forth 8 times just to schedule a call with you.

Find a calendar scheduler (like Acuity or Calendly) to give people the ability to book calls on your calendar without you haven’t to be involved. They also send reminder emails for you! Score!

Separate out your virtual calls with your in person meetups again so you have a way of tracking how many you’ve done of each.

Automate Your Gathering PhaseYour gathering phase is considered everything that you need to request from your client after they say yes to working with you.

This could be your contract, invoice, intake questionnaire, getting logins, etc…

You can create a completely automated workflows so you don’t have to lift a finger when it comes to gathering everything from your client.

My biggest tip here is to send out an individual email for everything you need. Do NOT send one massive email asking for 17 different things. It is overwhelming to your clients. Check out HoneyBook’s Automations to make this happen for you!

18 | Systems, Automation & Workflow

Do you currently have systems and automation set up in your business? How has it helped?

What is one place in your workflow that holds you up every time? How could you solve that problem?

Do you use templated emails? Discuss templates you love or need to create.

Do you use any sort of CRM? If so, how does it make your business easier and more streamlined?

When was a time your systems, automation, and workflow helped you book, solved a problem, or benefitted your business?

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Disclaimer: The advice featured in this guide and on the blog was sourced from our community members for sharing of general information and knowledge.

For specific legal, tax, and professional advice, please consult an authorized professional.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

SOBRINA PIESTriple Your Bookings with Email

Automation

LAUREN DRAGON-COOKThe Blogging Secret That Can Eliminate HOURS From Your

Workflow

KELLI STIRRETTWhy your Growing Business

Needs an Operations Manual

WHO WE ARE

The HoneyBook | Rising Tide team believes an empowered creative economy will change the world. By elevating the voices of creatives, sharing their stories, and building a thriving online and offline community, we support creatives in their pursuit of a sustainable livelihood.

Empowerment begins with saving creatives time and money. HoneyBook helps creative entrepreneurs manage their businesses more efficiently so they can do more of what they love. With HoneyBook, creatives can send brochures, proposals and invoices; create the ideal customer experience; and track payments – all in one place. Equally as important are sharing knowledge and providing support. That’s why Rising Tide is a community and living library of educational resources, including blog content from thought leaders, monthly guides, online summits, and over 400 monthly meet-ups across the world to help creatives succeed in business.

We’re also passionate about supporting the communities around us. To date, we’ve given over $100,000 to nonprofits including Pencils of Promise, The School Ses-sions, U.S. Dream Academy, The Birthday Party Project, Thirst Relief and more. We’ve also partnered with Pencils of Promise to build a school in 2018 funded en-tirely by community donations through our 2017 RISE Summit.

We believe that magic happens when creatives gather, support one another and are empowered to pursue their passions. We believe in community over competition. We believe in empowering the creative economy to rise together.

Photo by Laura & Rachel