Mapping Out a Client Process
When you are mapping out your client process for your wedding photography process it can seem daunting. Especially if you have never actually written out a concrete process.
What is Client Journey Mapping?
Client journey mapping, in short, is the process that you take your clients through from start to finish. It is the set of touch points that you give your clients during the process, but is also the back end things that you complete on your end to be able to to fulfill those touch points. When you write all of the steps down, it helps you to actually visualize the journey your clients go on, but also allows you to standardize the process so that you know exactly what is happening and what point they are happening, so that all your clients are taken care of.
Getting Starting Mapping Your Client Journey
The first thing you want to do when you first get started mapping out your client’s journey is to think of the things you are already doing. What are the touchpoints you already have? When in the process do they happen? Whether you realize it or not, your client’s journey might already have a rough outline that you follow. This includes things like:
- Proposal
- Invoicing and Contract
- Emails to check in
- Questionnaires
- Meetings
- Gifts
- Editing and Delivery Timeline
So to start off this exercise, I encourage you to list out all of the steps you already do, and when you do them. If you are unsure of when you actually do them, now is the time to set concretely in stone when you want to check in with them, when you want to send them the questionnaire, etc.
I like to use a white board or an online flow chart maker to map out exactly what is happening and when.
Improving Your Client’s Journey
Now that we have taken some time to map out what you already are doing, now you want to start looking for areas that might be lacking that you can improve. Do you need to check in with them more often? Do you need to actually send a questionnaire instead of just emailing questions? Do you need to follow up more if a client doesn’t respond to you proposal. Look for little areas that could be improved on what you already have and add them to your list. Don’t worry about whether you have time or will remember to do things at a particular time, you will be adding in automation soon!
Solidifying Your Client Journey
Now that you have everything written down and have a pretty good idea of what you would like your client journey to look like, you will now need to start looking at what things you might be able to automate through your CRM. Next to each of those steps that you listed out, you will want to write down the automation that will happen within Dubsado. This will allow you to visualize each of the steps you will be taking in Dubsado.
Implementing and Testing Your Client Journey
Now, you are ready to create in Dubsado. It is important that you take time in this section to make sure that everything is mapped out just as you would like it. I will outline the steps below that will give you some direction in setting up your Dubsado account:
- Set up brand settings, connect your calendar, payment processor, and email.
- Input your Contract
- Input and Design Your Forms
- Add Canned Emails for Each Email
- Create Your Workflows with the things you mapped out.
Once you have everything set up, you will want to add yourself as a client. Make sure you go through the process and test everything by sending yourself emails, testing your proposals, and making sure that everything is running as it should before you send it to your clients!
