Do You Need a CRM to Manage Your Booking Workflow?

Every day you wake up to work on building your business, there are decisions to be made. Should I reply to the emails in my inbox or write that blog post? Do I really have time for that tasting and mockup on the same day? Should I sign up for that software? But, with all the choices you have, there is one every wedding pro should make—that’s to create business workflows. The next step? You need to decide how you will manage them. And, because (just like everything else), there are lots of ways to approach it, we wanted to hear how different professionals go about it, leveraging technology or leaning on process. Read on to see what decisions wedding planner Tiffany Chalk and photographer Bobbi Brinkman have made for their businesses and get some ideas that might help you manage your booking workflow, too.

Why you need a CRM to manage your business workflows

We asked Tiffany of Tiffany Chalk Events for her thoughts on managing client and booking workflows. Here is her opinion on how to approach it and why workflows are important. 

Let me first start by saying “an efficient business is a profitable business,” and you cannot be efficient in your business without systems and workflows, hence why they are so important. A workflow is simply the automation of a business process (as a whole or part of), and its key benefits are that workflows:

• Save you and your clients time
• Improve efficiency
• Ensure a consistent client experience
• Reduce risk and/or mistakes
• Streamline the sales process 

With that in mind, you must develop a system for any task you currently perform haphazardly, inefficiently, or inconsistently. Using client relationship management software (CRM) is essential when establishing workflows, as it is the vehicle that drives communication, stores and manages customer information, allows you to collaborate with your sales team, tracks communication between your company and clients and builds efficient interdepartmental workflows. There is no one-size-fits-all way to put together a workflow, and it can be as simple or complex as you need—and it should ultimately serve you and your clients well. The result is pillars of success that will grow your company and nurture your client relationships. Remember—a well-oiled system will flow regardless of who comes and goes!

How to manage a booking workflow without a CRM

We asked Bobbi of Bobbi Brinkman Photography to discuss her workflow, and she shared details about how she manages it without using a CRM. 

After 40 years as a wedding business owner, I can tell you that booking and client workflows are just as critical in my business today as when I first turned on my open sign. That being said, it may come as a surprise (and may not be the popular opinion of many other business owners), but the systems I use are not on any of the CRM systems available. Instead, the old paper trail remains alive and continues to work well here at BBP. Yes, we have a digital folder on our office computer that holds the information about each client. Although it may not have all the bells and whistles that today’s CRM systems offer, our system has helped us manage up to 40 weddings, 10 events and miscellaneous studio sessions per year. 

The system is straightforward. A client reaches out to us via our contact form or email, and an automated response is delivered if the message is received outside of business hours. Once we receive a reply email and they share more about their story, my studio manager lets them know that I would love to speak with them either in a Zoom (we were using Zoom before COVID) or a phone call, so I can determine how best our photography can serve them. We work hard to let clients know early on who we are, what and how we do what we do and who we serve and why, so the emails are more general conversation than selling and only take one before we move into the one-on-one chat with me.

Once I speak with the client, I let them know that at that time, Tina, my studio manager, will send an email with all the information we discussed and outline the process for welcoming them to the BBP family. No fancy proposal—just a simple, direct email that talks about the timeline we went over, the process from now until wedding day through delivery of wedding day photos. It outlines how we work, what we do and when clients can expect communication from Tina, as well as what we expect from them. She has set up reminders to track when each client needs these forms, as well as when payments are due. 

This onboarding and workflow has served us and our couples well for years, and while we know we may save some time with a CRM system in place, we have found that with our hands-on approach and treating each couple with the level of personal attention they need, they seem to get what they need and when they need it. This is just our experience with our clients, and each business owner needs to run their business in the way that serves them and their clients best.

Your booking workflow is a crucial one, and if you feel like you’re not getting the responses you need, be sure to get Alan Berg’s tips to help you avoid being ghosted.

Photo Credit: ColorJoy Stock