Alicia Leigh Photography | Austin, TX Brand Photographer

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My Favorite Client Management System for Small Business Owners

You absolutely need a client management system (or CRM), entrepreneurs!

Not too far into my business, I realized I needed help staying on top of all the things for my clients. Especially as I was growing.

I needed a client management system, or CRM (customer relationship management). A CRM system can help you automate tasks, manage clients, keep track of important info and deadlines, and streamline things like onboarding to improve your client experience and save you valuable time!

I explored several CRM systems before deciding to sign up with Dubsado. Let me save you some time.

I researched for several weeks and even made a feature comparison matrix of my top 3 choices after searching dozens of options. I compared companies like Honeybook, 17 Hats, Tave, ShootProof, StudioNinja, Picr, and more.

If you want to try Dubsado, you can use this link to save 20% off your first month or year!

Let me tell you why I ultimately chose Dubsado and why I haven’t regretted it for one single day.

I just wish I had done it sooner.

I knew a CRM was going to be a financial investment but also would require a lot of time upfront so I wanted something that did it all. Here are the things I definitely wanted:

  1. Great customer service (this matters SO much to me)

  2. Booking Ease: Contracts, Invoices, Payment Processing Connection

  3. Calendar Syncing with Google and Apple Cals

  4. Workflows so I could finally automate tasks

  5. Accounting to keep track of Income/Expenses (esp Sales Tax!)

  6. Payment Schedules and Reminders tied to Invoices

  7. Customizable Forms and Templates, like questionnaires and proposals

  8. Clean and somewhat customizable user interface

  9. Fair Prices with Longevity that I can maintain

  10. Appointment Scheduler

Here's How Dubsado Won Me Over:

THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST I'VE SEEN.

Dubsado has the best customer service, hands down. They have a live chat, a facebook community, weekly live videos and webinars, and one-on-one support. They make me feel like they care about me whenever I reach out. They are quick to respond and guide me whenever I have needed it. They clearly value their clients and care about the user experience.

THEIR TRIAL IS UNTIMED.

You’re allowed to sign up for a free trial of Dubsado for your first 3 clients, however long that takes. Instead of only having a 30-day free trial, you’ve got as long as you need! That means you can take advantage of getting things set into motion before you begin paying. You have time to learn at your own pace, explore all the features, and even test it out on clients before you ever begin paying! **

VALUE IS UNMATCHED.

Dubsado had the best price point for all they offer— they have more features than I even thought to include. And the best part is— you’re locked into your price point when you sign on, as long as you keep your membership active. They continuously roll out new features and their rates are more than fair for all they offer.

Plus, sometimes they offer a Forever Plan (this means you pay once and have Dubsado for the life of the company). This is an incredible deal that comes around seldomly but enough that I was able to get in on the deal, lowering my monthly bills!

WHITELABELING (My most favorite feature!)

Dubsado allows me to white-label all of my content and communication to my clients, creating a more tailored and professional appearance. This means that instead of Dubsado applying their brand colors and logo on everything I send off to my clients (including even the URL), I get to display my own branding and logo.

It’s not obvious I’m using a platform from another company and I can have everything match my own brand. This adds incredible value and professionalism to your client experience. No other CRM I searched for provided this amazing service!

THEY’RE ALWAYS IMPROVING.

Some of the reviews and complaints I read about other CRMS stated that they had been promising certain things to their customers that never were delivered. Or that they wouldn’t get back to you when you had a question. I have never had that issue with Dubsado.

I’ve been using dubsado for a year, and they’ve rolled out something new almost weekly, from small things to HUGE things— like a SCHEDULER! This scheduler has CHANGED MY LIFE-- after a long battle of me refusing to adapt, but I'm so glad I did.

My only caveat to this is I'm still waiting on an app. However, you can get by with using your browser for now. This is still in the works they've said.

BONUS THINGS I LOVE:

  • Dubsado has made my life easier and helped me look professional, but it's also made life easier on my clients too. In fact, I constantly get complimented by clients on my systems and the ease of booking, and have been asked by several other entrepreneurs to walk through it with them and help them set up their own accounts.

  • The Scheduler means I don’t have pay a separate fee for a scheduling service like Acuity to make appointments— which never matched my branding. Now I can set up a scheduler for clients in a platform I already use, even systematize it so it goes out automatically, and it matches my own branding creating a seamless look.

  • Dubsado has tons of integrations —for instance, you can link Dubsado to Quickbooks and have your transactions imported/exported to make your bookkeeping stronger.

  • The time-tracker is awesome, but they also have other project-management features like task boards (similar to trello)

  • Dubsado will enter 10 FORMS for you for FREE! You send them your files and they help get the ball rolling for you. They’ll also help you migrate your stuff over from any previous system.

  • Dubsado is a small business themselves— even though they’re growing. You get to talk to a real human, know who is working behind the scenes and match faces to staff, ,and feel like you’re part of something great!

  • Pricing is locked in once you join! Not only are they affordable, but once you join, you’re locked into that rate for life as long as you maintain an active membership. Another incredible feature no one else offers!

Keep in mind that Dubsado is an entire SYSTEM.  Meaning, it takes time and patience to navigate and put it to work with you. 

Setting up a CRM System is not an overnight project. But luckily, there are people who offer Dubsado system setups for you to take out the stress and close all the gaps.

If you sign up and get overwhelmed, hang in there. I promise it's worth it.

Looking to try out Dubsado or join?

Use this link to get 20% off your 1st Month or Year!

And let me know if you signed up and what you think! I’d love to hear from you!


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