Remember the early days of your business? When things were a heck of a lot scrappier (and maybe a little bit of a mess)? Yup, been there. 

When you’re fresh on the scene, getting your toes wet in the huge (sometimes scary) sea of entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the basics. Your first thought probably isn’t “systems.” It’s probably “How do I open a business checking account?!” 

And if you’re in this boat, you might even be uncertain about what systems I’m talking about. Put simply, here’s the idea behind systems: tools and procedures that streamline the processes of your biz. If you’re nodding off a little, shake it off. Believe me when I say that systems. are. Sexy! What could be sexier than getting hours on HOURS of time back into your life when your business is operating like a well-oiled machine? Think of all that you can do with those hours… More naps, more celery juice, more orgasms (er… moving on).

Take this nugget of wisdom from me, and today’s badass podcast guest, Shannon Moffit:

Having systems in place for your business will not only make you more efficient, but leave your clients feeling taken care. Establishing systems is a major sign of becoming a higher end and more mature business.

In this episode, east coast wedding photographer Shannon Moffit is sharing her top five systems that increase her efficiency. And get this: she’s also giving us her Profit Margin Calculator FOR FREE! There is no better time than now to implement systems in your business that will raise your level of service and save time during your busiest seasons. Hit play to discover the possibilities!

Here are two of Shannon’s next-level systems strategies from this week’s episode that are rocking my world…

The Top 5 Sexy Systems to Up-level Your Biz:

• Have a Profit Margin Calculator! 
  • Have a system in place that helps you calculate expenses and profitability of your jobs. Get Shannon’s Profit Margin Calculator for FREE here.
  • The longer you ignore the numbers and take jobs that aren’t serving you, the more burned out you will become!
  • Being able to calculate your profits before sending proposals allows you to price your packages with confidence!
  • Giving a gift to your clients worth about 1% of the overall price is a great benchmark to follow to keep yourself on a budget.
• Get a financial tracking system like Quickbooks.
  • This allows you to feed all of your income and expenses into one program and see your profit and loss in one snapshot.
• Get into a Client Relationship Management System (CRM) to make your life easier.
  • Use a CRM system to keep track of when things are due, automate emails, contracts, and more.
  • Be clear on your client journey so that you can keep yourself organized and clients taken care of.
  • Have email response templates so when you get an inquiry you can respond quickly and more efficiently.
  • I personally use and love Dubsado! Use my link to get 20% off your first month or year subscription.
• Send client questionnaires.
  • Send a questionnaire to your clients in the beginning of their journey so you can learn more about them and have more personalized conversations with them.
  • Pre-wedding questionnaire’s help to ensure that your client is getting a tailored service to their expectations and you can also understand family dynamics.
  • Having a file for each client with this information you collect is key to keeping clients straight and giving them a personalized experience with you.
  • Tip: MOST, if not all CRM softwares have the capability to build client portals and questionnaires.
• Set boundaries!
  • Setting boundaries for yourself and being disciplined in how you spend your time is effective in having a clear mind and being efficient.
  • Yes, there is a system to this! Setting alarms in your phone for when it’s time to walk away from the computer, using the screen time settings on your iPhone to turn certain apps off during the work day or at night, or even having a separate cell phone for work and personal life are three great examples.

Hungry for more? Click here for all the ways to listen to the episode.

Check It Out!

• Shannon Moffit’s FREE Profit Margin Calculator – BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO LINKED BELOW!
• FREE Profit Margin Calculator Walk-Through Video
• Shannon Moffit’s Education Offerings
• Follow Shannon Moffit on Instagram
• Pixify CRM
• Dubsado CRM
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Digital Minimalism Podcast with Cal Newport
• How to Ditch Distractions and Get Way More Done Podcast with Cal Newport
• The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
• The Kim Kardashian Principle by Jeetendr Sehdev
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert