My Favorite Ways to Simplify My Design Business
For the first few years of my business, I used to do everything manually. Every aspect of my process - from sending out proposals and contracts to scheduling meetings to communicating with clients - was customized for each client.
Although I sincerely was trying to give each client a really personalized experience… as my business grew, it all got too exhausting and I found myself pouring so much energy into things that actually didn’t need that much customization.
What I’ve learned is that reinventing the wheel actually takes away from the time I could take on personal touches that actually make a difference.
Simplifying, automating and streamlining do not mean impersonal. Automation is efficient and organized… and clients want that! As long as you’re delighting them in special ways throughout your time together, automating certain areas of your business is a game changer and a clear path toward more growth, productivity, professionalism… and all while avoiding burnout in the process.
Here are my favorite ways that I’ve SIMPLIFIED and streamlined my design business:
Create Packaged Services + Offerings
You may be wondering what this has to do with simplifying and automation… but stick with me. This is an important one in my book!
When clients come to you for design services, they don’t always know exactly what they need. Or maybe they think they do… but they’re coming to you for a reason and as designers, it’s up to us to step into our expertise and help guide them to a solution that fits their needs and solves their problems.
When you create packaged services (as opposed to custom quoting every design project that comes your way), it helps simplify things for your client and gives them at least a place to start when reviewing your services. It gives them confidence in YOU that you’ve done this before, you know what works, and they can trust you to lead them.
But what many new designers don’t realize is how packaged offerings (as opposed to custom quoting each project) simplify things behind the scenes as well. Personally, I now have just ONE branding package offering, but even narrowing it down to 2-3 packages can be extremely helpful.
Having design packages can help you:
✦ Template all of your proposals, contracts, invoices, and other onboarding documents to your specific packages with minimal customization needed
✦ Create a set project timeline for each package and add structure to your schedule
✦ Make your income more predictable, since you have a set price for each package
✦ Streamline your process and client communication - since you follow the same basic steps for each project
Even with packaged offerings, you can still offer customization options! I include three marketing pieces within my Signature Branding Package, but my clients get to choose what aligns best with their needs. It works really well and my clients appreciate that element of choice, as it allows them to make sure the final deliverables suit their business perfectly.
Love doing on-going work for clients? Me too! To streamline this, I offer day rates (what I call Design Days), where clients book me for the day and we work through their list of design to-dos. It’s a type of packaged offering in itself!
Design Days are the only way to work with me outside of branding and they’re offered exclusively to my branding clients. It helps me streamline my schedule (no more multiple on-going projects happening at once). Because Design Days are a flat fee, it also avoids the time spent on custom quoting each project. AND… my clients love these days!
Utilize a CRM
Customer Relationship Management softwares (CRMs) are useful for systematizing many different aspects of business like client communication, paperwork and form organization, keeping track of leads and more.
Although there is some investment involved – both financially and in terms of time for initial set-up, it’s one of those things that you’ll put in place and never go back!
I currently use Dubsado* as my CRM (although there are lots of options!). Here are the key ways I use it to automate business processes and save time on all those tedious admin tasks, so I can focus on designing!
✦ Sending proposals/contracts/invoices
I have templates set up that are easily customizable (takes me less than 10 minutes per client) and this initial paperwork is sent to clients via ONE unique link! That link leads them through reviewing and accepting the proposal, then signing the contract, and paying their invoice. Clients love it!
✦ Creating and sending forms for clients to complete
All my branding clients complete a Branding Workbook before we kick-off our project. This is a template in Dubsado that I assign to their project and it creates their own unique link they use to complete it. Super slick!
✦ Automatic payment reminders
When I set up the payment plan for projects, I have canned reminder emails sent to clients a couple days before their project payments are due. After the date is confirmed, I don’t have to think about it again. And the reminder really works - my clients almost always pay on time!
✦ System for booking Design Days and mentorship calls
I have a process for clients to book Design Days and Designer Mentorship Program members to book one-on-one mentorship calls, all inside Dubsado using my calendar scheduler (see below for more insights on this!). I have it set up so they have to fill out a quick form, make a couple selections, and pay their invoice in order to book.
✦ Workflows
Workflows take all the steps that make up your client process and string them together into an automated sequence for clients to move through. This can include automatically adding specific forms to a project once it’s created, sending an email once a certain step is marked complete and other small tasks that, when added up, save a ton of time.
And there’s more where that comes from! As you can see, CRMs are really powerful and an impactful way to simplify, automate and look even more professional in the eyes of your audience. Just the process of getting a CRM set up can help you get more clear on your processes and client journey, as it forces you to streamline and get clear on what needs to happen every step of the way.
Implement a Calendar Scheduler
I will admit that I was originally reluctant to put this automation in place. As a mom with a constantly shifting schedule (especially when it comes to when I have quiet moments when I’m available for meetings), I held off on having a calendar scheduler for years.
But now that I have one in place, it really has been so helpful! Gone are the days of going back and forth with clients about Discovery Call or Project Kickoff Call times and trying to find a time that works for everyone. Now, I just add the times that I’m available to my calendar and send them a link to find a time that works best for them.
To ease any worry on my end about the possibility of people feeling stressed about a meeting time not working in your schedule (yes, I’m the kind of person who has anxiety about stuff like that)... whenever I send my scheduler link, I always say something like, “If you can’t find a time that aligns with your schedule, let me know and we’ll figure something out!”
But ya know what… very rarely do people take me up on that. Most people want to just get something on the calendar and check it off their list, like you do!
Currently, I use the scheduler that’s built into Dubsado, my CRM. But there are plenty of software options to choose from like Acuity, Calendly, and others!
Put Project Management Templates + Systems in Place
With the right systems and automation in place, project management and your client process can feel like a breeze (for both you AND your client!). The goal is to put in the work up front with create templates and systems, so admin tasks are as quick as possible with every new project.
In addition to templating my onboarding materials (as I mentioned above!), here are a few additional areas of my design project management that I’ve automated and/or systemized:
✦ Template Projects inside Asana
I have a branding project template set up inside Asana, the project management system I use with my clients. Every time a new client books, I use that template, add due dates, assign tasks, and do any small customizing needed, and then invite my clients in! It takes no more than 10 minutes!
✦ Welcome Page for New Clients
This page outlines everything clients need to know as we start their project, some reminder to-dos, helpful resources, plus an Asana tutorial so they can quickly get oriented inside our project. This info is the same for every client, so it does not need to be customized! I send a link to it inside my Welcome Email - this page helps keep that email short, too.
✦ Email Scripts for everything!
I will go into this more below :)
Use Canned Emails
If you’re anything like me, you may sometimes find yourself tweaking emails for way too long, obsessing over word choice and making sure everything is just perfect. My perfectionism gets the best of me and it’s such a time suck!
Creating email scripts or canned emails has helped me eliminate this unnecessary time spent.
Email scripts are email templates you use for different parts of your client process and communications. You can place them in a Google Doc or inside Gmail’s Canned Emails section!
I have email scripts in place for:
✦ Email Scripts for inquiries
From “ready to book” inquiries to business owners reaching out for some basic info, I have email scripts for the most common emails / contact form submissions I receive. I copy and paste the email template, personalize it for the business, and send it off!
✦ Email Scripts for my client process
I have a script for every step in my client design process, from onboarding to presenting branding concepts to file delivery. Again, I do customize each email before sending (including doing a custom Loom video for initial design presentations!), but not having to play around with verbiage every time saves me lots of time.
✦ Email Scripts for Tough situations
Tough client situations, inquiries, and business communications come up from time to time and sometimes our replies warrant spending some extra time and energy. But chances are, similar situations will come up again and you don’t have to start from scratch every time! Create a collection of email scripts that you can use as a starting point to help you save time and your sanity.
What are your favorite ways to simplify and streamline your business?
Share them with me in the comments below!
NOTE: ANYTHING WITH AN ASTERISK (*) NEXT TO IT MEANS IT'S AN AFFILIATE LINK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MY DESIGN STUDIO!
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