Business-First Creatives: Client Experience & Systems for Service Providers

If you've been telling yourself you're not "ready" for better systems yet, this one's for you. In this episode, Colie talks directly to the newer photographers and service providers in her audience — the ones with fewer clients, hesitant to raise their prices, and using a CRM that just isn't built for automation yet. She breaks down exactly what The Experience Edit is, who it's actually for (spoil...

What if the best systems in your business didn't make your client experience feel more automated, but actually made it feel more personal? In this episode, I'm sitting down with Xan Heller, who has gone through both Systems in Session and The Experience Edit, to talk about what happened when she stopped trying to figure out her CRM on her own and finally built systems that supported the custom, hi...

Is your idea of a luxury experience one where you're the one showing up for every part of it? This episode is for the concierge-level service providers out there — the ones who don't want automation replacing the calls, the in-person consultations, or the hands-on parts of the process. I'm walking through why you still need systems (just not the kind I usually talk about), how to stay consistent w...

What if your next great offer isn't something you build alone? In this episode, I sit down with website copywriter Caitie Cupples to explore the power of collaboration and how partnering with complementary experts can create a better client experience—and a stronger offer. Caitie shares the story behind Signed, Sealed, Subscribed , a collaborative VIP Week she built alongside a designer and a nami...

Email Like You Mean It is no more, y'all. I rebranded it — again — and this time I actually love the name I landed on: The Experience Edit. In this episode, I'm walking you through why I made the change, what's different now that it's gone from a 5-day sprint to a full 10 days, and why I finally split it into two clear goals: mapping your client journey in week one, then writing your entire client...

So it's been a hot minute since I ranted about client communication, y'all. In this replay of episode 204, I'm breaking down the three things every single client email needs — automated or not — to actually get read: purpose, personality, and preview. I'll walk you through how to title your email templates by purpose (hint: your clients never see the title, so make it work for you), why a Schitt's...

What if the biggest benefit of better systems wasn't saving time, but finally trusting your business to run without you? In this episode, I sit down with Danielle Kent, a birth photographer, doula, and educator who joined Systems in Session after already investing in a professionally built Dubsado setup. Her systems worked, but she still felt disconnected from them. She wanted the confidence to un...

Y'all know I love a good automated follow-up sequence — but automation only works when a lead is still warm. This episode is about what to do three to six months later, when it's time to personally re-engage the people who went quiet. I'm walking you through the four buckets of people who belong on your re-engagement list (including some you might not have thought of), where to reach out based on...

Most photographers think they have a client experience because they have a few key milestones in place: an inquiry form, a proposal, a questionnaire, and a gallery delivery email. But milestones aren't the same thing as a client experience. In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between milestones and touchpoints, why your workflows might feel broken even when they're technically workin...

What if the jobs, hobbies, and experiences you think are irrelevant are actually the most valuable parts of your brand story? In this episode, I sit down with copywriter Andrea Shah to unpack the surprising ways our career pivots shape the businesses we build today. We're exploring how seemingly unrelated experiences become powerful differentiators in your brand, website copy, and client experienc...

In this episode, I'm covering the three goals most sales calls are trying to accomplish, the three questions every lead needs answered before they book, and why cramming all of that into one 15-minute call is costing you clients. Want more? Join me tomorrow ⤵️ 🎯 Replace Your Sales Call — free live training, June 18th Register: coliejames.com/sales Replay available for 7 days only.

Before you announce your fall calendar to the world, there's one group of people who should hear from you first — and most photographers skip right past them on the way to the public launch. In this episode, I'm sharing the strategy I recommend to every photographer releasing their fall schedule: give your past clients early access before anyone else gets a look. I'll walk you through how long to...

What if the biggest thing holding your business back wasn't marketing, pricing, or lead generation, but the fact that everything lived inside your head? In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Craig, a wedding photographer who joined Systems in Session after years of managing inquiries, contracts, invoices, reminders, and client communication manually. Together, we unpack what happened when he mov...

Is Session or Pixieset enough for your photography business? With CRM prices going up, more photographers are asking whether they really need a full CRM — or if they can get by with the tools they're already paying for. In this episode, I'm taking an honest look at both Session and Pixieset Studio Manager: what they actually do well, where they fall short, and the one thing neither of them can giv...

What happens when the mistake of a missed photo shoot turns into one of the most beloved CRMs for creative entrepreneurs? In this episode, I sat down with Dubsado co-founder and CEO Becca Berg to talk through building a SaaS company from scratch with her husband Jake, scaling to 30,000+ users, and why staying self-funded has shaped every decision they’ve made over the last decade. We talked about...

May was rough, no solos were recorded, but June is a new month! In this episode I am giving you 5 updates, 4 business and 1 personal, to get these solo episodes back on track 👏🏽 Links Mentioned : coliejames.com/sales to join my FREE training on June 18th at Noon MT/2pm ET where I will walk you through eliminating the sales calls you hate and/or don't have time for coliejames.com/experience to se...

What if the easiest sales you’ll ever make are from people who already know, trust, and love your work? In this episode, I’m joined by Zoë Dew to wrap up my sales series with one of the most overlooked strategies in business: retention. We’re diving deep into why so many service providers leave money on the table after delivering a service, and how building intentional relationships with past clie...

Have you claimed your Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business)? If not, you might be missing out on free visibility in your local area. As a photographer, that could mean fewer clients finding you. In this episode, I’m joined by Lydia Fine, local SEO expert and photographer, to walk us through the current landscape of Google Business Profiles, what’s changed, and exactly what you ne...

If you've ever booked 50 weddings and wondered where all the money went, this episode is for you. Alora Rachelle joins me to talk wedding photography pricing strategy — specifically why the middle tier is shrinking, how to structure packages that are profitable at every level, and what it actually takes to confidently charge more. We also cover outsourcing your editing without losing your creative...

What if the reason your offers aren’t selling has nothing to do with your pricing, your audience size, or your content quality—and everything to do with how often you’re willing to talk about them? In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Ceels Lockley to unpack the idea of sales stamina: the ability to consistently talk about your offers without spiraling into fear, awkwardness, or “I’m anno...

If you've ever thought that launching only works for digital courses with fake urgency and overly complicated sales tactics, this episode will shift your mindset. Kelsey McCormick of Coming Up Roses joins us to completely reframe what launching actually means, especially for service providers. Kelsey breaks down why launching isn’t about pressure or hype, but instead about clarity, trust, and givi...

If you’ve ever sat down to sell your offer and thought, “What the hell am I even supposed to say?” —this episode is for you. Today I’m joined by my brilliant fractional CMO, Chelsea Quint, and we’re diving deep into the exact problem so many of us face: knowing your offer is good, but not knowing how to communicate it in a way that actually converts. We break down why selling feels so hard (hint:...

Hey y'all — if you've ever felt like you need to chase down brand new leads every time you want to hit an income goal… this one is going to stop you in your tracks. In this episode, I'm joined by Erin Ollila — SEO strategist, copywriter, and host of Talk Copy to Me — for a conversation that originally aired on her podcast. We're talking about why the fastest path to more revenue is almost never a...

Hey y’all—if you’ve ever wanted to take real time off in your business without everything falling apart… this one is for you. In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I prepare my business to run while I’m out of office every summer (yes, multiple weeks at a time). And more importantly, how you can do the same—without sacrificing your client experience or your sanity. Because here’s th...

If you think sending fewer emails creates a better client experience, today's episode is going to challenge your mindset. I sit down with Alison Bell, a Hawaii-based family photographer who has built a six-figure business serving vacationing clients—with zero room for error and practically no opportunity for reshoots. We dive into what it really takes to create a seamless, high-touch client experi...