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Ep. 162 - Automate Client Communication - Melissa Rich
59 Plays27 days ago
Today Melissa is going to teach us the implementing just a few key workflows, wedding photographers can streamline their processes, deliver a flawless client experience, and generate more referrals. Automating key touchpoints not only reduces stress but also creates raving clients who keep coming back and spreading the word.
Hot Topic:
-Workflow/Tip 1: Automate Client Communication to Create a Consistent Client Experience (focus on onboarding/welcome sequence)
-Workflow/Tip 2: Streamline Your Client Journey to Eliminate Stress for You and the Client (how to provide a nurturing client experience from start to finish)
-Workflow/Tip 3: Wow Your Clients with a Seamless Post-Wedding Workflow (focus on offboarding workflows and the importance/relevance they play in referrals.Hot Topic: 3 Must-Have Workflows to Wow Your Wedding Clients and Boost Your Referrals
Connect with Melissa
https://www.instagram.com/virtuallydonesystems
Connect with Carissa Woo
https://instagram.com/carissawoo
Connect with Melissa
https://www.instagram.com/virtuallydonesystems
Connect with Carissa Woo
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Transcript
Introduction and Woo Wednesdays
00:00:00
Speaker
Happy Woo Wednesdays. Hope you guys are doing so great. Engagement season is around the corner. So if you want to get your website, your sales deck, your Instagram, your marketing materials, all in line, go to www.heckyes.vip. I will show you a little demo training about my triple threat program. And yeah, helping a lot of wedding pros get those leads, baby.
Meet Melissa Rich: Systems Expert
00:00:30
Speaker
So today I have Melissa Rich. She is the founder of Virtually Done Systems, a business dedicated to all things systems and workflows for creative small business owners. She has helped me in the past and she's also been on this podcast last year talking about lead capture. But today the hot topic is three must have workflows to wow your wedding clients and boost your referrals. This is for all wedding pros and she's super fun to talk to. She has such a lighthearted, goofy personality. She was cracking me up and I was just smiling throughout the whole day talking to her. Um, but yeah, she has her own business that she loves helping wedding pros and she's automated her home business to the absolute fullest. So she is going to change your life today. Tune in.
Key Workflows for Wedding Professionals
00:01:23
Speaker
Welcome to Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. I'm your host Carissa, and I've been a Los Angeles wedding photographer for over a decade. I've traveled the world, built my team, and seen it all. I now coach wedding photographers hit 10K a month and build a thriving business. In this podcast, we are going to deep dive into how top wedding creatives get that heck yes from their dream clients. We are not holding back on the struggles of the business and how to push through the noise, some healthy hustle, mindset shifts, up-leveling your money story, time hacks because I'm a mom of two, a little bit of woo-woo, and most importantly, self-love and confidence are just a few of the many things we will talk about. I want to give you a genuine thank you for following along my journey. I hope to inspire you every Woo Wednesday so that you say heck yes to listening to this podcast. See you guys soon.
00:02:15
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to Get a Heck Yes. I have my girl Melissa Rich in the house. She is all about stress-free systems. You've actually been on my podcast before. Her business is called Virtually Done Systems. You can check her out.
00:02:31
Speaker
and she literally helps us wedding pearls have the stress-free lives and just be able to manage our business. So welcome back, Melissa. Thank you. And thank you so much for having me again. I am so excited to be here. Yay. You have the best last name and I have the best last name.
Melissa's Journey to Systems and Operations
00:02:51
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:02:53
Speaker
absolutely Yay. Well, tell everyone. a little bit about you in a nutshell. In a nutshell, I like to call myself a systems and operations secret weapon. yeah um I love, love, love digging into a creative business owner systems and operations and helping them sort out that tangle of spaghetti noodle mess into something that makes sense and that makes their lives easier. I am a former wedding photographer. I owned a wedding photography business with my husband for 17 years, something like that. But I always loved working on the business side more. And so now I get to do that every day and help business owners every day. And it just makes my heart sing. Yeah. Me and you were just talking about how you wake up on the Saturday and like, what should I do with myself? Right? It's crazy. And like we've made Friday night instead of wedding prep night, it's date night now every Friday night, which is sure something weird to get used to.
00:03:49
Speaker
Oh, I love that. But also, like, I have FOMO, right? Like, I'll go to the park, and there'll be this bride, and I see this light, and I'll want to run over and do, like, all these things. And that's weird, Melissa. You can't do that anymore. You're like at, like, 15 minutes of, like, that adrenaline rush, right? Yes. Yes, absolutely. Oh, well, I listened to our other episode, but tell the audience just, like, who you were as a kid and growing up and a little bit about you.
00:04:16
Speaker
Oh my gosh, as a kid growing up, I was the kid. You mentioned my last name, Rich Chris. When I was a kid, that movie Richy Rich came out. Do you remember that movie with Macaulay Culkin? I got teased endlessly when that movie came out. I loved it, right? But I was the the shy kid in the corner with her nose in a book who just kind of kept to herself. I had the big Coke bottle glasses and I had the big Bugs Bunny teeth. So I got teased relentlessly as a kid. But um I grew up with two sisters and they're my best friends to this day and I wouldn't trade them for anything. But I was super shy. ah Goodness, girl, what do you want to know? Like I started to get brave, I guess, in high school. if you will, and encourage. I just think it's good to have big teeth now, so big smile that's in, like people pay for that. I know, right? Like the braces definitely helped, but im as an adult, I'm definitely like, I wish I'd worn that retainer for longer.
00:05:19
Speaker
say but But, um, yeah, so I started, I don't, I don't know. I went to college, fell in love with a boy, became a wedding photographer to keep him company, uh, fell in love with that business and then fell out of love with that business. And here I am. Yeah. What were you like, like in high school and college? Um, I was that,
00:05:44
Speaker
So I went to a teeny tiny high school, right? It was K through 12 all in one building. There were 22 kids in my graduating class. And so I did everything, right? I did like the brain bowl. I was a cheerleader. I did volleyball. I long jumped. My five foot zero self long jumped in charge. But it was really important to be in high school that I had lots of friends and that nobody felt left out. You know what I mean? That if there was somebody sitting in the corner by themselves that didn't have anybody at the lunch table, I would go sit with them because I knew what that was like as a kid. yeah So I tried to make people feel included and I eventually came out of my shell and I don't know. i just High school is tough. yeah It was a blast, but I'm so glad that I am where I am now.
00:06:35
Speaker
Yeah, I went to, um, my friend invited me to her daughter's volleyball, uh, last game yesterday at Maricosta and it was weird being on campus. I went to West, but, um, it's all about like e-bikes, like, and I'm surprised that they allow e-bikes, but they're everywhere. And then I'm just like looking at like the groups of people, like as if it's Mean Girls, you know, like but yeah, like i' it's weird being back. I was like, Oh, I feel so old.
00:07:06
Speaker
right I don't think I could cut it as a high school girl. We did photos for my sister this weekend and it was homecoming weekend and so all these girls were running around in their little tight dresses and I'm like, there's no way I would cut it. That's one thing I noticed, the cleavage and then the the short skirt. So I was like, dang, like cover up your bunches.
00:07:26
Speaker
I'm glad you're making me feel really glad that I'm not the only one that had those thoughts. Oh my God. So what were you like in college? And then how did you meet? I mean, like, what was it your little love story? Yeah. So in college, I went in the small town girl. I went to a smaller school anyway, just a smaller college anyway. Um, the first day I met my roommate, she was this loud, outspoken,
00:07:52
Speaker
crazy blonde girl who convinced me to go through sorority rush week with her because she wanted to do it and so she talked me into it, right? ah she became one of my best friends and I joined this we joined a sorority together and I was I don't want to say I was your typical sorority girl right but um I joined a typical sorority girl and so I didn't just join but I like I was VP of recruitment and then I was president of the chapter and those kinds of things and so I just really got involved and that's where I really started to develop my voices and figure out who I am as a human you know what I mean um
00:08:30
Speaker
My husband and I, the guy I mentioned earlier, he and I met my freshman year of college at my work study job. And I sat in the radio station in an office waiting for the FCC to come, right? Half the time I was taking a nap or studying or whatever. yeah And he was a DJ in the DJ booth up above. And so whenever he was done, he would have to walk by my door and he started talking to me one day, right? And so the timing wasn't right. I was dating somebody else. So when he asked me that, I was like, no, that's just not going to work, right?
00:09:00
Speaker
And so we spent the next four years ignoring each other and pretending like the other one didn't exist. oh my god And then one night, our senior year, he left a copy of The Lady and the Tramp and like a half gallon tub of ice cream outside my my dorm room door and said, if you want to know who your secret admirer is, come to this place at this time and find out.
00:09:20
Speaker
So I went and I found out and the rest is history. Like we've been together literally ever since. Wow. Ever since then. That's pretty ballsy for someone in college. form me like that Right? Well, and the funny thing is the girl whose help he had is now married to the guy that I was dating at the time. So it's like, funny I wonder why she was so eager to help out. You know what I mean?
00:09:47
Speaker
Oh my God. Okay, so DJ, so does this allude to becoming wedding photographers together? What is that story? So d he was he wound up in the DJ program because our school was so small it didn't have a photography program. And so he kind of created his own photography major and when we graduated his own job and then you know how it is when you pick up a camera, hey, I have this friend who wants me to shoot their wedding. and yeah when you're 23. And so I started tagging along for moral support because at the time he was like, I don't trust you and you don't know cameras and anything like that. So I would like hold gear.
00:10:22
Speaker
and like eat wedding cake. You know what I mean? And then like after a couple of years of doing that, I talked him into offering wedding albums and I started answering emails and that kind of thing. And that slowly evolved into, Hey, Kyle, I have this idea for a shot, but you're not executing it the way that I want you to. So I just need to learn how to do it myself. So seeing I learned how to do it.
00:10:43
Speaker
ah which like Yeah, it's actually better to be like observer first, because you get to see things like if you just get jumped into it, it's just like a whirlwind and like your eyes are just being crossed and like, Oh, yeah, do that, do that, you know, like jumping out like it really gave me a chance to like,
00:11:02
Speaker
learn surroundings and expectations and client expectations. And like I don't want to say how to behave on a wedding day, but like how to behave on a wedding day and important key moments and things like that. Because otherwise I would have had no idea. Interesting. And there was a lot of trial and error too, of course. so oh Yeah. So how long were you dating before like you really hopped in the business and then like when did you Get married. What was it all like? I'm sure it was. Our timeline is completely backwards. So we started dating in May. And I want to say I helped him with his first wedding in like August of 2008. And so that was just like Holt standing there. And then that led into ah attend client meetings and take notes. And I was like, hey, you need to offer wedding albums. And that was like a year later. And so seven years into our relationship, we had gotten engaged at five years, I want to say.
00:11:58
Speaker
Maybe. Seven years in, I picked up a camera and started shooting and I left my corporate job to offer business full-time. A year later, he left his corporate job. and Then we ran the business
Pandemic Shift to Systems Consulting
00:12:11
Speaker
full-time together. We didn't get married. We eloped on a mountain in Colorado ah three three years ago, four years ago.
00:12:20
Speaker
um us So we did everything completely backwards and now our businesses have spun off and we don't work with each other at all. Oh, what does he do now? He's a corporate event and sports photographer. So he works for like the Kansas City Chiefs and Getty and Iron Man and all he does all kinds of events here. so Very interesting. and All right, so let's get into Hot Topic because this is kind of a meaty one. um Our last Hot Topic was all about like lee lead capture automat auto automation. I'll link it up in the show notes, but what is your Hot Topic today and why is it so near and dear to your heart?
00:13:01
Speaker
Okay, so I'm sorry, I forgot. Rewind. Sorry, how did you start your business? How did you get out of the photography? I totally definitely got my bad. but Don't worry. So I, again, it wasn't a straight path. So during the pandemic, we had an events business and a wedding business and they both got wiped out, right? And so we had to make some money. So I picked up some work as a VA. And that reminded me of how much I loved the work that I did before.
00:13:29
Speaker
when I wasn't just a wedding photographer. And so I was like, I'm going to start my own VA business. And I realized that I only have so much time in the day, which means I can only help so many clients. And the clients I really loved working with were the ones that were like, hey, Melissa, I have this problem that I need solved, or I need this workflow built, or I need to figure out a solution to how to handle this. And so that spawned my virtually done systems business where I get to help creatives every day with operations and systems and that kind of thing.
00:13:58
Speaker
Wow, pandemic, thank you. I know, right? And honestly, I wouldn't know what I know now without that wedding photography background and experience, you know what I mean? Wedding photographers are the majority of who I work with, and so it's like I could talk to someone and know, like I feel in my bones the problems they're having, you know what I mean? Of course, of course.
00:14:20
Speaker
so Yeah, I guess one last question before Hot Topic, but like, I guess I just seen you grow and grow like on Instagram and it's been what, three, two, three years. So what does like your business look like today?
Carissa's New Program for Wedding Pros
00:14:37
Speaker
Pardon this short interruption, but guess what? I have a new program. It's for all wedding professionals. It's called The Triple Threat. We redo your brand messaging, the homepage of your website. Part two is we do all your marketing. we create a beautiful brochure so you could start getting on Prefer venue vendor list. And we do all your sales. So we actually make you a sales presentation leading your client to the heck yes, so you get paid. I have a free 20 minute demo training. It's only 20 minutes. Go to my Instagram at Carissa Woo.
00:15:17
Speaker
and DM me the word DEMO. I will send it right over. It's how to get 10 to 15 quality leads in your inbox per month. Enjoy, guys. Krista Wu is a l LA-based wedding photographer who's actually turning business coach. She helped me grow and change, and I'm so proud to call you coach.
00:15:39
Speaker
tell us how you're feeling. Like, I want to just know a little bit more about your thoughts. Yeah, it's beautiful. And you're, you're awesome. It's beautiful. I'm speechless. I just like the fact that it feels like myself. like I can I feel myself when I see this. Oh, man. Well, you got me pumped and excited for this. Carissa, thank you.
00:16:00
Speaker
Today, I work with a lot of a lot of different people. You're never kind of chatting about this. I started my business thinking I was going to work primarily with wedding photographers. right Just today alone, I've worked with a lady who provides outdoor experiences to like ah corporate teams and that kind of thing. I met with a client who um creates cat toys to sell them like subscription boxes and that kind of thing. I met with a wedding photographer. Tomorrow I meet with a brewer. And so I get to help all of these businesses figure out their operations and figure out a way to make their life better. Like they come to me and are like, this is the pain that I'm experiencing. Here's my problem.
00:16:39
Speaker
And to me, it's like one giant puzzle. You sit down and you work it out and you figure it out and you get it going. so You're like, not talk nerdy to me, but talk automation. Talk organization to me. So super sexy. um part of my Let's just say, Chris, that part of my handover process, when I hand over a project to a client after I train them, we get up and we do a happy dance together. Oh, I love that. Because I'm so excited for the time and the life that they're going to give back. so And you did it for yourself, so you could do it for them.
00:17:09
Speaker
Yes. I love that. Okay, so um listen in everyone. Heck yes, listeners, because you are going to want to take notes on this one. So if you're not driving, and but
Enhancing Client Experience with Workflows
00:17:21
Speaker
what is your hot topic? and yeah Okay, so my hot topic is workflows that wow, right? How to streamline your business to create a flawless client experience. Because workflows are not just about automations. Workflows are not just about the things they can do for you. Workflows are also about delivering an amazing client experience because what's the, what's the freaking point if you're doing workflows and your client's not benefited from it as well, right? Like, so that's my, that's my hot topic is that your workflow doesn't just work for you. It works for them for your clients. Okay. That's deep.
00:17:57
Speaker
Honestly though, if you were to work with somebody like me, I always say to my clients, shoot for the stars, dream big. like If you're going to build a workflow, let's build it so that like you deliver the dream client experience to your client.
00:18:12
Speaker
Wow. So they're not like, what do I wear? What do we wear? Exactly. And there are realistically, like there are three major workflows that you have to have as a wedding photographer, right? You have to automate client communication. Okay. Like across the board.
00:18:28
Speaker
Um, that realistically looks like an onboarding process. Right. And not just here's your receipt for your retainer. Like most of our clients are dropping significant cash to work with us. Right. So like, have an automated onboarding experience. Thanks. You're fully booked. Here are your next steps. Here's what you can expect. Here's when we'll reach out to schedule your engagement session. Um, you have to have to, part of creating a good client experience is setting those expectations and having very clear communication.
00:18:56
Speaker
And that's where your workflows and automations can really come into play and hit that hit that home run for you. You know what I mean? um Do you um use like 17 hats? or like I use Dubsado. I love 17 hats. um You're going to roll your eyes at this or laugh or both. But when I was running my wedding photography business, I CRM hopped for the heck of it because I thought it was fun to try to see which CRM I liked better. So I've worked in Seventeen Hats and Taave and Debsado and Sprout and Studio Ninja. I've run my wedding photography business in all of those.
00:19:34
Speaker
um So I run this business in Debsado because it just meets my needs a little bit better. And since I don't need galleries or anything like that. Yeah, yeah yeah very interesting. Yeah, ME CRM is better than none. And they all have similar functions. They all have their own unique things as well too. But like,
00:19:53
Speaker
the ability to create an automated, or not I'm gonna say not even fully automated, but like it a an onboarding process that's going to make your clients feel good and confirm they'd like reaffirm their decision to hire you, you've got to do that. There is nothing worse than paying somebody to work with them and then just having like silence, right? And then you're left wondering, what's next? What do I do? Did they get my checked?
00:20:20
Speaker
like why why Well, we're also wondering, did I make a bad decision? Right, exactly. So you've got to have that onboarding experience. Welcome emails, regular check-ins, you know what I mean? yeah pardon And I'm kind of tying it into part two, which is like you have to have a solid, I'm going to call it a nurturing experience from the time that they book until a wedding day, right?
00:20:43
Speaker
So, it might be the planning process. I typically name this workflow phase bulked in my workflows, but it's the time from the point that they become a client until that wedding day. Again, as wedding photographers, our client lifecycle, clients are booking us a year to 15 months to two years out, right? That's a long time for somebody to not get any communication from them. Yeah, for sure.
00:21:07
Speaker
Right? Do they know that I exist still? Like think of all the things your clients go in through if you're if you don't have a solid nurturing process. Yeah. And it saves it saves professional time because people are like, if they don't hear from you, they're getting anxiety and they're going to be like texting you, Hey, can we hop on a call?
00:21:24
Speaker
Um, when you don't need to have a call. So, um, yeah, save yourself a call. Oh my gosh. Right. And it can be as simple as like, people are like, but what do I, what do I communicate with my clients? What do I tell them in that length of time? Girl, you sit down and you think of all the things you wish your clients knew. You think of all the questions you get from your clients.
00:21:46
Speaker
and you turn each of those little things into a little check-in email. That's not really a check-in email, but it is, you know what I mean? So like, should you do a first look? Have you thought about having an unplugged wedding ceremony? um Here's how your getting ready room should look when I arrive. Or here's why you need a family photo shepherd and what that looks like and what that person does. Is that what you're missing? You know, little touch basis to send out every one to two months, every four to six weeks, whatever you feel good, but so that you're not just signing your client yeah and then ghosting them until wedding day. yeah Again, that's not a good experience. You want to be two steps ahead of them and always answering questions and things like that before it comes up, before they think about it. Totally. I mean, I'm thinking of experiences where like I bought courses or coaches and I do like even getting their automated like email sequences um because it's like, oh yeah, like I want to know more from the person I just,
00:22:42
Speaker
you know, spent money on. So it's all making sense. And I wanted to say that I know our wedding the industry, a lot of people just don't do this. And I want to kind of just emphasize that if you're listening right now, if you do put these processes in place, you're kind of ahead of the game.
00:23:01
Speaker
And you know, three years later we're going to talk again and then same thing, but. Right. isn' it it's It's so true though. And a lot of the times I'll say we need to like put together an automated nurture sequence and people are immediately turned off because they hear the word automated.
00:23:16
Speaker
right And that leads to cold and robotic and, oh, but they're gonna know it's not me and it's gonna feel like a robot. Girl, only if you write it like that, if you turn on Mr. Roboto and write, like you're singing that song, then it's gonna feel robotic, right? But like, if you write these emails, like you're having a face-to-face conversation with your client, it's gonna feel like a face-to-face conversation client and they're gonna think you thought of them. Yeah, and do it do it right once and said it and forget it and that's a beauty of it.
00:23:46
Speaker
put some cute gifts or if that's allowed. Yeah. You know, your email should feel branded. They should use your brand voice. They should use words that you use with your client. They should not include industry jargon. If you text gifts back and forth to your client, include those. If you use emojis, include those. Shoot, the emails that I send in my own work close to my clients, there are gifts all over the place. My, Hey, your builds done is a big old Oprah.
00:24:14
Speaker
Oh, that's, you know, yeah like, it has to feel like you in that sequence. Yeah, these little like, I don't know, gifts or extra like bells and whistles, they go a long way, which means the client like adores you and they think you're so cool and so professional. And so on top of, you know, your your business and they're gonna, you know, refer you and planners love this as well.
00:24:42
Speaker
right? You just said the keyword, they're going to refer you.
Post-Wedding Processes and Testimonials
00:24:45
Speaker
If you deliver that amazing client experience, even if you only build three nurture emails into a workflow, that's better than nothing. And that's more of a client experience than you're booked. I'm going to call you the week before the wedding and that's it.
00:25:00
Speaker
yeah Um, ah step number three, yeah right? It just wraps it up. It puts a pretty bow on it, right? So it's like, it's your post wedding workflow. So often as photographers, we're like, well, after the wedding, I just have to edit and deliver the photos and then I'm done.
00:25:17
Speaker
Thank goodness. You know what I mean? yeah Okay. But then you're just leaving yourself hanging out there to dry. You're not doing yourself any good. You're not putting a solid bill on your project for your client, right? So like, again, this is a time to build in a little bit of a nurture sequence for your emails and for your clients, right? Send a day after email out, a day after their wedding.
00:25:38
Speaker
It can be automated, use custom fields so it feels custom, like write it as a conversation. Hey newlyweds, you had the best day ever. Even if they didn't, they still need that reassurance that they did. You know what I mean? And then include, we're busy working on all your photos. You can expect them to be done four to six weeks, six to eight weeks, whatever your timeline is. That's going to do two things. One, it's going to say, oh, we did have the best time ever with Carissa. She was amazing. and um Two, it's gonna set that expectation, that timeline for when photos are gonna be done. So you are not getting text messages two days later. Hey, can we get a sneak peek when our photos gonna be done? You know? Yeah, I just got that on Sunday, wedding was Saturday and she goes, I need the photos done ASAP. And I was like, dang, girl.
00:26:34
Speaker
I mean, I'm thank God I did like a lot of inner work, so I didn't get triggered, but that would have triggered me before. i am That's one thing I feel in my soul. I think it was like, damn, sure. This like a great place and a great email to use like custom values or smart variables in your CRM so that on the way home from the wedding, you can like hop onto your CRM, plug in,
00:27:02
Speaker
like what your favorite memory was or whatever from their day. So then that email reads, you had the best day ever. My favorite moment was, insert smart fields, whatever that is. So it feels more personal and custom, right?
00:27:17
Speaker
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00:27:43
Speaker
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00:28:12
Speaker
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00:28:36
Speaker
So you send that email. It sets a lot of expectations. Again, you're not just leaving your client hanging. You deliver their photos. My guess is you worked hard to book this wedding, right? There was marketing involved. There was like work involved. So let's ask for the testimonial. Ask for the review. So many wedding photographers are like, but I don't want to seem pushy. guy I don't want them to think i needat I'm needy. Right. But like you worked hard. You should be proud of your work.
00:29:05
Speaker
ask them to say nice things about you. That's okay. And a lot of people are like, but what if I don't like the client? Which is also, I get that also, right? I can think of three wedding couples, very specifically, that I'd not would have to open a testimonial. We always had three. Right? And so you set that as an automation that needs to be approved so that you have to approve it to go out. But don't forget to ask for that testimonial. Don't forget to ask for those referrals. Chances are they know somebody else who is getting married and if you delivered a bang up client experience, oh, you have to meet my friend because she's getting married and she would love you and da da da da da.
00:29:40
Speaker
Hello referral and easy sale and everything like that. No, I think that's a great advice because I talked to so many wedding pros and that's like a really, really, really, really, really tough spot for people, even people that kill it. They're just like, I can't get a Google review for the life of me. And for people to even ask, it's so hard. Like I paid someone like $150 a month just to make my blog posts. And because I was scared to like, you know, press send.
00:30:08
Speaker
So you had to get someone to do it when it takes me less than like two minutes to do it. Just copy and paste from my email and add a different graphic. Um, but it just like, it's so hard for people to do it. But I feel like if you do it at least maybe like five times in a row, then you'll just be like, it's just automation. Okay. send Exactly. And again, if you think now about the things that you struggle with as you're going through that wedding planning process and through that wedding photography experience,
00:30:36
Speaker
build those steps that you struggle with into your workflows so that you don't miss them, so that they happen, right? Yeah. I don't know, but yeah. Did you, in your own photography business with your husband, were you the one that just created these workflows like behind the scenes and just geeked out on it?
00:30:56
Speaker
girl, you know it. And then we would get a response back from an automation that he went out and he would be like, what are they talking about? What did you do? Because whatever it was, that was awesome. um ah That's awesome. Yeah, you're really ahead of the game. You know, I just client I grew up shy. I grew up an introvert client communication.
00:31:17
Speaker
was really, really hard for me. Putting myself out there was really, really hard for me. And so if I didn't have to think about it, if slow season Melissa made all these decisions and thought about what busy season Melissa would be going through and what I would want to do and what not to do, that's how I built my workflows. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. I feel like in the weekends, I'm shooting weddings, I'm going to birthday parties, doing the kid stuff.
00:31:45
Speaker
by Monday, like I really don't want to talk to anyone. And if someone like even like text me or call me like, why are you calling me? You know, like, you know yourself, though, and your workflows and your automation should reflect that throughout the whole process. So it's like, they work for you. Yeah. But also giving your clients that experience works for you in another way as well, too. Yeah, yeah. Let's talk about like getting started. um Since Seventeen Hats is my sponsor, we're going to give them a shout out. Let's do it. I use them for 10 years. How would you go about maybe today like automating one thing? like Is there an action step today? Just like, oh, write three emails for your welcome sequence, and how would you get started?
00:32:29
Speaker
Um, yes. Ooh, three things. The three emails you need to have in your workflow. Let's go, let's go that route. How about that? Um, cause I also like, this is part of my freebie that I have for you. So you can literally just copy and paste this guys. Um, but the three emails that you need to have in your workflow are the booking confirmation, right? The, Hey, we got everything here. Your next steps. Um, okay. There's going to be four. I lied.
00:32:54
Speaker
Um, the second one is going to be a happy wedding week email that you send out the week before the wedding that says, Hey, I'm so excited. Here's when you can expect me. Here's what time I'll be here. Here's when things are wrapping up again, it reaffirms the client. Oh, she's on top of it. She knows what she's doing. Yeah. Right. That's a must. Um, the day after email to set those expectations, that's number three. And then the reviews, right? They're review and testimonial email. You got to have that. So even if you write the templates for those,
00:33:22
Speaker
and make a note to send them manually, or if that's the only automation in your workload, that's where that's how I would start. Because those are three must-have pieces that can do so much for your business and your client experience.
00:33:37
Speaker
Okay. So everyone, she has a freebie, like you said. Sorry, I skipped ahead, but I'm so excited because this thing is like, I built it out for you. Yeah, I know. I saw that. Um, tell us one, like one or two success stories of one of your clients, maybe pick a wedding professional. Oh goodness. Oh, where do I start? Okay.
Success Stories and Efficiency Hacks
00:33:59
Speaker
So I, I'm going to go with a videographer pair to start with, and then we'll flip to a photographer.
00:34:05
Speaker
um So a while back, I worked with Zach and Chris and they are male videographers and they had nothing in place at all. They didn't have email templates. They didn't have schedulers. They didn't, they were like, what's, what's a scheduler? Most of what is that going to do for us? Well, Chris, it's going to save you five emails in 30 minutes, sir. But they had nothing nothing built and they were booking corporate clients and weddings and nonprofit clients and production shoots. And they were traveling and they were trying to keep this all straight in their heads and on the whole calendar and communicate with their clients. And so we worked together to develop a fully functioning, fully automated because they wanted to rely heavily on automation workflow for their clients from start to finish with touch points going out every six weeks with information about what to expect from their video team and so on and so forth.
00:34:59
Speaker
And so those guys, we developed this client workflow. We saved them, I want to say 21 or 22 days a year by automating everything for them. But like the client experience that they're delivering and the referrals that they have gotten because of this, that they've come back to me about is just like incredible. You know what I mean? It's more than that those days, because it's like all the mental space in your head. It's like, oh shoot, did I forget this? And the stress and the anxiety.
00:35:28
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. So that's Chris and Zach. And then um I'm trying to, I want to tell a story about my client, Andreka, who is a wedding photographer who spends half of her time in um Bali and then the other half of her year in Mackinac Island, Michigan, maybe. I don't remember where it is, um but Mackinac Island, right? She works with a team of associates. She has a ton of packages and she was spending her time between two CRMs, right?
00:35:58
Speaker
because she couldn't decide which one she liked better. And so she had some workflows going here, some some clients were in both. So we came together, we got her into a CRM. It wasn't either of the ones that she was in before. yeah um She didn't want as much automation. So we still walked through her entire process, built out those key touch points. And now she's booking no matter where she is. wow And her VA can like run her business for her.
00:36:24
Speaker
if she wanted her to because it's all built out and it's all simplified. I couldn't even tell you, Chris, how much time we got her back. Wow. I collect data on that thing. I'd collect data from my clients so I can see how many emails. and death of I keep track of it because it fascinates me, um but also like you're getting time back. Like I am, I know you asked for two examples, but I'm going to tell you about Mary Beth, who is a photographer.
00:36:51
Speaker
And she's been in business for 17 years. And when she came to me, she was spending so much time on her business, but she was like seven months pregnant. Right. We got her workflows up and running right in time for her to take maternity leave so that they were doing everything for her. So she could enjoy her full three months off with her new baby and not after like, Oh, that's crazy. worryry But still book. You know what I mean? yeah yeah yeah and I don't know. I don't know. I could, I love these, the humans that I get to work with. They are all insanely creative and like,
00:37:20
Speaker
getting to solve this logistical problem, it brings so much joy to me, but to see the difference it makes in their lives is what really it's all about because it's a huge, huge transformation. Yeah, I could feel like you're very lit up. I might go cry in the corner now. Yeah, I know. It's just so nice to see people and their power. I love that. Tell everyone how to work with you. You could you could explain it a little thoroughly.
00:37:49
Speaker
Yeah, so I am virtually done systems. I, sorry, what most of my clients offer, what most of my clients decide to work, how most of my clients decide to work with me is through my done for you offer, where we take your business, look at your client lifecycle and the experience you want to deliver and build out a fully functioning first client experience, then workflow and automation for you, right? um Or workflow and automations that varies from business to business. That looks like you telling me what you want to happen.
00:38:18
Speaker
And then I do all the heavy lifting and building to make it happen for you, which I love. um So I do that. I do power hours with clients, which which can be like an audit or a strategy session or a, hey, I need help with this or, hey, I want to get this automation set up, but I don't know how to. And then here in a few in a few months, I'm launching a course, which I'm super excited about as well too, i that takes the structure of my done for you offer, but puts it into more of a DIY thing. So if you aren't ready to invest in the done for you, you can do it yourself. So. I love that.
00:38:48
Speaker
It's done for your sounds. Refreshing.
00:38:53
Speaker
That's what I find is that a lot of people are like, Melissa, I just don't want to mess with it. Just do it for me. And I just want to know how to use it. Yeah. I was like, take it off my plate. Okay. Fun rapid fire questions. Um, this is funny, but like don't talk about any workflows, but what's like your biggest efficiency hack in life?
00:39:13
Speaker
Photographers, I am so thrilled to announce my new sponsors Aftershoot, an AI editing company. They do AI editing, unlimited cropping and straightening. I am seriously blown away by the precision and five hours a week I get back in my life. My life is so much better and I literally don't have any more anxiety. It's so crazy.
00:39:37
Speaker
I remember being at barbecues with my laptop because I had to get out of shoot and and that was so stressful, so not fun. And the best part about after shoot compared to their competition is that it's a monthly minimal cost, not cost per image because I am a true overshooter. I could shoot like, I don't know, 3000 photos in an engagement shoot, which is not good. But anyways, using my code in the show notes to get a 30 day trial and 20% off you're going to get in the software and just go crazy with it. And AfterShoot edits 2.0 just released and they have a lot of new features that you are going to love. AfterShoot, I can't thank you enough for giving me back my time to focus on this podcast. Oh yeah, back to the podcast.
00:40:23
Speaker
So I love our, we order groceries in and like a food delivery box, right? I love it because I love cooking, but I also don't want to stand at the freaking kitchen counter and make dinner for like an hour and a half every two hours, right? So I love our food box.
00:40:38
Speaker
Yeah, I love that. What a shout out to what hungry root it all comes like pre chopped and it's fresh vegetables and I had salmon and veggies for lunch and I just didn't have to do anything. Wow. Okay, good to know. good to What is your favorite thing to do with your you and your hubby? Um, adventures.
00:40:57
Speaker
And that could be like last weekend, we took our dogs to the Renaissance Festival. We have corgis and we entered them in the corgi races at the Renaissance Festival. Oh, that's hilarious. Or like a road trip to Colorado or something fun or anything like that. so um I love that.
00:41:13
Speaker
um And how has your life changed now that you got out of wedding photography and into a more virtual life?
Transition to Virtual Business and Conclusion
00:41:22
Speaker
Okay, are you sure you want me to talk about this?
00:41:26
Speaker
said so yeah to me um i The biggest change has been that I have never felt more at home with who I am and what I am and doing. As a wedding photographer, I always felt like that was a costume that I was putting on. like I had to put on my wedding photographer pants and then put that face on. and That was a persona that I had to present to the world, yeah but it never felt truly like who I was doing what I do now. I feel like I can fully embrace my weirdness and who I am and my personality and put it out into the world and nobody's going to care because it's who I am.
00:42:00
Speaker
Yeah, but I couldn't do that as a wedding photographer, but also every Friday night is date night. yeah and on saturdays That's good for the marriage. right So it's just, it's been more of an internal change than an external change, but it's something that like, if you feel like something's not right in your work or in your business, listen to your gut and follow over where that takes you, you know? Wow. well this what the Um, you're so goofy and funny. I love that about you. I'm sure now now you have really embraced me like your whole lighthearted goofy Melissa rich. So I'm not afraid to, and I, ah girl, I couldn't tell you that like before it was all formal and very serious and yes, it's going to be perfect and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I know. I call myself Clarissa too.
00:42:48
Speaker
Clarissa, that's like the wedding version of me. like the You get it! It's like, yeah I could be goofy, but it has to be like spot on goofy, you know? Appropriately goofy, not goofy to be goofy. And if everyone doesn't laugh, then they don't laugh. Like, why are you so goofy right now? We're trying to be serious. Okay, sorry.
00:43:11
Speaker
yeah um Last question, this would be a good one, but speak to the hearts of wedding pros just trying to get leads, make things work. um They're on the struggle bus or, and they just want to make it like, what would you say that what would you say to get out the funk and just do it, make it a happen? Don't give up. Like you are doing what you're doing for a reason and your heart has led you there. It can be so frustrating and so overwhelming and so disheartening when you don't
00:43:43
Speaker
see immediate results, right? But so often what we do now impacts what we see three, six, nine months from now, right? And it's not the easy work that is going to bring you results, right? It's not sitting behind your laptop on Instagram. It's going to the networking events. You know that it's meeting people. It's pushing yourself past what you thought you were capable of when it comes to marketing and communication and relationships and everything like that.
00:44:10
Speaker
It sucks because it's hard. Do you see the trauma on my face? It's hard. um But like don't give up. You have to keep believing in yourself. And if you ever start to get to a point where you are like, should I do this? Is it worth it? Go set up something. Set up a style. shoot Go get something to address. Go do something that makes you remember why you're doing it to begin with. you know Do something to refresh that love and that passion and stick with it.
00:44:37
Speaker
stick with it I love talking to you. i I feel like we should do a podcast together. That would be so fun. Bring out the goofiness of me, but where can everyone find you? And work and yeah, I am online Instagram, Facebook website, virtually done systems. I know it's a mouthful. The abbreviation was not good. Sorry. Um, but that's where you can find me. You can reach me at Melissa at virtually done systems.com as well too.
00:45:06
Speaker
thank you richitchie rich i just i mean
00:45:14
Speaker
Thanks for joining me this week on Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. Make sure to follow, subscribe, leave a review, or tell a friend about the show. Take a screenshot and post to IG. Tag me! Also, don't forget to download my free guide on how to become a lead generating machine. See you next time, wedding pros!