Do you find yourself dreading content creation and waiting for the algorithm to feature your posts? In this episode, I sat down with Andréa Jones, mindful marketing strategist extraordinaire, to talk about why email might need to become your primary marketing channel. No more chasing social media algorithms: we're building connection, conversions, and clarity in the inbox. Find it Quickly: 00:56 - Shifting from Social Media to Email Marketing 03:05 - The Challenges of Social Media 06:53 - The Po...
Jun 26, 2025•44 min•Ep. 220
Your client experience doesn’t start with a workflow or a fancy journey map. It starts with the words you choose and the tone you set. In this solo episode, I’m breaking down the 5 Client Experience Essentials — the layered framework I now use to help creatives build businesses that book faster, serve better, and feel easier to run. And while most people start with automation or journey mapping, I’m here to tell you why the real foundation of your experience is your client communication. If you’...
Jun 23, 2025•8 min•Ep. 219
What if I introduced you to the person who completely changed how I use AI in my business? I want you to meet Kenzie Soderberg, the AI strategist behind The Brand Blueprint. In this episode, we explore why AI isn’t just a flashy gimmick—it’s reshaping workflows, first drafts, and even offer strategy at lightning speed. With Kenzie's human-first approach, we deep dive into training AI like an intern, infusing voice and values into every prompt, and harnessing memory so you don’t repeat yourself. ...
Jun 19, 2025•59 min•Ep. 218
Today, I’m bringing back one of the most practical episodes from the Business-First Creatives archive—Episode 123 from my original Video Visibility Series. We’re talking about three simple client experience videos that build trust, improve communication, and help you stop repeating yourself. If you've been leaning into email lately (like many of us), this replay is your reminder that video deserves a place in your backend too. These videos can slot right into your forms if you are a Dubsado or H...
Jun 17, 2025•13 min•Ep. 217
Ever felt like your emails just aren’t landing? This episode is your permission slip to stop overthinking and start aligning. I sat down with email copywriter Breanna Owen to dive deep into writing emails that feel good, connect authentically, and actually convert. Listen in as she leads with email energetics and brings human design into how we think about messaging. Find it Quickly: 00:24 - Meet Breanna Owen 01:01 - Breanna's Unique Approach to Email Marketing 01:40 - Breanna's Journey: From Fa...
Jun 12, 2025•45 min•Ep. 216
In part two of Emails Behind the Experience , I’m sharing a lesson straight from inside my course, Email Like You Mean It . It’s called The Confidence Loop — and it explains how every email you send (or don’t send) shapes the client experience. Because let’s be real: your workflows might be automated, but your client relationships aren’t. And when someone ghosts after a strong inquiry? It’s not your pricing — it’s a confidence gap. If you want your emails to stop falling flat and start building ...
Jun 10, 2025•9 min•Ep. 215
In this solo episode, I’m giving a glow-up to my most downloaded and shared episode from this podcast: the workflows every creative business needs. I'm expanding from the original 4-workflow framework to 5 — because not only have the tools improved (hello, HoneyBook Automations 2.0 👀), but so has my perspective. Your workflows aren’t just about automation… they’re about the conversation. This is Part 1 of a two-part series called Emails Behind the Experience. In Part 2, I’ll be sharing the very...
Jun 10, 2025•10 min•Ep. 214
What if I told you that your sales page might be turning buyers away before they even click? Courtney Fanning joins us to dig into why people buy (or don’t). From the socializer who shops based on vibes to the thinker who reads every last FAQ, Courtney walks us through the four buyer types—and how your messaging needs to shift if you want to convert each one. Listen in as we chat about how your business stage affects your buying behavior, why done-with-you offers are such a wild ride to sell, an...
Jun 05, 2025•47 min•Ep. 213
It’s time for a replay—but not just any replay. This solo episode from 2023 dives into one of the most persistent questions in creative business: Should you niche down? Never say never... because now in 2025 I’m back with an update. After years of expanding to serve all kinds of creatives, I’ve decided to re-niche back down… to photographers, and even expand to branding, senior, and wedding photographers. Yes, even though I’m not actively shooting anymore, I’m going all in on photographers. So l...
Jun 03, 2025•11 min
Ever wondered what three years of podcasting can really do for your business? In this special episode, I switch seats with my producer, Haylee Gaffin, as she interviews me about how I’ve used Business-First Creatives to grow, market, and evolve my business. Listen in as we walk through launching my podcast three years ago to turning it into a strategic, revenue-driving content engine, I share the pivots, lessons, and behind-the-scenes of what’s actually working in my podcast strategy. Find it Qu...
May 29, 2025•49 min•Ep. 212
Ever sent a proposal and heard crickets? You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not doomed. In this replay of one of my most downloaded episodes, I’m breaking down why follow-up emails are non-negotiable if you want to book more clients (without being pushy). Then I’ll fast-forward to 2025 to show you how I’ve upgraded this strategy with a storytelling twist that makes your emails feel personal, powerful, and high-converting. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to follow up without feeling awkwar...
May 26, 2025•19 min
Are you managing your marketing tasks efficiently in your business? In this episode, I sat down with Melissa Arlena and Allison Bell, co-hosts of the Keep It Moving podcast, for a no-notes-required conversation about what it really takes to market your business, how to balance multiple brands, or just trying to figure out what’s working and what’s not. We talk about Marketing Mondays, email strategies, and moving your business across the country (or the world). Plus listen in as we highlight why...
May 22, 2025•56 min•Ep. 211
If you want to get paid to travel to your sessions, there are so many logistics to consider. While Kellie Llewellyn was coordinating her sessions to fit her own travel schedule when she started, she eventually shifted to where she is now traveling specifically for sessions. Listen in as Kellie shares her experience in coordinating and photographing travel senior sessions! Today’s episode is brought to you by DIY Template Shop ! Grab the exact email, form, and workflow templates that I include in...
May 15, 2025•38 min•Ep. 210
Okay, y’all—this one’s a little different. I’m resharing a solo episode from May 2023 because it’s just that relevant right now. Whether you’re staring at someone’s offer suite trying to decode what’s right for you, or you’re the one with multiple offers trying to help people make a decision, this episode breaks it all down. I’m also sharing why I’m bringing back my survey (yes, the one I still hadn’t fixed 🙈), what I’ve learned from asking better questions, and a peek at my newest offer: Syste...
May 14, 2025•10 min
What if you could create custom AI tools that save you hours, elevate your client experience, and make your business run smoother? (Spoiler: you can.) In today's episode, I’m joined by my real-life bestie and AI-building genius, Kate Hejde, where we’re pulling back the curtain on how we’re both using AI to level up our businesses. We’re diving into how Kate is creating custom GPTs for herself and her clients, along with the first thing you need to know before building your own AI-powered tool. Y...
May 08, 2025•33 min•Ep. 209
ChatGPT just beat out Airtable as my most-used tool—and y’all know that’s saying a lot . In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I’ve trained custom GPTs to think like me, work like me, and help me serve my clients better than ever. We’re not just talking about AI for the sake of it. I’m walking you through the three custom GPTs I’ve built—what they do, how I use them daily, and why I can’t stop creating new tools for my AI Systems Squad. (Speaking of AI tools… I’m also cooking...
May 05, 2025•19 min•Ep. 208
You've got the skills. You've got the offer. But if your leads are ghosting after you introduce it—we have a problem. In today’s episode, we're digging into one of the most critical (but often overlooked) parts of your client experience: the offer introduction . It's not just about rattling off prices or services — it's about creating clarity, building trust, and making the next step a no-brainer for your leads. Whether you’re hopping on a live sales call, recording a walkthrough video, or using...
May 01, 2025•16 min•Ep. 207
You’re doing the marketing. Your portfolio is strong. You’re attracting the right people… but then they disappear. Sound familiar? Let's dive into why potential clients ghost—even when everything seems like it’s working. Spoiler: it’s not about your pricing or your talent. It’s about what happens after they hit “submit” on your contact form. I'm breaking down the common gaps in your client experience that are causing leads to fall through the cracks—from delayed replies and overwhelming next ste...
Apr 28, 2025•11 min•Ep. 206
Is your lack of communication holding you back from creating an amazing experience for your clients? In today's episode, Christine Dammann joins us to share 5 essential tips to setting up clients for success through effective communication. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Love Your Leads private audio training! Are you providing an experience for your leads that sets an expectation on when they’ll hear from you, provides them with tools that will help them easily say yes and book you, wh...
Apr 24, 2025•30 min•Ep. 205
Want your client emails to actually get read ? In this bite-sized solo episode, Colie shares the three things every email in your client experience must include—whether it's automated or not. If your messages are getting ghosted or you're stuck rewriting the same email over and over, this is your sign to simplify and streamline. These tips will help you write emails that sound like you and actually move your clients forward. Find it Quickly 00:00 – Why most emails fall flat 01:11 – The real purp...
Apr 22, 2025•8 min•Ep. 204
You’ve heard me preach the power of workflows for years—but what if that’s not where your client experience actually starts? In this episode, I’m sharing the mindset shift that’s changed how I support creative entrepreneurs and why I’m putting client communication front and center. We’ll talk about what most people really need before they’re ready to automate, the truth about writing emails that connect, and why your words matter more than your workflow (at least at first). Mentioned in this Epi...
Apr 17, 2025•9 min•Ep. 203
Did you know the benefits of SEO expand beyond your website? Brittany Herzberg joins us to share how you can optimize for search across multiple platforms and content types! Listen in as she defines SEO, walks us through optimizing our content, and shares how to be intentional with your optimization! Today’s episode is brought to you by my Love Your Leads private audio training! Are you providing an experience for your leads that sets an expectation on when they’ll hear from you, provides them w...
Apr 16, 2025•47 min•Ep. 202
Does every single offer need a fully built out client experience? While I think it's necessary to create a powerful experience that leave your client raving about you, I also am a huge fan of simple systems. In this episode I'm walking you through how you might be overcomplicating your systems for some of your offers and why you should leave the more robust systems for your signature offers. Find it Quickly: [00:29] The Importance of Client Experience [01:23] Simple Offers Explained [03:20] Stop...
Apr 10, 2025•9 min•Ep. 201
We made it to 200 episodes—and I’m bringing the fire 🔥 I’m taking this opportunity to revisit one of the first truths I ever shared on the podcast: just because someone says no to your offer doesn’t mean your price is the problem. If your bookings have slowed or leads keep ghosting you, it’s time to take a hard look at your systems—not your rates. I’m breaking down what actually moves someone from “just curious” to “ready to book,” what your system might be missing, and how to figure out where ...
Apr 04, 2025•15 min•Ep. 200
Ever wondered if your freebies are helping people buy —or just taking up digital space? In this episode, I’m sharing how a single podcast (shoutout to Jenn Green!) made me rethink everything I’ve ever created. I ran my freebies through her mini/medium/large framework, pulled in ChatGPT to help, and uncovered a few surprising gaps—and a lot of hidden potential. If you’ve got a few too many opt-ins floating around… this one’s for you. Find it Quickly [00:00] Something strange started happening wit...
Apr 01, 2025•17 min•Ep. 199
Ready to make booking you effortless for your clients? In this episode, I’m breaking down how to create a five-minute booking process using a well-structured proposal (or quote/smart file, depending on your CRM). If booking feels like a scavenger hunt, leads will ghost instead of sign—but with the right setup, you can take them from inquiry to booked in just minutes! If you’ve been following along in the Client Experience Series, this final step ties everything together! Plus, if you need an eas...
Mar 27, 2025•12 min•Ep. 198
This is the third episode of the Client Experience Series! Now that you’ve mapped out your client experience, it’s time to turn those steps into workflows inside your CRM. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to structure your workflows into phases, determine what should happen automatically versus manually, and set up the triggers that keep everything running smoothly. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode on mapping your client experience, go back and give it a listen first! Find it...
Mar 19, 2025•16 min•Ep. 197
This is the second episode of the Client Experience Series. Today I'm sharing a breakdown of how to begin mapping your processes as the first step to create and implement your client experience inside your CRM. If you haven't listened to last week's episode on how to audit your current client experience, give it a listen and take my new CRM Self-Audit Quiz at coliejames.com/audit Find it Quickly: 00:46 - Recap on Client Experience Series Episode 1 2:01 - Identify Your Touchpoints 3:49 - Required...
Mar 16, 2025•13 min•Ep. 196
If this is the year you're looking to improve your client experience, you've come to the right place! Auditing your systems and workflows is key to not only improving your experience, but optimizing and refreshing it year after year. To kick off our new client experience series on the podcast, I'm sharing a breakdown of my own audit process and what I'm looking for in your systems! Find it Quickly: 00:29 - Starting the Client Experience Audit 1:19 - Winter is Coming Series Recap 5:17 - Identifyi...
Mar 06, 2025•15 min•Ep. 195
Beyond our careers, we're real humans experiencing real obstacles in our lives. Katrina joins us to share how a boudoir session helped her overcome a really dark and insecure time in her life, encouraging her to do the same for other women. Plus, listen in as she highlights how she's been awarded a few grant opportunities and why other creatives need to apply too! Today’s episode is brought to you by my Client Hub Template inside the DIY Systems Template Shop. Business owners often have their cl...
Feb 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 194
