Are you relying on your clients to become repeat clients solely because they loved their images from their last shoot? Sometimes that's not enough—the key to client retention in a creative business is a well-crafted client experience. Natasha Sewell joins us to share how she's created an intentional workflow and client experience that bring customers back to her time and time again. Listen in as she highlights where you should share frequently asked questions, how optimizing contact forms create...
Feb 20, 2025•38 min•Ep. 193
When you sit down to write an email, do you find yourself staring at a blank screen lacking inspiration? Today's episode is meant to inspire you with tools and templates to help get out of your head and into the inboxes of your audience! In this episode, Hannah Davis joins me to talk about her preference for email marketing over social media, her process for writing newsletters, and how tools like templates and AI help her get started in content creation. Today’s episode is brought to you by my ...
Feb 13, 2025•47 min•Ep. 192
Is networking a part of your business strategy this year? If it's never felt like the right move for your business, today's episode may change your mind. Master connector, Mikki Wilson, joins us to explore the importance of relationship marketing in growing a creative business, as opposed to traditional networking. Listen in as she shares practical strategies for effective networking, both in-person and online, the essence of maintaining a supportive community, and the need to build authentic co...
Feb 06, 2025•50 min•Ep. 191
Does your marketing strategy and content fall flat? Maybe you struggle with knowing what to create. In today's episode, Dayna Schaaf of This Can't Be That Hard joins us to introduce The Marketing Jar, an analogy which categorizes marketing efforts into rocks, pebbles, sand, and water. Listen in as they share how prioritizing high-impact activities (rocks) and spreading them throughout the year while filling in with medium-impact (pebbles), foundational (sand), and daily tasks (water) can help ph...
Jan 28, 2025•34 min•Ep. 189
Do you struggle with understanding money? Maybe you're afraid to address it. In today's episode, Katherine Pomerantz joins us to highlight the complex relationship most entrepreneurs have with money. Listen in as she explains how to make financial management less daunting by viewing money as a storytelling medium and implementing rituals to ease the bookkeeping process. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Client Hub Template inside the DIY Systems Template Shop. Business owners often have th...
Jan 16, 2025•45 min•Ep. 188
Are you being intentional and strategic in planning for productivity and growth in your business? In today's episode, Jade Boyd joins us to discuss setting goals, maintaining your business, and the three key steps for achieving business success: clarity, systems, and maintenance. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Client Hub Template inside the DIY Systems Template Shop. Business owners often have their client information spread across a variety of different tools, making it hard to access ...
Jan 09, 2025•45 min•Ep. 187
As we head into 2025, it is crucial to harness the power of data to streamline and enhance your business strategies. In this episode, Ally Anderson joins us again on the podcast to discuss the art of tracking vital metrics to drive your business growth and success. Whether you're a photographer, digital marketer, or any creative entrepreneur, understanding which numbers to track can significantly influence your path for the year ahead. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Client Hub Template ...
Jan 02, 2025•46 min•Ep. 186
In this solo episode of the Business-First Creatives podcast, host Colie James dives deep into the intricacies of switching Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. Drawing from her extensive experience as a photographer who has transitioned through multiple CRMs and as a strategist assisting other entrepreneurs, Colie offers invaluable insights into when it makes sense to switch CRMs, the challenges involved, and the steps to take for a smooth transition. Whether you're contemplating a s...
Dec 31, 2024•18 min•Ep. 185
Diversifying your income and creating passive income is something we hear a lot about in the creative world. The best place to start is by creating alternative streams of income for your business and personal life. In today's episode, Lissa Chandler joins us to share how she is balancing service-based work with product sales, tackling SEO, and dealing with the impacts on her business post-pandemic. The conversation covers the realities behind passive income and the importance of aligning busines...
Dec 27, 2024•34 min•Ep. 184
Are you using your blog for more than your SEO efforts? In today's episode, Jessie Andrew of Inkpot Creative joins us to highlight the value that blogging can provide to your overall client experience. Listen in as we chat through maximizing client experience through blog posts, finding content inspiration from FAQs, optimizing content for SEO, and the power of detailed location guides for photographers. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organization Hub ! If you are drowning in a ...
Dec 21, 2024•40 min•Ep. 183
Your brand has a voice, you just may not have identified it or honed in on it yet. In today's episode, Samantha Pollack joins us to share the value of crafting a distinct brand voice, how copywriters can help find and match your voice, and why you should integrate that voice through your messaging. 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 wit...
Dec 18, 2024•50 min•Ep. 182
Do you dream of launching a podcast? Maybe even starting with a private podcast? You've likely seen others do it and wondered if it's the right move for your business. In today's episode, Lindsay Padilla, cofounder of Hello Audio, joins us to share the benefits and strategies behind a podcasting, how to determine if a private or public feed is right for you, and some of the latest trends in the podcast industry. Plus, she's even sharing how she cofounded Hello Audio and the hurdles she faced alo...
Nov 28, 2024•57 min•Ep. 181
Most entrepreneurs know about the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Optimization (SMO), but are you considering the role that Social Search Optimization (SSO) plays in your overall visibility online? In today's episode, Erin Ollila joins us to explore the benefits of optimizing for search across all platforms, along with the critical role social media plays in search queries. Listen in as she provides practical insights into optimizing social media profiles for enhanced ...
Nov 21, 2024•46 min•Ep. 180
Is your business prepared for bad days—even those worst case scenarios that we don't want to think about? In today's episode, Sandra Henderson joins us to share how she's set her business up for the worst days in business due to the role her chronic illness plays in her daily life. Listen in as she shares the tools, systems, and boundaries that she's set up to make sure her business can still run smoothly! Today’s episode is brought to you by my Client Hub Template inside the DIY Systems Templat...
Nov 14, 2024•51 min•Ep. 179
Gone are the days where your photos is enough to market your photography business—even if you are an amazing photographer. In an oversaturated market, you have to do more and stand out. In today's episode, Sabrina Gabhardt joins us to share how photographers can create valuable, non-salesy content through their email marketing to better connect with their potential clients and book more sessions! Plus listen in as she gives advice on incorporating this approach holistically across all of your ma...
Nov 07, 2024•39 min•Ep. 178
Are you leveraging the power of AI in your business? In today's episode, Hattie Dunstan of Funstans Marketing discusses how you can integrate AI into your content creation process and advertising strategy! Listen in as Hattie shares how AI tools like ChatGPT, Meta AI, Gemini, and MidJourney, can streamline various business tasks from crafting marketing content to analyzing ad campaign data. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organization Hub ! If you are drowning in a sea of post it...
Oct 31, 2024•38 min•Ep. 177
Are you looking for a unicorn to help you with your marketing tasks? In today's episode, Emily Reagan joins us to highlight importance of hiring the right marketing assistant to help grow a creative business so you don't have regrets. Listen in as we discuss the differences between general virtual assistants and specialized marketing assistants, exploring the need for business owners to clearly define their goals and expectations when hiring. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organ...
Oct 24, 2024•55 min•Ep. 176
Are you leaving content opportunities on the table because you're not repurposing the content you already have? In today's episode, Felly Day joins us to share the value of repurposing and why it's a crucial component to intentional marketing for business owners. Listen in as she not only shares common mistakes and practical strategies, but also walks us through her CPIA framework to effectively repurpose your content. Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organization Hub ! If you are...
Oct 17, 2024•39 min•Ep. 175
When building out your intentional marketing plan, are you considering the power of in-person marketing? In today's episode, Angie McPherson joins us to highlight the benefits of networking through local events, retreats, and creating your own gatherings. Listen in as she shares how to plan before an event, engage meaningfully during, and follow up afterwards so that you get the best ROI. Plus, we even share how to track the success of your efforts for in-person events! Today’s episode is brough...
Oct 10, 2024•38 min•Ep. 174
We naturally share our favorite items and products with our friends, but what if you could make an income by sharing business tools and products with your audience? In today's episode, Candice Coppola joins us to share all about affiliate marketing as a business owner. Listen in as she shares how she got started, how she found success, and what it looks like to develop an affiliate program of your own! Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organization Hub ! If you are drowning in a se...
Oct 03, 2024•49 min•Ep. 173
Do you hesitate to invest time into email marketing due to all of the different rules you have to follow? In today's episode, Dama Jue joins us to share the rules she's breaking in her own email marketing strategy that are helping her find success! Plus, listen in as she walks us through her approach to a nurture sequence and the one section of her emails that is driving additional revenue with minimal effort! Today’s episode is brought to you by my Content Organization Hub ! If you are drowning...
Sep 26, 2024•46 min•Ep. 172
Marketing takes up a lot of your time and for businesses that are planning to be around for a while, finding sustainable strategies that generate passive traffic and run on longevity is key for long-term success. For many of us, search engine optimization and Pinterest seem to feel like a lot of work, yet the long-term impacts of the efforts on those two platforms is unmatched. In today's episode, Kara Duncan joins us to share the value of blogging and pinning your content to Pinterest, along wi...
Sep 19, 2024•39 min•Ep. 171
Are you being intentional in your marketing? This week, we're kicking off a brand new series on the podcast all about marketing with intention. Our first guest, Tayler Cusick-Hollman joins us to help lay the foundation of intentionality with crafting a marketing plan. After watching entrepreneurs with small marketing budgets struggle, Tayler developed Enji, a marketing solution for small businesses. Listen in as she shares how to prioritize your marketing efforts, determine your channels, and ma...
Sep 12, 2024•51 min•Ep. 170
Are you using the power of storytelling in your business? Storytelling offers relatability and authenticity for connection with our audience, which builds trust. Storytelling strategist Akua Konadu joins us to share seven storytelling trends that you should implement into your marketing today! 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 too...
Sep 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 169
In this episode, there are a few life and podcast updates 😉 The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to you by CRM and Dubsado expert Colie James. Join Colie each week as she discusses how to build a business that brings you joy and a paycheck! From business advice with fellow entrepreneurs to sharing automation tips and tricks, Colie and her guests are sharing industry trends and resources, along with a little bit of sarcasm....
Aug 26, 2024•4 min•Ep. 167
Summer Sabbatical Series - Simplifying Systems for Creatives Using Airtable from Copywriter on Call Ever wondered how automating your systems could help you create a more consistent experience for yourself and clients? Today I am sharing a guest episode I did for Sara Gillis' podcast, Copywriter on Call. We’re talking about our former lives as professors + everything related to automating client communications (with a personal touch, of course) to tracking the lifetime value of your clients. If ...
Aug 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 166
Summer Sabbatical Series - Infusing Your Personality into Your Automations from Big Fun Content Do you struggle with writing emails that don't bore you? Want to avoid sounding like a robot and write automated emails your clients LOVE reading? Well, you're in the right place my friend! Today I am sharing a guest interview I did for Deanna Seymour's podcast, Big Fun Content. This is definitely one of my favorite conversations about creating automated emails in your customer journey. Be sure to sea...
Aug 01, 2024•30 min•Ep. 165
In today's episode, we're diving into the world of Airtable with Colie James and Annemie Tonken, unraveling how this dynamic tool can streamline your business and simplify your life. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by managing your team communication, marketing content, relevant client sales data and offers, get ready to hear how Airtable can tame the chaos in one centralized location! 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:29 Discovering Airtable 06:41 How Annemie using Airtable in her personal life...
Jul 29, 2024•51 min•Ep. 164
Are you ready to automate you social media sales strategy? In today's episode, Dayna Schaaf joins us to discuss the power of ManyChat and automations for marketing. Listen in as we walk through setting up trigger words and automated responses in Instagram DMs and how they can help photographers efficiently handle client inquiries, build engaging waitlists, and provide instant gratification to potential clients. If you’ve tried setting up your Dubsado or Honeybook account, yet aren’t actually uti...
Jul 25, 2024•49 min•Ep. 163
Do you have a hate-hate relationship with Quickbooks? Yeah, not love hate, just hate. This is all too familiar with many small business owners who have to be involved in their own accounting needs. In today's episode, Madison Brown of Madison Dearly joins us to share why small business owners should consider making the switch to Xero for all of their accounting and bookkeeping needs! Listen in as she shares the benefits, ease of use, and integrations available! Today's episode is brought to you ...
Jul 18, 2024•40 min•Ep. 162
