What if raising your prices didn’t mean adding more stress to your plate? In this replay from Maddie Peschong’s Take It Personally podcast, I’m sharing how proposals, automations, and smart systems can help you deliver a high-touch client experience that actually makes it easier to charge more.

We talk about:

• Why proposals are the secret to booking faster (and with less friction)
• How automations can make your process feel more personal, not robotic
• The biggest booking mistakes photographers make — and how to fix them
• How systems uphold premium pricing without burning you out

Want to go deeper? Grab the original Charge More, Stress Less webinar replay at coliejames.com/charge-more.

Grab your free spot in Maddie's Booked Up and In-Demand Masterclass: September 23 at noon CST - learn the content system that fills your calendar with premium clients

And stay tuned — in the next episode, Maddie joins me here on Business-First Creatives to unpack the vicious cycle of visibility and how we can all create content marketing from a place of ease.

What happens when a creative business owner finally finds the systems support she didn’t know she needed? Absolute magic.

In this episode, I’m joined by Erin Belles, a custom framer and photographer who discovered my work through a two-year-old podcast episode. Three days later, she was a Systems & Session client. We dive deep into how she went from barely using Dubsado to confidently running a luxury client experience from start to finish.

Erin shares how she created a branded, high-touch proposal, wrote 33 pre-written emails during a solo hotel “workcation,” and built workflows for every offer—including newborns and heirloom portraits. If you’ve been dreaming of systems that make your business feel easier, this one’s for you.

Find It Quickly:

00:28 - Creating A Unique Client Experience

01:18 - The Journey to Finding the Right System

02:25 - Implementing Dubsado: Challenges and Successes

05:41 - Creating a High-Touch Proposal

13:05 - The Importance of Client Communication

18:41 - Morning Routine and Work-Life Balance

19:17 - Family and Newborn Workflows

21:26 - Creating and Customizing Proposals

22:38 - Email Systems and GPT Integration

25:57 - Refining Client Communication

28:07 - Final Thoughts and Testimonials

Mentioned in this Episode

Systems in Session

Dubsado

Connect with Erin

Website: erinbellesphotography.com

Instagram: @erinbellesphotographyct

Today I’m sitting down with one of my long-term clients and friends, Meg Mosher, a lifestyle family photographer out of New York who has been in business for over 10 years. We’re diving into her unexpected journey from engineering into photography, her early experiments with Google Ads, and her renewed passion for documentary family sessions.

In this episode, Meg shares how she transitioned from portraits to documentary, why backyard sessions became such a hit, and the lessons she learned about balancing lifestyle and documentary work in her business.

Find It Quickly

00:27 - Meet Meg

01:01 - Meg's Journey into Photography

02:35 - Early Challenges and Learning Experiences

04:48 - The Role of Google Ads in Meg's Business

07:34 - Transition to Documentary Photography

08:19 - Backyard Sessions: Capturing Childhood Memories

14:10 - Planning and Executing Documentary Sessions

18:25 - Overcoming Initial Fears in Family Photography

19:50 - The Joys and Challenges of Day-in-the-Life Sessions

24:04 - Balancing Lifestyle and Documentary Photography

26:52 - Marketing Strategies for Seasonal Sessions

32:03 - Building a Portfolio and Setting Prices

Connect with Meg

megmosher.com

instagram.com/megmosherphoto

You don’t actually need big, complicated systems to make money in your business — and yes, I’m the Systems Professor saying that out loud. Hitting six figures and building a sustainable, ease-filled business are two very different things. In this episode, I’m breaking down what I call “bare bones systems”: the absolute minimum setup every creative business needs to book clients.

I’ll walk you through the anchor activities that matter most at each stage of the client journey, the three non-negotiables every business should have in place, and when it’s time to go beyond bare bones into a full client experience glow-up.

If you’ve been stuck thinking you need to do everything before you can feel legit — let this episode give you permission to start small and still move forward.

Linked Mentioned

Systems in Session (done-WITH-you systems setup)

5-minute booking proposal (FREE training)

How to Create a 5-Minute Booking Process (podcast episode)

5 Workflows Every Creative Needs (podcast episode)

Think your most engaged followers are the ones double-tapping your latest Reel? Think again. 👀

In this episode, I’m breaking down why your actual hottest leads—the people most likely to refer, rebook, or rave about you—aren’t hanging out in your DMs. They’ve already paid you. And most of y’all are leaving them out of your marketing entirely.

We’ll talk about:

✅ The difference between email marketing and client communication (they are not the same thing)

✅ How to segment your audience based on buyer readiness

✅ Why “past client” shouldn’t mean “off your radar”

If you’ve been pouring all your marketing energy into chasing new followers, it’s time to flip the script and love on the people already in your world.

Links Mentioned:

Join the Client Email Glow-Up Challenge now.

Email Like You Mean It (client communication course)

I’ve been shouting from the rooftops about using video in your client experience—and today, I’ve got backup. In this episode, I’m joined by Carolyn Leasure, a website evolution expert who turns scrappy Squarespace sites into smooth, branded systems. We’re diving into the magic of asynchronous video and how it can transform the way you connect with leads and clients.

Carolyn shares how she first implemented asynchronous video for a client and the three powerhouse ways she uses it in her own business: dynamic FAQs, interactive sales pages, and streamlined testimonial collection. We also talk about buyer behavior, zero-party data, and why personalization it the most impactful asset.

Find It Quickly

00:27 - Meet Carolyn

01:30 - The Power of Asynchronous Video

04:24 - Implementing Asynchronous Video in Business

06:59 - Dynamic FAQ Pages: Enhancing User Experience

15:40 - Dynamic Sales Pages: Personalizing the Sales Journey

20:11 - The Value of Client Feedback

21:36 - The Power of Customer Testimonials

23:20 - Collecting and Utilizing Testimonials

26:13 - Leveraging Video for Client Interaction

31:14 - Asynchronous Communication Benefits

Resources Mentioned

Video Ask

Convert Box

Dubsado

Notion

Connect with Carolyn

Website: maypopcreativestudio.com

Quiz: maypopcreativestudio.com/colie

When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, the internet went wild. But instead of just scrolling through memes, I started thinking about the photographer who actually booked that session — and more importantly, what would have happened if that inquiry landed in your inbox.

Here’s the hard truth: if your systems aren’t set up to respond quickly, guide people clearly, and book smoothly, you could miss out on dream clients, celebrity or not. In this episode, I’m walking you through the “Taylor & Travis Engagement Test” — a playful but real way to measure whether your inquiry-to-booking systems are ready.

Why your inquiry response system matters more than you think

How to prevent dream clients from slipping through the cracks

Why a smooth, consistent booking process builds trust and referrals

How Systems in Session helps you create a client experience that actually works

Ready to work on your client experience?

Explore Systems in Session: https://coliejames.com/systems-in-session

Listen to the Client Experience Series on Business-First Creatives Podcast: https://coliejames.com/tag/client-experience-series/

Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/coliejames

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOBVgYN-2lx0bMaDF7d0kByxGSjRq5Mg

If you’re not tracking it, you’re winging it. That's why it's important to have a system in place to help keep you accountable. In this episode, Melissa Arlena joins us to discuss the power of airtable and accountability. Listen in as we discuss systematizing recurring revenue and keeping clients from slipping through the cracks. Whether you’re running a course, a coaching program, or a service-based business—this episode unpacks the real reasons you need better systems (and how Airtable can be your operations BFF).

Find It Quickly

00:27 - Welcoming Back Melissa Arlena

01:20 - Diving into Airtable

01:52 - Client Hub & Airtable

04:14 - Website and Offer Refinement

05:39 - Airtable for Blogging Club and Recurring Income

06:40 - Automations and Payment Tracking

13:16 - Email Automations and Client Check-ins

16:05 - The Importance of Client Accountability

16:43 - Challenges of Time Zones in Coaching Programs

17:23 - Maximizing Group Coaching Calls

18:48 - Using Airtable for Client Experience Audits

19:47 - Automating Client Follow-Ups with Airtable

20:10 - Organizing Content and Client Data with Airtable

22:48 - Airtable for Photographers: Tracking Client Interactions

25:03 - Leveraging Airtable for Business Insights

Resources Mentioned

Episode 211: Marketing Mondays Will Transform Your Business Strategy with Melissa Arlena and Alison Bell

Episode 80: SEO Best Practices for Photographers | Simple SEO Series with Melissa Arlena (Part 2)

Content Hub Template

Airtable

Thrivecart

Zapier

Flodesk

HoneyBook

Dubsado

Táve

Connect with Melissa

Website: pictureperfectrankings.com

Podcast: pictureperfectrankings.com/photography-podcast

Free FB Group: facebook.com/groups/pictureperfectrankings

Instagram: instagram.com/pictureperfectrankings

What if your next five clients aren’t on Instagram, but actually sitting across from you at an in-person event? Tiffany Crenshaw is a former teacher turned photographer turned educator, and she’s sharing her unconventional but highly effective strategies for growing your email list in person. We’re talking QR codes at mom events, blog post reuse, and making real-world connections convert to real income.

Find It Quickly

00:28 - Meet Tiffany Crenshaw

01:36 - The Importance of Email Marketing

05:45 - Growing Your Email List at In-Person Events

08:52 - Creating Effective QR Codes for Email Sign-Ups

17:42 - Analyzing Email Marketing Success

20:39 - Personal Follow-Up Strategies

21:13 - Importance of Email Open Rates

21:52 - Power of In-Person Connections

24:16 - Email Marketing Frequency

24:49 - Creating Engaging Email Content

27:33 - Educational Content in Emails

31:56 - Leveraging Blog Posts for Client Engagement

35:08 - Planning In-Person Events

Mentioned in this Episode

The Email Growth Club

Email Like You Mean It

Connect with Tiffany

Website: animalhouse-photography.com

Education: animalhouse-photography.com/for-photographers

Instagram: instagram.com/animalhousephotography

The first day of school hits different when your kid starts high school — and when you realize you don’t have to pack a lunch, drive carpool, or even set an alarm. In this episode, I’m sharing a personal peek into what this season looks like for me, how my work rhythm has evolved over the years, and why I’m fiercely protecting space on my calendar instead of filling it the minute more “free time” appears.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll get so much more done once the kids are in school,” this one’s your gentle nudge to pace yourself.