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 naming expert to help business owners finally launch newsletters they're excited to send. We unpack what it looks like to stay in your zone of genius, eliminate client roadblocks, and create offers that solve the entire problem instead of just one piece of it.If you've ever wondered whether collaboration could help you create a stronger offer, this conversation might be the inspiration you need to get started!Find It Quickly:00:25 - Meet Caitie Cupples02:57 - Signed, Sealed, Subscribed04:35 - What’s Included06:01 - How It Started07:19 - Words vs Design Reality10:51 - Onboarding and Tools12:49 - Deliverables Breakdown15:44 - Welcome Email Strategy17:48 - Platform Choices18:28 - Choosing a Newsletter Tool19:17 - Newsletter as the Offer20:45 - HoneyBook vs Dubsado22:35 - VIP Week Workflow25:03 - Launch Lessons Learned28:19 - Waitlist Setup and Fairness29:42 - Picking Collaborators Wisely33:50 - Contracts and CollaborationMentioned in this Episode:Collaboration Partner: stacyeaguilar.comConnect with the Guest:Website: caitiecupplescreative.comInstagram: instagram.com/caitiecupplescreativeThreads: threads.com/@caitiecupplescreative
Jul 2
37 min
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 communication library in week two. I also touch on why workflows still aren't part of this offer (on purpose), and what to expect if you join me live July 13–24.Plus — I'm kicking off the July Sales Parade with Ceels Lockley today, and I'll be one of the guest DJs later this quarter talking Systems That Sell. Details on that below too.Links mentioned:Join The Experience Edit → coliejames.com/experienceJuly Sales Parade with Ceels Lockey → coliejames.com/parade
Jul 1
8 min
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 Creek GIF might be doing more for your client relationships than you think, and the one question every email should answer before your client even has to ask it: what happens next?Plus, your homework — pick one email in your client experience and run it through the three Ps. I dare you to stop at just one. 😂I'm also inviting you to join July's Experience Edit, my 10-day live sprint (July 13–24) where we map your client journey and write your entire client communication library — 30+ pre-written emails — in just one week.🔗 Grab your spot: coliejames.com/experience🔗 Grab the free resource, Mind the Gap: coliejames.com/gap
Jun 30
10 min
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 understand, customize, and expand her workflows without relying on someone else every time her business evolved.We talk about the difference between having systems built for you and learning how to build them yourself, how automation transformed her long client journeys, and why understanding your CRM can become one of the most valuable skills you develop as a business owner.Find It Quickly00:24 - Why Danielle Joined Systems in Session02:58 - "I Felt Lost in My Own System"05:31 - The Confidence to Make Changes06:55 - Building New Offers Inside Dubsado09:15 - From Fear to Flexibility10:05 - Why Pixieset Wasn't Enough13:40 - The Manual Tasks Dubsado Eliminated15:57 - More Time, Less Stress24:39 - Danielle's Favorite Dubsado Feature28:01 - Should You Learn Your CRM or Outsource It?32:27 - What's Next for Danielle's BusinessMentioned in this EpisodeHow this Wedding Photographer Plans to Save 180 Hours a Year With Better Systems with Jordan CraigSystems in SessionDubsadoPixiesetConnect with the GuestWebsite: daniellekentphoto.comInstagram: instagram.com/daniellekentphoto
Jun 25
37 min
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 where you last connected, and exactly what to say so the conversation feels human — not salesy. Your homework: set a timer for 30 minutes and build your list.I've laid out the plan fully in this blog post ⤵️https://coliejames.com/follow-up-for-cold-leads/Tune in next week for Part 2, where I'll walk through how I manage all of this inside Notion and share the full action plan.Join Systems in Session before July 10th and get July's Experience Edit for FREE. You can get details at https://coliejames.com/systems
Jun 24
11 min
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 working, and the process I use with every Systems in Session client before we build a single automation.In this episode, you'll learn:• The difference between milestones and touchpoints in your client journey• Why copying someone else's workflow rarely works in your business• The three-step process for designing a client experience before building automations• How communication gaps create unnecessary client questions and frustration• Why touchpoints are the key to more reviews, referrals, and repeat clients• The first step to creating a client experience that feels intentional from inquiry to deliveryResources Mentioned:Mind the Gap Client Journey Planner (grab it for FREE)https://coliejames.com/gapSystems in Session (Q3 seats are now OPEN)https://coliejames.com/systemsGrab your seat for Systems in Session before July 10th and get July's Experience Edit for FREE.
Jun 23
10 min
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 experience.Andrea shares how she helps business owners uncover the stories hidden beneath their surface-level origin stories, and why the details you're tempted to leave out may be the exact thing that helps ideal clients connect with you.Together, we discuss how your website evolves as your business grows, why your copy should attract the right clients and repel the wrong ones, and how consistency between your messaging, visuals, and systems creates a stronger brand experience.Find It Quickly00:26 - Meet Andrea Shaw01:35 - Why Pivots Matter08:43 - Finding the Juicy Thread09:38 - Pivot Copy Examples11:09 - Origin Story as Strategy13:43 - Digging Deeper Than Mom With Camera20:35 - Privacy and Sensitive Details22:33 - Evolving Brand Story25:41 - When to Refresh Website Copy27:53 - Website Overhaul Shift31:27 - New Avatar Insights34:58 - Your Copy Filters Clients43:03 - Inclusive Language Systems46:09 - DIY Pivot Story Exercise49:41 - Personal Details Build TrustConnect with the GuestWebsite: andreashah.comInstagram: instagram.com/andreashahcopy
Jun 18
52 min
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.
Jun 17
14 min
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 keep the window open, what to offer instead of a discount, how to handle the booking process whether you use a scheduler or book manually, and how to identify exactly who should be on this list using the segmentation framework from episode 238.Plus — I'm connecting this to the bigger picture. Early access might fill 30-40% of your calendar. What happens when you're deep in fall, your queue is full, and new inquiries are still coming in for those last spots? I've got something for that too.Read the full strategy at coliejames.com/earlyaccess.
Jun 16
9 min
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 moved from a patchwork process of Gmail, reminders, QuickBooks, and memory-based workflows into a streamlined Dubsado system designed to support both his business and his life.Jordan shares what surprised him most about the experience, how automation improved his client experience instead of making it feel robotic, and why he believes he'll gain back more than 180 hours every year because of the systems we built together.Find It Quickly00:24 - Meet Jordan01:32 - The Chaos Before Dubsado03:38 - Five Minute Proposals07:15 - Email Like You Mean It13:39 - Centralized CRM Wins17:14 - Offboarding Reviews Blogging18:54 - Automation Balance21:08 - Next Services To Automate24:33 - Timing Inquiries And 60 Days30:17 - Favorite Parts And GPTsMentioned in this EpisodeSystems in Session: coliejames.com/systemsEmail Like You Mean It: coliejames.com/email-like-you-mean-itConnect with the GuestWebsite: jordancraigmedia.comInstagram: instagram.com/jordancraigmedia
Jun 11
45 min
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