Before You Begin: Your Dubsado Setup Checklist
Prepare for Dubsado success with this setup checklist
Dubsado is a powerful client management tool with the potential to transform your processes, streamline your client interactions, and bring a whole new level of efficiency to your business.
But let’s not sugarcoat it – your first experience with Dubsado can be more than a little overwhelming. You’ll have questions like:
- What are workflows?
- How do I design my proposals?
- Should I use a client portal?
- WHAT EVEN IS A CLIENT PORTAL?!
And while I’ve got blog posts for all of those questions…there’s an important phase that comes before you even open Dubsado.
Understanding your client journey
Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast working with a tight budget or you’re curious about outsourcing your Dubsado setup to a pro, this phase of your setup can’t be skipped.
After all, automating your workflows is only effective when you fully understand what support your clients need and precisely when they need it.
A well-structured client experience ensures your clients feel supported and cared for from the initial inquiry to project completion. Plus, when you have your client’s journey down to a T, you’ll have more mental space and time in your day to dedicate to delivering exceptional work.
So, before you dive into Dubsado, you’ll want to work through this critical phase with my Dubsado Setup Checklist.
Your Dubsado Setup Checklist
Now that you understand why knowing your client experience is vital to setting up your Dubsado, let’s kick off your checklist so you’re set up for success!
List Your Services and Deliverables
Begin by listing each service you offer and the associated deliverables. This should include not just the final project deliverables (brand guidelines, website design, website copy) but also any meetings, presentations, drafts, revisions, or other significant milestones within your project process.
For instance, if your service is Website Copy then your deliverables might include a strategy call, website copy outline, a presentation call, two rounds of revision, and the website copy document.
This first step ensures no critical components of your projects are overlooked as you build out your Dubsado workflows.
Map Your Client Interactions
Next, map out each interaction you have with your clients throughout their journey with you. This journey includes every email, call, form, or questionnaire from the moment they complete a lead intake form to the signing of contracts, kickoff calls, offboarding, and even post-project check-ins.
There will likely be more touchpoints than you expect once you start listing them. Here are some examples to keep in mind for each phase:
Inquiry: email acknowledging their inquiry, email scheduling a Discovery Call, reminder email for the Discovery Call, the Discovery Call, a post-call follow-up email.
Booking: email delivering the proposal package, email following up on the proposal, confirmation of contract signing, confirmation of invoice paid.
Offboarding: email delivering feedback request, reminder email about feedback request, post-project check-in email.
Remember to do this step for each service you offer as your client interactions could differ between them.
Identify Any Inefficiencies
Now, it’s time to take a step back and look at the overall experience you offer your clients. This includes evaluating the number of times you interact with your clients and the clarity of your communication to identify any speedbumps or moments of confusion.
Ask yourself questions like:
- How frequently are you in contact with your clients? Is it too much or too little?
- Are crucial pieces of information getting lost or forgotten?
- Do your clients feel like they’re being nagged or abandoned at any point?
A stellar client experience isn’t solely about delivering an exceptional final product. It’s about every step leading to that moment. And on your end, it’s about creating a supportive process that doesn’t disrupt your work but rather enhances it.
Create The Essentials
With your client touchpoints mapped out and inefficiencies identified, it’s time to list the specific tasks associated with each interaction. What emails need to be sent at each stage? Which forms should be completed, meetings scheduled, and reminders delivered?
Make a comprehensive list of these components so that you have a clear roadmap of what you need to create before diving into Dubsado. Then all that’s left to do is set aside dedicated time to create these pieces. Your schedule might look like this:
Day 1: Write your canned emails
Day 2: Prepare any content (contracts, welcome guides)
Day 3: Create your questionnaires
Day 4: Build your schedulers
Day 5: Design your proposals
This proactive approach ensures you know exactly what needs to be done in Dubsado and no step is missed once you’re busy creating.
Preparing for Dubsado with your setup checklist
While Dubsado brings more ease into your work, the setup can be complex. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it! But it’s important to weigh the time and effort required to set up your Dubsado with where your time could be better spent when you outsource it instead.
If you want detailed numbers about the ROI of Dubsado, I’ve got you covered. Check out my blog posts on the cost of Dubsado for both copywriters and website designers!
Whether you’re DIYing or outsourcing completely, there are two paths to partner together to streamline your success:
- Client Experience Intensive. Together, we’ll review your business systems and client journey. I’ll give you my advice (backed by YEARS of experience in the design and copywriting industries) on how to elevate and streamline your experience so you feel more confident when you dive into Dubsado on your own.
- VIP Dubsado Experience. You get to focus on your business and leave the Dubsado setup to a true pro. Rest assured, you’ll still be involved – I know all you copywriters will have specific ideas about your emails – but I’ll take care of the more tedious and technical aspects while bringing in my expert client experience knowledge.
If you’re ready to discuss how we can work together to make your Dubsado and your client experience work for you, it’s time to take action. Book a free Discovery Call so we can explore which option aligns best with your business goals.
