If you don’t already know Colie James, you’re about to—because this is one of those “pause and take notes” conversations that can genuinely change how you think about running your business. We’re zooming in on a small part of your business that often gets ignored (at least if you’re like me), but has real potential to increase your bottom line. And honestly… who doesn’t want that in 2026?
Colie is known for systems and workflows—especially CRM setups in Dubsado and HoneyBook. She’s been on the podcast before (episode 39) talking about building a five-minute booking process, and I consider this a part two where we go beyond simply “setting up” an automated booking process.
What she breaks down here is the missing piece I feel like nobody is talking about: the role your CRM emails play in building trust, guiding clients, shortening the sales cycle (especially if you don’t want to do sales calls), and creating a standout experience from inquiry all the way through offboarding.
That level of client experience isn’t optional in 2026.
In this episode, we talk about:
- why people hesitate before booking
- how your emails can do the “sales call” work for you
- what actually carries the load inside a workflow (and what’s just a shiny buzzword)
- how to nurture clients after they hire you, not just before they pay
Because yes, getting someone to book matters—but taking great care of your clients matters just as much. And in 2026, I really believe this will continue to be non-negotiable. At this point, we’ve all been burned by bad investments, so people are more cautious—and your CRM emails (an unsexy topic, I know) play a bigger role than you think in helping clients feel confident choosing you.
And I get it if you’re resistant to updating your emails, because I was too.
I bought her course Email Like You Mean It thinking, “Yeah, I should do this someday.” And then I didn’t open it until I lost a client I should not have lost. I share the whole story in the episode, so I won’t repeat it here—but the point is: even before I finished the course, I saw results.
So if you’re listening to this and having that same realization, Colie’s next Email Like You Mean It Sprint starts February 2nd. It’s five days, and she gives feedback on the actual emails you’re writing—so you walk away with communication that books the client, not just software that sends it.
You’ll get a ton of value from the interview either way. But if you’re ready to implement and you want her eyes on your emails (trust me—you do), the details are in the show notes.
Now, let’s get into today’s interview.
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Table of Contents
Who is Colie James?
Hi, I’m Colie James. I’m a client experience systems strategist—meaning I help you automate and streamline the behind-the-scenes parts of your business, so you’re not spending valuable hours on tasks a robot can handle for you.
I set up my 5-minute booking process after we chatted last, but then I realized one thing: my CRM emails sucked.
Honestly, Kara, that used to be me too—until about seven or eight months ago.
You know this because you write all my stuff, but I get inquiries all the time like, “My automations are broken,” or “My workflows aren’t efficient,” or “I don’t have workflows—can you help me?” When I was doing done-for-you setups, it always surprised me: yes, people were impressed with the workflows, but the thing they kept mentioning over and over was, “Colie, those emails you wrote were amazing.”
And you know the truth—I don’t consider myself a great writer. I do know what needs to be in an email, which is why we work so well together. I’ll basically word-vomit what I want to say, and you make it sound like gold.
So about seven months ago, it finally clicked: people talk about workflows, but what you really need are better emails inside your CRM—because the emails are what carry the load. It doesn’t matter if the automation runs perfectly if the email itself doesn’t actually say anything useful.
I literally had someone book an audit yesterday, and when I took a quick look at her automated lead response, it was basically: “Hey, I got your inquiry.” That’s it. No next step, no clarity, nothing else. And I’m thinking, you have so many great offers—why wouldn’t you use that first email to introduce people to what you do and what else you can help with?
And Kara, I’ll say the same thing to you: if someone inquires about blogging, that’s the perfect opportunity to mention email writing, Pinterest—your broader offer suite.
People may come in asking for one thing, but they’re paying close attention to that first email. You should use it to its full advantage—so they get to know you and what you offer right away.
How Important are CRM Emails In An Automated Booking Process?
A lot comes down to how your offer is introduced to your audience. If you’re doing sales calls, your email doesn’t have to do as much heavy lifting—because you’ve already done the real work live. They’ve talked to you, heard your voice, and you’ve communicated what you’ll do for them and how you’ll do it. So the email that delivers your proposal? It still needs to impress, of course, but it’s not carrying the entire relationship on its back.
But if you don’t like doing sales calls—and email is your primary way of communicating with potential clients—then yes: your emails have a bigger job to do. And they need to do that job well.
That realization is a big part of why I created Email Like You Mean It (and why it’s now evolving into a five-day sprint). At first, I thought it was enough to teach people how to write the emails. When I was selling email templates, I figured: “Great. I’m providing structure. That’s the job.”
But then I had a moment of honesty: I was selling templates… and I didn’t even really like them.
Sure, they gave people more structure than they’d come up with on their own. But I didn’t feel like I was actually teaching them how to write great emails—even with a template as a starting point.
That’s where Email Like You Mean It came from.
And then I realized the same thing applied to customer journeys. I don’t think it’s enough to simply tell you how to plan the journey, or even to teach frameworks—like the “three Ps”: the purpose of the email, showing your personality, and previewing your process (so people know where they are and what happens next).
Because there’s a huge difference between hearing advice and having someone guide you while you apply it.
So the program is transitioning for the same reason everything I create eventually evolves: I keep thinking, “I’m doing enough for you.” And then I realize… I could probably do more.
We both sell things that could change someone’s business but never seem to make it to the top of someone’s to-do list so I love that you are helping people write their CRM emails in a sprint now (vs. a DIY course).
I love that—and honestly, you’re part of the reason I ended up making this change.
And it’s not just you. I’m not here to blame anyone (and definitely not Kara—she’s one of my favorite people). But here’s what happened: when Email Like You Mean It was a DIY course, I sold 23 spots. And I’m not convinced more than 25% of people actually went through it and wrote their emails.
That’s the downside of “Here are the tools—good luck.” I gave people what they needed, but I wasn’t guiding them through the doing. And to be fair, with a low-ticket offer, that level of accountability isn’t always the job.
But the teacher in me couldn’t let it go. I kept thinking: I gave you this—why aren’t you using it?
Then I interviewed a few past participants and saw what was possible when people actually implemented. They did incredible things—and it hit me: I want everyone to get those kinds of results.
So I zoomed out and asked myself a bigger question: my signature offer, Systems in Session, consistently gets great outcomes. People love it. What’s different?
The answer was simple: the “done-with-me” part.
I don’t need 60 days to help someone improve their emails. The original promise of the course was that you could write your entire pre-written client communication library in one focused weekend. And that’s still true.
But I also didn’t want to cram a live experience into three days. Three days works when you’re alone at your desk and pushing through—but as a supported process, it felt like too much.
So I asked: what’s the optimal amount of time for momentum and follow-through?
Five days.
That’s why I pivoted it into a five-day sprint. And honestly, a lot of what I’m building in 2026 is centered around this same idea: done with you. Because I want to make sure people don’t just buy the thing—they actually do the thing.
Even if accountability isn’t always technically my responsibility, I want you to have it. I don’t want you to simply pay me—I want you to implement what you’ve invested in so you can build a better, more sustainable business and life.
Can You Focus on Email Communication Without a CRM or Automated Booking Process? What Emails Do We Really Need To Send?
The funny thing is, the whole reason I created Email Like You Mean It in the first place was because I wanted something I could sell that wasn’t CRM-specific.
For a long time, everything I sold lived inside Dubsado and HoneyBook. If you weren’t using one of those CRMs… well, I acted like you were dead to me.
But when I started focusing on client communication, I realized: I can help you write better emails whether you’re sending them through a CRM or just typing them out in Gmail. And honestly, a lot of early-stage business owners aren’t ready to invest in a CRM yet.
(Though I’ll still argue everyone needs one—even if you only have two or three clients. A CRM is what helps you grow without having to manually manage every single part of the client experience.)
Every CRM comes with the same basic templates—“Here’s your proposal,” “Schedule your call,” “Fill out this questionnaire.” They’re functional, sure. But there’s a lot more nuance available inside those emails.
Because those messages shouldn’t just be task requests. They should also be doing the work of building trust.
I like to say that clients meet one version of you on your website. If you’re someone who delivers a service in person—like a photographer—they’re eventually going to meet you face-to-face. And you want the person they read about online to match the person they experience in real life.
But the same thing is true for online service providers, too. If we’re going to get on a call, I want to make sure the person you thought you hired from my website is the person who shows up on that call.
That’s what client communication really does: it bridges the gap between someone finding you online and actually working with you.
So if the only thing you’re sending is basic, boring emails—“Here’s your invoice, please pay within 24 hours”—who wants to receive that?
But if your emails show your personality, build trust, make clients feel excited to work with you, and clearly explain what happens next, you create an experience people actually remember.
And that’s the goal.
Not just clients who got what you promised. Not just clients who “appreciate your work.” You want clients who talk about you in rooms you’re not in—because that’s how referrals happen. That’s how you earn reviews and case studies that bring in more business. And that’s how people decide to hire you again.
If you give someone a subpar experience, they’re not coming back. Let’s be honest.
So yes—client experience should always be the goal. And client communication is one of the easiest, most effective ways to build it.
One of the biggest shifts I got from the course was realizing how often we don’t tell clients what comes next. When we skip that, people get antsy and ask more questions—and the fix is simply clearer client communication. I’ve seen it in my own business: when my emails were basic, people needed a sales call to feel ready. Once I upgraded my emails, more people started booking without one.
When you send overly basic emails—and you’re not clearly communicating what your client actually needs—that’s when people hesitate. That’s when they start asking a million questions. And after you’ve answered the same questions over and over again, most of us eventually think, Okay… I should probably communicate this better.
But then what do we do?
We rush to put it on the website. We add it to a FAQ. We turn it into a blog post.
And don’t get me wrong—those places have their role. But the truth is, most people aren’t reading every single piece of long-form content before they hire you. (I do, because I’m like that. If I’m interested in hiring you, I’ll read a bunch of blog posts and binge podcast episodes.)
But most people aren’t.
What people don’t think is: If this is truly important, I should put it in an email while I’m trying to book them.
Instead, we put the information somewhere else and hope they stumble across it. We tell ourselves, “Well, it’s on my website.”
Okay—but do you know for a fact they saw it?
Why are we assuming people did things we never explicitly asked them to do?
Now, it’s totally different if you say, “Hey—this matters, here’s the link, please read it.” If they ignore that, that’s on them.
But you can’t assume clients have seen the most important information just because you’ve written it somewhere online—especially after they’ve already inquired.
If it’s truly important, I’d argue it needs to be in the body of the email. You should be clearly communicating your process, deadlines, and expectations—more than once—throughout the client experience.
Because here’s the reality: people don’t remember what you told them in a contract two months ago. No one has the brain space for that right now.
If it’s important, tell me. Then remind me you told me. Then remind me again.
We all have distractible brains at this point. Attention spans are short. Life is loud.
So anything that matters needs to be planned into your client communication as a repeated message—not a one-time mention you hope they remember.
Using Your CRM Emails To Guide Clients Into an Automated Booking Process
I was talking about this with someone recently. I’d already done an audit for her, back when Email Like You Mean It was a course and you could send me your emails for a Loom audit. Now we’ll be doing that live in the five-day sprint.
She submitted her inquiry workflow emails, and as I was reading them I thought, Wait—you have a full-time job. Why are you inviting people to schedule a sales call immediately?
We had already talked about a better option: putting her process into a simple video they can watch first. That way, if they don’t have questions, they don’t need to book a call.
Because there’s nothing worse than being short on time, carving out space for a sales call, and then the person gets on and says, “Okay… what do we do next?”
It’s like: I just arranged my whole life to be available for this—kid occupied, everything handled—and you’re asking something that could have been answered in a single email.
This is why I think it’s so important to invest in people who can give an outside perspective on our businesses. There are so many gaps we can’t see as business owners.
You and I have talked about my five-minute rule—and it ties directly into my five-minute booking process.
Here’s the rule: if someone in my audience is stuck on something I can answer in under five minutes, I’m happy to help—but don’t email me. Send me a DM on Threads or Instagram. (Kara will tell you: your email might never see the light of day.)
If your question doesn’t require me to log into your account, do research, or dig around—if it’s just knowledge I already have and can explain quickly—I’m genuinely glad to save you the time.
Because I hate thinking about people going in circles: searching YouTube, clicking around, trying to find an answer… when I could’ve told you in two minutes and you could’ve moved on with your day.
That’s also why I want to run this as a live client communication sprint. I want to help you get unstuck in real time. Sometimes you don’t need a full lesson—you just need someone to say, “That email is great. Put it in your CRM and send it to your next inquiry.”
And I’ll be honest: I don’t want you to buy a course and then, 60 days later, tell me you “didn’t have time.” We’re talking about a handful of hours. With the right framework and the GPTs, you can knock the writing out fast.
You do need a couple key pieces—like my 3P framework—so you understand what to include and how your process fits together. But once you’ve got that, the emails themselves don’t take long.
Honestly, it’ll probably take you longer to copy and paste everything into your CRM and set up the smart fields than it will to write the emails.
The CRM Emails Are a Great Tiny First Step To Your Automated Booking Process in Dubsado. Can You Talk More About Nurturing Clients With These Emails?
Sometimes we’re unintentionally ghosting our clients—and we don’t see it that way, but they do.
I know so many photographers (and service providers in general) who do everything under the sun to get someone to book. Then once the client pays, they might get a prep guide or a questionnaire… and after that, it’s radio silence until the session.
But that in-between space is full of opportunity.
You can use it to help clients prepare for the session, yes—but just as importantly, you can prepare them for what happens after you deliver the work. That’s where a lot of people miss out.
For example, if you deliver a blog post, the job isn’t really “done” the moment it’s published. A week from now, two weeks from now, 30 days from now, 60 days from now—you should be checking how that post is performing.
So imagine an email that says: “Your blog post is live. Here are the target keywords. It’s indexed in Google Search Console. Let’s check back in 60 days to see views, what people clicked next, and what we can improve.”
That follow-through is valuable—and it keeps educating your client even after the deliverable is handed over.
Because nurturing doesn’t end when someone pays you. An amazing experience, consistent communication, and trust-building are what lead to the outcomes I care about most—my “three R’s”: clients who rave about you, refer you, and rebook you.
Not every business is built for rebooking, I get that. Some services truly are one-and-done.
But reviews and referrals? Everyone should be going after those. And the easiest way to earn them is by continuing to support clients beyond the moment you deliver the thing.
Would you agree that in a softer market a great client experience is more important now than ever? I really believe it’s the only way someone is going to stay in business.
Yes, I’m honestly tired of hearing, “You just need to grow your audience” and “You need more leads, more leads, more leads.”
Yes, almost no one can sustain a business without bringing in new clients forever (unless you have the rare situation where clients hire you for life). Even then, eventually people’s needs change and you’ll still need new clients.
But the most sustainable path isn’t an endless lead treadmill. It’s rebooking the clients you already have—and letting that momentum compound over time.
This is especially true for family photographers. Once someone hires you once, you should be their photographer for years—as long as you offer what they need. Every year or two, they come back. And they have friends with families, which means referrals start to stack.
For a lot of photographers, there’s a “magic window” somewhere between year three and year seven where new leads start to matter a lot less—because you’re already filling most of your calendar with repeat clients and referrals. That’s the moment when it feels like, Oh… I made it. Marketing stops feeling like a full-time job because your clients are doing it for you.
And here’s the thing: most of that happens naturally when people love the experience. They talk about who they hire and who they trust. But if you encourage it—if you make it easy for clients to rave about you, refer you, and come back—you reduce the pressure to constantly chase new leads.
That’s always been my goal: work with great people, do excellent work, and build a business that doesn’t rely on nonstop marketing.
And I’ll be real—my service isn’t something everyone needs constantly. If we set up your systems well, in six months you can maintain and tweak a lot on your own. You might come back for an audit, but you won’t need me every month.
So I plan for sustainability in a different way: I have other offers, and my clients have business friends. If they send those people my way, that keeps my calendar full—with a lot less marketing effort.
Can You Talk About How CRM Emails Help Us Grow Our Businesses?
When I’m in a room and someone says, “Oh my God, I hired Kara,” I’m immediately like, “Wait—who else in here has hired Kara?” That’s the dream, right? Your clients are doing the marketing for you.
And you didn’t even have to ask. I naturally talk about the people I hire and love. But if you do encourage clients to share who they’re working with, even more people find their way into your world—which means you don’t have to rely on chasing lead after lead after lead.
That’s never been my goal. I want to work with great people, not spend all my time trying to attract more strangers.
Plus, my service isn’t something clients need forever. If we set up your systems well, six months later you can probably maintain and update things on your own—maybe with an occasional audit. So I think about sustainability differently: I have other offers, and my clients have business friends. If they send those people my way, I can keep my calendar full with a lot less marketing effort.
On top of CRM Emails, I’ve started emailing my list weekly to stay top-of-mind with current clients and potential clients. Can you talk about how that works into an overall rebooking strategy?
This is also where something like a “four-by-four” (or any simple “here are the ways you can work with me” framework) becomes really useful.
Because I can almost guarantee you this: unless you’re already doing a great job of naming and showcasing them, people in your audience don’t know all the secondary ways they can hire you. They might know you do blogging, for example, but it may not occur to them that they could also hire you for Pinterest—or for the emails that go along with the blog content—unless you put those options directly in front of them.
That’s why weekly email marketing is so powerful, especially when your list includes current and past clients. It keeps your offers visible and makes it easier for the right people to rebook or expand the work you do together.
And here’s the bonus: the skills overlap. The same skills that help you improve client communication also improve your email marketing. And if you’re learning to write better newsletters, that confidence and clarity will naturally carry over into how you communicate with your clients.
They go hand in hand.
I call it the “happy overlap”—when email marketing and client communication meet. It’s the moment where you’re guiding clients to rebook, book a secondary service, or come back for something like an audit call.
And if you’re thinking, “I don’t have anything else to sell to current clients after they finish my main offer,” that’s not an email problem—that’s an offer ecosystem problem.
Everyone should have at least one “back pocket” offer that helps extend the relationship.
The only exception I’ll give is wedding photographers—if you truly don’t want to offer anniversary sessions or family sessions, fine. I’ll let you have that one.
But for everyone else? There’s almost always another offer you can create and confidently put in front of your clients once your signature service is complete.
Sign Up For Colie’s Next Email Like You Mean It Sprint
If you want to hear more about Email Like You Mean It, the next sprint runs February 2–6. If you’re listening after those dates, you can find details on the current quarterly sprint at coliejames.com/email.
LINKS MENTIONED:
- Join the next round of Email Like You Mean It
- Learn more about working with Colie
- Follow Colie on Instagram
- Listen to Colie’s Business-First Creatives podcast
- Listen to my interview on Colie’s podcast
- Learn more about working with our marketing agency here
- Follow me on Instagram
