One reason abbreviations are used so much is efficiency (well, that and laziness). Have you noticed the predictive typing in gmail and imessage? I love it because it makes me more efficient, so that I can move on to the next task.
I wear a lot of creative hats. My mind loves diversity. That is why I have not niched down to just photography or just graphic design. I thrive on being slammed. But, there are also some things that suck the happiness out of me. I just refer those jobs off to friends who thrive on them.
Then, there are tasks that I don’t mind, but when streamlined, I have time for other things. I use canned email templates in gmail for a few things that I do over each week, like confirming upcoming shoots (I edit the name, time and place, then hit send). And for those times when I know I won’t have time to send my confirmations out when I normally do, I use Boomerang to schedule them for when they should go out. But best of all, I use Dubsado for my contracts, proofs, invoices and a few other things. Plus, Dubsado makes my proposals look extra fancy – and I like to look fancy.
I share this because I am The Creative Resource. Dubsado is a subscription based online CRM (customer relationship management) service. It is software that you don’t download or have to install because it is online, but it is fully customizable. I could not even begin to list what Dubsado feature I like best. For me, most useful are automated workflows – I can have Dubsado do something for me based on a date or when something is completed. Like, send an invoice reminder after a certain number of days if it is unpaid, or transfer files after an invoice is paid. No matter what time of day that may be.
I also think that being able to see when a form (anything from a contract to a proof and beyond) has been viewed is pretty awesome too. Plus, they keep adding new features. Ones that I didn’t even know I needed, but really help me out. If you are a small service based business, perhaps you should check it out. You can try it for free, and when you fall in love with it – use the code NANCY for 20% off.
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