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If you’ve ever wished your favorite tools could just talk to each other —you’re not alone. For many business owners, juggling multiple systems can feel like a never-ending game of copy-and-paste. But with a simple integration between your 17hats CRM and Zapier, you can finally make those tools work together automatically. Let’s walk through what this connection does, why it matters, and how to get started. Rather watch? 17hats integration with Zapier What Zapier Actually Does Zapier is an automation tool that connects thousands of apps (like Gmail, Google Sheets, Airtable, and so many more) so they can share information automatically. Think of it as the liaison that passes data from one platform to another—no manual work required. For example, you can set up “zaps” that: Add new leads from your CRM into an email newsletter list Send client details to Google Sheets for tracking Create tasks in your project management app when someone leaves you a review It’s like building tiny digital assistants that quietly handle the busywork for you. Exploring Automation Ideas When thinking about connecting your tools through Zapier, head over to the Zapier website and search for your tool. You’ll see suggested pairings, what triggers are available from that tool, and what automated actions can happen in the tool. A few common examples: Trigger:  A new contact is added in your CRM. Action:  That contact’s info is automatically added to a Google Sheet or email list. Or the reverse—an action from another platform can trigger  something in your CRM, like creating a new lead record after someone fills out a form elsewhere. Where to Find Zapier in 17hats If you’re using 17hats as your CRM, you can enable Zapier directly inside your account: Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Account Settings. Choose Integrations from the left-hand menu. Scroll until you see Zapier listed alongside other options like Zoom and QuickBooks. Click Enable. Once you do, you’ll receive a unique API key—this is the special code you’ll paste into Zapier when connecting your account. (It's basically a secure token that lets two platforms communicate safely.) Why the 17hats and Zapier Connection Matters The more your systems can talk to each other, the more time you get back. Instead of retyping client info (and risking human error) or forgetting to update spreadsheets, you can focus on the creative work you actually enjoy. If this type of thing isn't your jam, I'm here to help with Tech Check Calls !

You’ve done the hard part—you’ve created a beautiful lead capture form to bring new inquiries into your business and you've shared it on your website, link in bio, etc. But what are your automation options after someone fills out your lead capture form? That tiny moment right after someone fills out your form is an opportunity for connection, clarity, and conversion. If you’re using a CRM platform like 17hats, you have several options for what happens at that moment. Let’s walk through them, along with a few ideas to make the most of each option. Rather watch? Your options after leads submit your 17hats lead capture form Option 1: Display a Thank-You Message This is the default—and for good reason. It’s simple, familiar, and reassuring. After someone submits your form, you can display a short message right on the screen. Something like: “Thanks for reaching out! We’ll be in touch soon. Be sure to check your email for next steps.” It’s quick, but sometimes it’s also… a little too quick. If your goal is to keep the momentum going—or if you have another resource you’d love them to see—this next option might be a better fit. Option 2: Redirect to a URL Instead of displaying a message, you can automatically send the person to another web page as well! This is where things get fun. You can use this option to: Deliver a resource instantly  — like a pricing guide, prep checklist, or mini workbook. Show a video message  — explaining your process or what happens next. Direct them to a hidden thank-you page  on your site where you share your story, testimonials, or an exclusive offer. I’ve even used this as a way to deliver a freebie (think: a lead magnet or downloadable guide) right after form submission. The possibilities are practically endless. A Quick Tip Because most people are used  to seeing an on-screen thank-you message, consider adding a short note at the bottom of your form that says something like: “After clicking submit, you’ll be redirected to my welcome page with next steps.” It sets the right expectation and avoids confusion when they’re suddenly sent off to another page. Why Automation with Your Lead Capture Form Matters Your lead capture form isn’t just about collecting information—it’s about starting a smooth client experience. By thinking intentionally about what happens after they click submit, you show professionalism, reduce confusion, and help your leads feel confident they’re in good hands. It’s those little touches that quietly communicate: “You can trust me to handle the details.” Ready to implement this kind of strategy in your business? These resources might help! 7 day free trial and 50% off your 1st year of 17hats with code " letnicolehelp " My Little Black Book of 17hats Tips And remember, automation isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating more meaningful experiences.

Ever wish you could track when a client actually opened that quote you sent them? You’re not being nosy—you’re being smart. Knowing when someone has viewed (or not viewed) your proposal helps you follow up at just the right time instead of wondering what’s happening behind the scenes. The good news? There’s an easy, built-in way to track client activity right inside the 17hats CRM. Rather watch? Know when leads view your 17hats quotes Where to Find It Available right on your 17hats dashboard, there’s a handy Recent Client Activity  section. It gives you a quick snapshot of what’s happening across your business—quotes viewed, forms submitted, documents signed, and more. But don't stop there! Click “See All Activity”  to open a detailed list of actions that can be filtered by things like: Client Project Activity Type Tags Date Select multiple filters at once to really hone in! A Little Tip When you preview your own quote (using the “live view” option), this will count as a view. View Activity Per Project Prefer to see updates on just a single project at a time? Open any project and scroll towards the bottom to find the Activity  tab. There, you’ll find a full list of the project's documents that have been created, sent, viewed and more—making it easy to stay in tune with where things stand. Why Tracking Your Clients' Quotes Matters Client activity tracking takes the guesswork out of follow-ups. Instead of chasing cold leads or assuming someone’s ghosted you, you can have a much better picture of where things stand. That kind of clarity saves time, sanity and  helps you deliver a smoother client experience. If your current system doesn’t offer visibility like this, it might be time to explore a platform that does. Grab a 7 day free trial and 50% off your 1st year of 17hats with code " letnicolehelp ".

Did you know that it’s not just the gorgeous email templates that set Flodesk apart? They’ve also got beautiful, engaging form templates that get subscribers onto your list in the first place. So no more struggling with clunky signup forms or bland pop-ups that don’t fit your brand, you’re going to love how easy (and fun) these forms are to use. Rather watch? Exploring Flodesk form templates Why Forms Matter for Your Business Forms are more than just a way to collect emails—they’re the first step in building trust and connection with your audience. A well-designed form feels welcoming, professional and on-brand. And the more engaging your forms are, the more likely people are to sign up for your list, join your waitlist or grab that freebie you’ve worked so hard on. The Different Types of Flodesk Form Templates Flodesk makes it easy to choose the right style of form for your business: Pop-ups & Inlines  – Ideal for websites; think footers, sidebars, or those friendly little nudges that appear on the page. Full-Page Forms  – Big, bold, and beautiful. Great for promoting a specific offer or freebie. But that’s just the beginning. Flodesk also includes: Video Forms  – Add a short video to build connection right away. Imagine someone seeing your face while signing up for your workshop or freebie! Spinner Forms  – A playful option where visitors can “spin” for a prize or bonus. Perfect if you’re running a fun promo. Countdown Forms  – Add urgency with a timer for launches, limited spots or special offers. Link in Bio  – Not quite a form, but perfect for Instagram or TikTok, with the option to add images that catch attention and send visitors to  your forms. Bringing It All Together What I love most about Flodesk is how their forms are not only functional but also beautiful. You don’t have to sacrifice design for usability—your audience gets both. So next time you’re setting up a freebie or waitlist, consider the form templates from Flodesk! You might just find a form that feels like it was made for your business. Ready to bring your brand into Flodesk? Grab my referral code “ LETNICOLEHELP ” for a free trial and  50% off your 1st year!  You’ve got this. And your audience is going to love it.

When you’re a creative entrepreneur juggling multiple projects, every little bit of automation can feel like a lifesaver. One of my favorite ways to streamline the client management process in 17hats is by using Action Completed settings in your workflows, specifically when sending documents. This simple but powerful feature can automatically move your projects forward only when  clients complete key steps (like signing a contract or paying their deposit)... and all without you lifting a finger. Let’s walk through how this works, why it matters and how you can start using it today. (Similar settings are also available for To Do workflow items, but for this article we’ll focus on workflow documents.) Rather watch? Automate your 17hats workflow when documents are completed What Are Action Completed Settings? In 17hats, workflows are the behind-the-scenes magic that keep your client process running smoothly. They’re a collection of your emails, documents, tasks, etc. Action Completed settings come in specifically with the document steps of your workflow. This is how you tell your workflow: “This step can be considered done when this specific action happens.”  For example, when sending a quote you could set the step to be considered complete when: You send the quote A client accepts a quote They sign the attached contract They make their first invoice payment They’ve fully paid their invoice Or, if you prefer, all steps are fully completed By setting this up, 17hats will automatically move the project to the next step in your workflow only when  the client has met the criteria, keeping everything organized and on track. Why This Matters Imagine this: You require an accepted quote, signed contract and deposit payment in order for a client to be booked on your calendar. Without specifying your Action Completed settings, your workflow may otherwise push your project to your “Confirmed” calendar as soon as you send the quote! But with Action Completed settings properly applied, your workflow will wait until you’ve collected all the documents you need to consider the job “Confirmed”, and it won’t continue with any other automation or steps until that point. How to Set Up Action Completed Settings in Your 17hats Workflow Action Completed settings in 17hats Add or Edit Your Workflow Step Go into your workflow and add an action or select the step where you’re sending a document (quote, contract, invoice or questionnaire). Choose an Action Completed Trigger In the light green box, use the dropdown to select how you want 17hats to mark the step complete—like “When the first invoice payment is made.” (These options will vary depending on the type of document you're sending.) Save and Watch the Magic Happen Now, once clients complete your desired action, your workflow will know when to automatically progress their project. Keep Your Business Flowing By using Action Completed settings such as these, 17hats will help you control when projects move forward, and what’s needed in order for that criteria to be met. This saves you time, reduces errors and prevents miscommunication. If you’re ready to give your workflows some more control, try setting this up today! And if you’d like some help in that process, I’d love to help you make it happen. [ Services ]

If you’re anything like most creative entrepreneurs I work with, your client projects can sometimes feel like a juggling act. Between inquiries, follow-ups and actual project fulfillment, it’s easy to lose track of who’s where in your process. That’s why I’m thrilled about one of 17hats’ most visual and powerful features: Pipelines . Pipelines are like a bird’s-eye view of your client journey. They help you see exactly where every project stands so nothing can slip through the cracks. Even better is that we can color code our pipelines for some extra visual organization! Rather watch? An intro to 17hats pipelines What Are 17hats Pipelines? Pipelines in 17hats are visual boards (in a Kanban look like Trello) that track your projects through a series of customizable phases. Think of them like a digital bulletin board with columns, where each column represents a stage in your workflow. You can create: Lead Pipelines  for tracking inquiries and/or quotes Client Pipelines  for tracking confirmed projects Each pipeline can have up to five phases, and you can build five lead pipelines and five client pipelines… which gives you a ton of options and ways to watch your projects progress! How 17hats Projects Move Through a Pipeline There are two main ways to move a project from one phase to the next: By Tags  – When a specific tag is applied to a project, it moves into the corresponding pipeline stage. Example: When a new inquiry comes in, you might automatically tag it “New Lead.” Once you email them back, applying the tag “Lead Contacted” will move them into the next phase. NOTE: You’ll want to be sure to also remove the previous tag so that the project isn’t sitting in two phases at once. By Days in a Phase  – Projects can also automatically move after a certain number of days have passed since they landed in the previous phase. Example: If you haven’t heard back five days after “Lead Contacted”, the project can move into a “Follow-Up Needed” phase to remind you to check in. This combination of tag-based and time-based movement gives you a clear picture of who needs attention and when . Why Creative Entrepreneurs Love Pipelines If you operate best with visuals, Pipelines will quickly become your new favorite feature! Here’s why: Clarity at a glance:  Color-coded columns make it easy to see exactly where each lead or client stands. More timely follow-ups:  Time-based movement helps ensure no one gets forgotten. Customizable to your process:  Rename phases and create the exact setup that fits your business. Sets you up for easy batching:  Not only will you see where each lead or client stands in the process, but also how many of them are in any given phase. Imagine logging in and seeing which leads need follow-ups, who needs quotes and which projects are coming up in the next week. THAT’S the magic of Pipelines. Getting Started with 17hats Pipelines If you haven’t explored Pipelines yet, start simple. Create a lead pipeline with these basic stages: New Lead Contacted Follow-Up Needed Quote Sent Booked You’ll also want to set your “completed state” tag so that clients exit the Pipeline and count towards your tally of projects. (Archived projects will also exit the Pipeline.)  When building your Pipeline, don’t forget to customize your phase colors for that easy, at-a-glance look at your projects. Then, integrate your Pipeline tags into your workflows to automate all the goodness!  Integrate your Pipeline tags into your workflows to automated all the goodness! Final Notes about 17hats Pipelines The time you spend building your Pipelines is well worth it. With 17hats Pipelines, you can confidently track leads and projects without sticky notes, endless mental checklists or losing sleep trying to remember where that one client stands for their event that’s coming up sometime in the next couple of weeks . If all this is something you’d like help with, I’d love to guide you through setting up a pipeline that works for your business! View my service offerings here .

Tired of sending awkward follow-up emails about unpaid invoices? You’re not the only one. As a busy service provider, you’ve got plenty on your plate—serving clients, managing your work and life schedules and keeping your creative energy flowing. Having to manually track down payments? No way. That’s one task worth handing off to automation in 17hats. Let’s walk through how to set up automated invoice reminders in 17hats, so you can protect your time, maintain professionalism and keep your cash flow steady—without lifting a finger after the initial setup. Would you rather watch? View on YouTube: Automated Invoice Reminders in 17hats Why Use Automated Reminders? Manually following up on overdue payments is not only uncomfortable… it’s also easy to forget. That’s why automated invoice reminders are such a powerful feature in 17hats. With just a few clicks and added tokens, you can set up a system that sends polite, professional nudges to clients who haven’t paid yet. It’s one of those “set it and forget it” things that saves time, reduces stress and helps keep your expected income on track. What’s more is that automated invoice reminders can also be activated for upcoming payments due, which serve as a nice courtesy notice for your clients. Where to Set Up Your Automated Invoice Reminders in 17hats These reminders are NOT on by default. To access invoice reminder settings in 17hats: Click the gear icon to go to Account Settings Select Email Settings Navigate to the Reminders  tab Here, you’ll find options to automate reminders for each type of 17hats document. For this walkthrough, let’s focus on invoices , which is the section at the bottom. Turning On Your Invoice Reminders Within the invoice section, you can turn on reminders for: Upcoming payments Upcoming automatic payments Past due payments Upcoming and past due payments Simply toggle on which reminders you’d like to turn on. NOTE: Invoices will need to have an established due date in order for automated reminders to be sent; AND, any outstanding invoices with due dates will start to get your automated reminders right away, so it may be worth checking in on those to ensure you want automated reminders sent to those individuals. Customizing Your Automated Invoices Reminders After you’ve toggled on the reminders you want, click the Edit  link within any reminder type to customize the message and subject line. You can use tokens —smart placeholders that auto-fill details like invoice number, amount due and due date—to make each message feel personal and precise. In the case of past due payments, you can further choose: how many days after the due date the first automated reminder should go out often reminders are sent (daily, weekly, or monthly) how many times the reminder should repeat Hesitations About Automated Invoice Reminders Worried about sounding robotic? Go ahead and write something like “This is a friendly automated reminder… ” right in the email template. As soon as I implemented that language I felt much better about my own automated reminders. Also, in some cases, you may be recording payment to your 17hats invoices manually rather than taking payment online through a credit card or ACH processor. If you’re worried about automated reminders being sent to clients who’ve already paid, you can add more language such as “If you’ve recently sent payment for this invoice, please disregard this email. We will record your payment as soon as possible, at which point you’ll receive your payment confirmation.” Final Thoughts Setting up your automated invoice reminders in 17hats is a simple but powerful way to stay on top of your incoming payments. You’ll reduce the emotional labor of chasing down money and maintain professionalism in the process. If you need help customizing your reminders or setting them at the right timing, I’d love to help! You deserve a system that works just as hard as you do. Resources: 17hats tips and features playlist on YouTube My Little Black Book of 17hats Tips 50% off your 1st year of 17hats (referral link) Services

If you know me, you know that I’m the kind of person who lives for a good automation and loves getting tech tools to actually  work for my clients. But what you may not know is... overthinking is a [somewhat annoying] specialty of mine. So, when I was nearing the limit of my free Mailchimp plan and needed to decide which platform was going to be the home of my weekly newsletters… trust me when I say that I did my research!  Pricing, features, ease of use… they were all part of the decision, and when I started diving into my research it was easy to see the right solution for Let Nicole Help. So here I am, writing this blog post, to share what won me over. Mailchimp pricing vs. Flodesk pricing Like I mentioned, at the time of my switch I was nearing Mailchimp’s limit for their free plan, so naturally I looked into what the paid plans were like and immediately my eyes were crossed comparing features and contact limits and sending limits, etc. When I turned to Flodesk, I noticed how the price is the price is the price - no matter how many contacts or emails you wanted to send! Point: Flodesk! As a solopreneur and service-based business, I never want to feel punished for growing my list of subscribers so I really appreciated Flodesk’s recognition of that.   Flodesk features vs. Mailchimp features  1. Workflows As someone who works heavily in the 17hats CRM, I’m used to mapping out workflows. Mailchimp has “journeys”, which are essentially workflows, but with the next plan above free, there was a limit on the number of “journey” points. And while both workflow builders are pretty visually-appealing, in Flodesk, there are no workflow limits.  (Point: Flodesk.) And here are some of the things you can do with your Flodesk workflows… (at the time of writing this, anyway!) Start one when someone joins a segment - perhaps by filling out a form or clicking a certain link Delay for a certain amount of days, until a certain date, until a specific time of day, etc. Give it yes/no conditions that branch off in different directions Send automated emails Add/remove subscribers from segments And again, it’s all very visual. So it’s friendly for beginners - no developer skills required. 2. Branding Honestly, both platforms were going to give me what I needed in terms of branding: logo, brand fonts & colors, social links, etc. So, this didn’t end up making an impact on my decision at the time. HOWEVER, since I’ve started using Flodesk I’ve realized how many gorgeous and fun form templates they have available, along with a link in bio option that’s calling my name. I didn’t honestly explore Mailchimp forms a whole lot before moving so in fairness, let’s say no points awarded here, haha. 3. Grouping Subscribers Would you rather deal with audiences, segments and tags to group your subscribers? Or simply segments? Yeah - that’s what I thought. Point: Flodesk. I would get way too in the weeds with all the ways to group people before switching and now, it’s easy peasy thanks to Flodesk segmentation options that are both automatic and manual . I’m feeling way more confident in how my subscribers are organized and it’s very clear how to make sure the right groups of people get the right messaging. 4. Flodesk Integrations vs. Mailchimp Integrations You know what I love just as much as automation? Integration. So I also needed to know which of my other tools were going to play nicely with my email platform. Both Flodesk and Mailchimp checked the boxes for Canva and Instagram integrations, in terms of getting great newsletter visuals. And both work with Zapier and Pabbly Connect to then connect with some of my other tools. One point each. (Note that both Flodesk and Mailchimp have e-commerce capabilities / integrations with paid plans, too; it’s just that I already had a cart & course platform set up before making this decision. So checkout features weren’t really part of my research.) 5. Email Analytics I’m a numbers nerd. So there were certain bits of info that I knew I would want to get from my email marketing platform. Things like best send time and of course open and click rates.  Both platforms offer these types of analytics, but I would have had to upgrade two levels to get best send time through Mailchimp. So, point: Flodesk. If you’ve been following along, you can probably tell that my decision went to Flodesk. I’ve been so happy with it that I’m now an official partner, too! And what’s even better is that I can share my code LETNICOLEHELP  with you so that you can snag 50% off your first year! As part of the partnership, I may receive a small commission - which, of course, is at no extra cost to you.  >> Another thing you may not know about me is my strong sense of loyalty and transparency. So I only partner with tools I genuinely use, love and recommend. And Flodesk has earned its place on that list. Still want to learn more about my move to Flodesk? Read on! Using Flodesk vs. Mailchimp I’m sure that if you’ve heard anything about Flodesk, you’ve probably heard how beautiful it is. Because… it’s true! The platform feels light and airy and as weird as it might sound, that makes it a little more motivating to write in!  And the templates? Yep, they really are more fresh and fun, which was important to me as a service provider. I want my emails to feel as personal as possible. Why I Almost Didn’t Switch I’m not sure if anyone really looks forward to migrating across platforms. It’s a little scary and overwhelming to say the least. When’s the right time? Where do you even start? For me, the right time was: Well before any planned launches Before I had to upgrade and start getting used to a new set of features But really, it’s one of those things that may never have “the perfect” timing, so I just went with it. I was also worried about losing all my segments and tags. But as I got into the migration, I realized it was a perfect opportunity to clean them up! a peek at some Flodesk form templates What Made Me Try Flodesk Anyway The two-week free trial certainly didn’t hurt! But honestly? It all came back to the fact that I would no longer have to worry about what my list size was, or how many emails I wanted to send per month. No matter how many subscribers I would be fortunate enough to add… the price would be the price.  So I snagged that free trial and I explored all of the workflow automation, segmenting and beautiful email templates right away… and haven’t looked back.    How I Use Flodesk Now At the time of writing this, I use Flodesk in these ways: Welcome workflows  for new subscribers who grab my lead magnets Email newsletters  to subscribers, for sharing streamlining tips and news about Let Nicole Help Segments  that help me be sure I’m emailing the right content to the right people Link actions  that help me follow up with people who’ve shown interest in certain links I’ve shared Forms  to kick off those welcome workflows or collect entries for certain promotions Countdown timers to spice up the occasional email that has CTA with a deadline Analytics  to review my most effective emailing times, most engaged subscribers, workflow performance and more I haven’t even tapped into all of the features I’d like to yet, and it’s still working wonderfully for me. Still on my list to tackle (as of this moment): Link in bio AI subject line recommendations Polls in emails Re-sending to unopened Checkout features Other fun forms like spinner / video / countdown forms that are sure to be extra engaging! Final Thoughts Switching to Flodesk didn’t just improve how my emails looked… it improved how I felt  about sending them. It put me at ease to know I can grow my business without penalty. And it made me want to help others see the same benefits from their own email newsletters.  If you decide you’re ready to try Flodesk, too, I’d love for you to use code LETNICOLEHELP  to take advantage of 50% off your first year sending emails your subscribers will love looking at.  I hope this has been helpful!

Let’s be honest: running a service-based business solo requires wearing a lot of hats. Between client projects, emails, finances, marketing, and somehow squeezing in a personal life… things get hectic fast. One small change that’s made a big difference in how I manage it all? A simple calendar automation that blocks off work time as soon  as a client books. Let me tell you how you can use it too. Would you rather watch? View on YouTube: Calendar automation in Zapier that helps you manage your workload Why Calendar Automation for Time Management Helps Ever found yourself saying yes to too many jobs, only to realize that you didn’t leave enough time to actually do  the work? Pretty sure it happens to all of us a time or two. But by setting up an automation to reserve work time when a client’s project is confirmed, you automatically create breathing room in your schedule. It’s not just about organization—it’s about protecting your time and energy. Tools Involved I use Google Calendar (with separate “sub” calendars for “booked clients”, behind-the-scenes work, etc.). If you use a CRM like 17hats, these calendars can also feed directly into your CRM to keep things color-coded and clean. You’ll also need Zapier, or another tool that connects apps together automatically. How the Automation Works Here’s the gist: Set your trigger: In Zapier, choose the New Event or New Event Matching Search  Google Calendar trigger from your “booked clients” calendar. Create a prep event: Use the Create Detailed Event  Google Calendar action to make a new entry on your calendar—something like “Inflate balloons for [Client]” or “Prep timeline for [Client].” Set the timing: Choose your desired start and end times for that prep work before the project. (It will have to be the same time frame for every single project.) Do this by offsetting the project time with something like “-48h”. Tweak as needed: Once the event is created, you can drag it to a better time slot or adjust the length depending on the project. Since it’s on a digital calendar, it’s flexible, but the important thing is that the time is already there —and that’s the magic. Test and publish your automation: After you’ve configured your automation settings to how you like them, give it a test to ensure everything looks like you intended. When it does, publish your Zapier automation and start feeling the benefits of this calendar automation for time management! Real-World Wins This kind of automation has saved me from overbooking myself many times. Here's what it can bring to your business: Time carved out before you need it Fewer last-minute scrambles More consistent delivery A calmer, clearer calendar Let Your Calendar Do the Heavy Lifting Whether you’re inflating balloons, editing photos, or planning for any other client projects, your best work happens when you’re not rushed. Automating your calendar helps you honor your time, deliver your magic, and stay sane in the process. If you’re curious about how to set this up—or want help customizing it to your workflow—I’d love to support you. We can tackle it together on a Tech Check Call .

Installing a lead capture form on your website and asking the right questions on it is a great step towards providing an efficient customer experience. But what happens after a lead fills out the form? Let’s walk through three options and opportunities that, when leveraged effectively, can enhance your customer experience. 1. Displaying a message after the lead capture form is submitted One of the simplest options, and most often the default option, after your form is submitted is displaying a message to your lead. It’ll serve as immediate acknowledgment of their request and assure them that their inquiry has been received.  It’s different from an auto-reply email, though, because this type of message displays on the same screen your customer is already on. You can thank them for their inquiry, provide some information on the next steps and remind them to find your auto-reply email in their inbox. Thank them for their inquiry, provide information on the next steps and remind them to find your auto-reply email in their inbox. 2. Redirecting to a URL following lead capture form Now if we want to take the post-submission experience up a notch, consider having your lead capture form redirect your customers to a specific URL. Here, you can get really creative! Send them to places like: A social media profile Your link in bio page A resource or pricing page A free download A page with a welcome video Your portfolio page Any of these ideas will help to further nurture the relationship with your lead and allow them to learn more about you. And not only that! By using the redirect option, you’ll be able to utilize things like Google Analytics to help you track the number of lead capture form submissions you receive versus how many times your lead capture form was accessed.  Having this kind of information could help you make decisions about your form’s length and how easy it is for your leads to fill out. However, when redirecting leads to another URL after the form, I suggest you have some messaging available that lets them know what to expect. It could be jarring for some leads to submit your form and watch their browser start taking them to another location.  When redirecting leads to another URL after the form, have some messaging that lets them know what to expect. A simple message somewhere above or near the submit button, indicating that they will be redirected to a specific page after their submission, can preempt any confusion and help your potential customer have a positive booking experience with you. 3. A hybrid approach after the lead capture form is submitted A third option to consider is a hybrid approach. If the message you display after form submission can include linked text, you’ll be able to display your thank you message, next step instructions and provide them with a relevant link for their inquiry!  Character limitations in the message can sometimes be a challenge, but with a bit of creative and succinct copy you’ll be able to develop a seamless experience that continues to build trust with your potential customer as they move through your booking process.  This hybrid approach incorporates the benefits of each option by providing that immediate acknowledgment and further nurturing your new relationship. Post-submission options for your 17hats lead capture form: a deeper dive If all of this sounds great, but you’re still left wondering how to actually implement your ideas, let’s check out where to find these settings in my favorite CRM, 17hats… Access your lead capture forms by navigating to Account Settings > Lead Capture Forms (under Account Templates) Select the lead capture form that you’d like to update Click the Edit button, and edit again to open up the settings Look for the “After Submitting” line (highlighted above) and use the drop-down menu to make your selection Depending on which option you select, immediately below that line will be the Message or URL field (highlighted above) where you can make your updates. If utilizing the Message option, look for the link image if you’re also wanting to provide links to your leads in the message. Implementing your lead capture form strategy: let's collaborate! If you need any help setting up these lead capture form messages, URL redirects or workflows that follow, please reach out to see if I can help you #stopthescatter in your business! I love helping entrepreneurs design customer experiences that reflect their business values and personality.

Using Zapier as a solopreneur is one of the ways you can accomplish a lot with less manual effort. In this post, I’m sharing a little bit about some of the automations I used or have used for my business, and why I love them. This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and buy, I'll earn a commission at no extra cost to you. But I never recommend things I don't love or haven't used! Copying new CRM contacts to an email marketing platform Specifically, I use Zapier to copy new 17hats contacts over to Flodesk. So when someone fills out my 17hats lead capture form (or requests a booking through my scheduler), their name and email automatically gets pushed over to Flodesk and they’re added as a subscriber. I can also set double opt-in permission in this process, too! I love this because it’s one less barrier to effective email marketing… making sure my list stays updated! Automated updates to Google Business Profile Google Business Profile isn’t really considered a social media platform, but it has aspects of one. You can keep your profile up to date by automatically adding updates from your Instagram for Business feed posts, for example! The specific trigger and action to look for are: “new media posted in my account” (Instagram) and “create post” (Google Business Profile). I love this one because it can be challenging to keep up with social media posts in the first place; I want to make sure every single one gets maximized! " I want to make sure every single one gets maximized!" Calendar automation for managing workload You might already know that you can automate your Google Calendar through Zapier, but did you know that it can be both a trigger event and an action event in the same automation? You’re not going to find this Google Calendar to Google Calendar automation available as an app pairing, but when you build your zap from scratch you’ll see options like “new or updated event” and “new event matching search” that serve as great triggers… plus “quick add event” and “create detailed event” for actions. My specific use case for this automation is when a client books their Clarifying Call with me to begin their 17hats setup, this Zapier automation then blocks off some time for me to work on the client’s project. I love this zap because it helps me be realistic about what additional bookings or projects I can add to that day and week of the Clarifying Call. Recording Stripe transactions in Google Sheets Not to be confused with any kind of bookkeeping, tax or financial advice, this next automation idea can help you compile sales data from multiple sources as you do your own bookkeeping. I use Stripe to process payments to invoices made through my 17hats CRM, and it’s also used as my payment processor in my course platform, Thrivecart . So I’ve got two zaps set up to grab transaction info from these respective Stripe accounts and place it into a Google Sheet for me to work with. Obviously Google Sheets is a powerful data tool in and of itself, but I like to then take it to the next level and feed this data into Looker Studio for some interactive and easy to consume graphs that track my sales over time. Anyway, all of it starts with this Zapier automation, and in the process you can also map details like tax amounts and processing fees! I love this automation because it pulls together data from multiple sources and allows me to see a lot of sales data at once. Automatically posting to Instagram after a blog post You want to know what happened immediately upon my publishing of this blog post? Zapier grabbed the blog info from Wix and made an Instagram feed post for me! (I wasn’t kidding when I said that keeping up with social media is a major struggle of mine!) Through this automation, I can grab the title of the blog post from Wix, place it in my Instagram caption along with info about how to navigate to my blog in my link in bio. The last piece is to have an image URL for the feed post, which can be generated through sites like Imgur . I love this zap because it’s a tiny, lovely, little step towards repurposing and sharing content. Drafting an email after a quiz is taken This final example is an automation I no longer use, but thought might be worth sharing anyway. I once had a Google Forms quiz kicking off a Zapier automation that drafted an email to the quiz taker in Gmail. As part of the automation setup, I wrote a collection of possible responses into the automation. Then when I was alerted to a new quiz being submitted, I could easily go into Gmail drafts to quickly choose the best response to include in my message, delete the unneeded responses and send! I loved this one because it helped me customize quiz responses easily, without manually typing in every message and without paying for a quiz platform. Conclusion: Zapier for solopreneurs These are just a few ideas that can help you utilize Zapier as a solopreneur. If you try any, I’d love to hear! Need help? Let’s hop on Zoom for some Tech Check calls !

Have you ever wondered what it looks like inside the CRM of a solopreneur who creates workflows and processes for a living? Today, I'm pulling back the curtain to show you some stats from my 17hats CRM account. Here's a peek inside: Workflow example #1: 59 Templates Ummm… okay, this number was a bit of a surprise! I knew I had several dozen workflow templates, but now I'm realizing there are several old workflows that I no longer use or need. Talk about a good example of a solopreneur CRM! This still leaves me with 50+ workflows, though. Here’s some more detail: Service Phases: I split my services into multiple workflows to represent different phases of the project (for example, my #stopthescatter 17hats setup service is split into seven workflows: inquiry, follow-ups, booking, onboarding, fulfillment, offboarding, cleanup). Internal Processes: I'm testing some workflows for internal processes like blog posts by creating checklist-style workflows. Welcome Sequences: Some workflows have been used as welcome sequences for my free resources; I'll be moving these to Flodesk (affiliate link). Workshop Registrations: I have a few different workflow templates that follow registration for the different types of workshops I hold. Workflow example #2: 50 Steps The most steps I have in any one workflow is 50! But… I never actually complete all 50 steps. This particular workflow guides me through fulfilling Tech Check call packages, and I delete the phases of this workflow that aren't for the call package my client selects. For example, when someone purchases a three-pack of calls, I delete the phases meant for single calls and a six-pack of calls. Workflow example #3: A Single Automation Step The fewest steps I have in any one workflow is… just one! It's an automatic email that invites clients to schedule their monthly call with me after the monthly invoice is paid for 17hats Monthly Support. 6 Calendars My next example of a solopreneur CRM is about the calendars I have syncing in. Mine consist of the following Google calendars: my default Google account calendar, inquired clients, booked clients, marketing, and Bright Balloon tasks (a podcast that I support); then I also have a 17hats tasks calendar that holds all of my workflow and general to-do items. Psst - I highly recommend setting up inquired and booked calendars for yourself if you haven't already! Color-coding them is hugely helpful in reading your calendar at a glance. Learn how to set them up for Google & 17hats here! To-Do List Examples in a Solopreneur's CRM Similar to the way I have different calendars, I've also created a few to-do lists in my 17hats CRM that remind me to keep up with general business tasks. These lists are: financial, learning, marketing, and miscellaneous. I love utilizing 17hats to-do lists for recurring items like these. In Conclusion These are some workflow examples in my CRM as a solopreneur. Are they perfect? Certainly not. I'm still figuring out how to brain dump ideas into a to-do list and then calendar them in more efficiently to actually make them happen. Am I suggesting you need 59 workflow templates in your CRM? Nope. Workflows and processes can look entirely different across industries, service types, and preferences. I just happen to be the type of person who spends her free time tinkering with automation and workflow capabilities. It's a process to discover systems that work for your business and your brain… plus, services change over time so your systems may need updating for that reason, too. Reach out if you'd like help creating processes that support your preferences!