Episode 87
The Client Workflow Show
May 5, 2017 · Mike Murphy
EP87: THE CLIENT WORKFLOW SHOW How do I organize client information, schedule meetings and appointments and invoice clients for services? Episode Summary: How do I keep track of client information? How do I schedule and manage the calendar? How do I organize projects and jobs? How do I keep track of time working on projects? How do I invoice and collect payment?
Episode Summary: A complete 10-step client workflow — how client information gets organized, meetings get scheduled, projects get tracked, and invoices get paid, start to finish.
What You’ll Learn
- A full 10-step client workflow, from first contact to final payment
- The exact tools used for CRM, scheduling, invoicing, and password management
- Why searchable notes in every contact record matter more than memory
- How Calendly syncs with Google Calendar to prevent double-booking
The business: Mike Murphy LLC is a creative freelance and consulting business for local and online businesses — video, podcast, and written content, plus teaching others how to create their own. In short: helping people figure things out. Workflow goal: simplicity and access from any device.
Resources Mentioned
- G Suite (formerly Google Apps): mikemurphy.co/gsuite
- CRMs: Capsule CRM, FullContact
- Forms: Google Forms, Wufoo, Typeform
- Scheduling: Calendly
- Invoicing & accounting: FreshBooks
- Collaboration: Google Docs, Dropbox Paper
- Password management: 1Password
The 10-Step Client Workflow
Step 1 — gather contact information. Everything goes into Gmail contacts, with as many notes as possible since notes are searchable and help recall client details later. Tips: pull contact info from email signatures, check a client’s website contact page for social channels and business address, keep a complete signature on outgoing email, and use intake forms (Google Forms or Wufoo) to gather everything needed to start a project, logos and assets included.
Step 2 — Gmail labels. Every new client email gets a label nested under “Clients.”
Step 3 — Google Drive. Similar to Dropbox — each client gets their own folder.
Step 4 — Google Calendar. Every appointment, meeting, deadline, commitment, trip, and important date goes on the calendar, with reminders set for 1 day and 30 minutes before.
Step 5 — Apple Reminders. The instant something goes on the calendar or comes to mind, Siri gets asked to set a reminder.
Step 6 — Calendly. Sent to clients as a scheduling link — they pick from open time slots, and Calendly syncs with Google Calendar to avoid double-booking automatically.
Step 7 — FreshBooks. Time tracking, estimates, invoicing, accounting, and expense tracking — $25/month, and genuinely recommended.
Step 8 — Google Docs. One running history doc per client, logging everything done for each session or job. Dropbox Paper is a solid alternative for non-Gmail users.
Step 9 — 1Password. Client passwords and sensitive data get stored in secure notes.
Step 10 — collect payment in FreshBooks. Send a thank-you message, and keep the momentum going toward the next client and project.