Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you purchase through this link. However, I make it a point to only share tools and resources I truly love and use.
This blog post is going to be a love letter to Dubsado, a client relations management software that caters to creative small businesses (like me, and probably you too if you're reading this!!)
I first heard about Dubsado almost a decade ago when I started my business on Etsy, but I thought I was too small to pay for software like Dubsado.
Fast-forward to the last couple of years in my business, where my focus has been on custom orders, and I definitely, desperately need a tool like Dubsado!
I’ve used Dubsado as a sugar artist working with other cake decorators and with engaged couples, and I truly think anyone in the wedding industry who works directly with clients can use Dubsado to their advantage.
Cake decorators often work alone or with a small crew and Dubsado can get a lot of the tedious work done for you!
You can set it up so that email reminders are automatically sent, tastings are automatically scheduled, and payment plans are automatically paid. Plus it’s a great way to track your leads and stay on top of your calendar!
If you've a wedding cake decorator or bakery owner for any amount of time, you know how important it is to keep everything organized and running smoothly.
And you also know how hard that can be when you're wearing all the hats and juggling all the balls. That's where Dubsado comes in. It's an almost-everything-all-in-one business management tool which helps you automate your processes, to save you a ton of time and basically just make your life a whole lot easier.
And if phrases like “automate your processes” send you running to the walk-in freezer, I promise to keep things as simple as possible!
So in this blog post I’ll talk about what I love about Dubsado! (And also reasons why you might not want to sign up.)
(And if you're ready to try out Dubsado now, I have a code for 20% off your first month or year!)
What Dubsado Does Best
Automated Invoicing and Payment Reminders
One of the most clutch features of Dubsado is its ability to send invoices and reminders for outstanding balances automatically. So basically, you never have to chase down a payment again. Y
ou can set up your invoices to go out on a schedule, and Dubsado will handle the rest.
Every single baker and cake decorator I've ever met or worked with has not had the time or capacity to keep tabs on every single payment from every single client every single time. It's just too much!
Dubsado recently added an autopay feature for invoices with payment plans, so you can definitely set it and forget it.
All-In-One Proposals, Contracts, Invoices, and Quotes
Dubsado lets you send proposals, contracts, invoices, and quotes all at once. Just one email with one link to a client! This means you can send off your beautiful on-brand package to your clients as soon as you've got your cake designs sketched up and priced out.
And the faster you can send off that proposal, the faster they're able to book! It just makes the whole decision-making process that much easier for your couples.
No more juggling multiple documents or trying to keep track of what's been sent and what hasn't. It's all in one place, easy to access and manage. (And there's a pretty, branded client-facing portal to keep everything together, too.) The contracts can also be signed electronically, so if your printer is misbehaving, the contracts still get signed!
Scheduling Tastings and Consultations
With Dubsado, you can automate the scheduling of tastings and consultations and even require payment upfront if you charge for your tastings.
This is a game changer to eliminate the back-and-forth emails trying to find a time that works for everyone involved. I love that you can sync it with your google calendar so that times you're unavailable are automatically blocked off.
You can also set rules for when appointments can be scheduled. In my appointment scheduler, for example, I only have times available when I know I'll be at my computer and Ellie will be napping!
Plus! When booking events, Dubsado will tell you if you already have something scheduled for that day. It doesn't completely eliminate the potential for double-booking, but it definitely helps!
Fully Customize Everything with Your Brand Style
Dubsado allows you to customize everything with your brand style. Colors, images, fonts, logos– you can tweak everything to align with your brand. This gives your clients a consistent and professional experience from start to finish.
And if you really want to get custom with it, you can use CSS to style proposals, contact forms, and questionnaires!
🎉 Pro tip: Check out Certified Dubsado Specialist Ashley Tindall's DIY Dubsado course to learn how to set up Dubsado and keep it on brand. That's an affiliate link but I went through the course when it first came out and it taught me sooo much! She also does done-for-you Dubsado set ups!
Watch this webinar to learn how to “Showcase your Secret Sauce” with Dubsado.
Streamlined Workflows for Onboarding and Off-Boarding
Creating workflows in Dubsado helps systematize your onboarding and off-boarding processes– You know: the boring stuff that keeps you in the office and away from the cakes!
You can set up automatic emails, task lists, and reminders that ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This is especially useful for wedding cake decorators who need to manage multiple clients and deadlines simultaneously– and often book their events months (even years) in advance.
Systematize is probably one of those overrated buzzwords that makes you roll your eyes at tech bros, but if you have a system for baking cakes, mis en place, and coordinating deliveries, then the Dubsado workflows are just another system! One that runs in place in the background 😉
🎉 Fun Facts:
- A study by McKinsey found that companies using workflow automation experience a 30% increase in productivity.
- According to Founderjar, Up to 80% of those who use marketing automation see an increase in leads, and up to 77% see an increase in conversions. Dubsado isn't a marketing software persay, but if you have your website's contact form connected to Dubsado, then you'll get all the benefits of automating that lead generation!
Your Clients Are Probably Already Familiar With Dubsado
Your wedding clients are probably already used to dealing with vendors who use a system like Dubsado or Honeybook or Aisle Planner.
They already love you and want to work with you, and getting sent automated emails doesn’t take away from their relationship with you.
If anything, using a CRM system helps reassure your clients of your professionalism because the system is set up to guide them along the process of working with you. They’ve got enough to remember and worry about with all the details of wedding planning, so getting email reminders from you is helpful!
🎉 Fun Facts:
- Using Dubsado helps make your communications more cohesive and on-brand. That's one way to create a super amazing experience for your client. And according to a Harvard Business Review study, clients can spend 140% more money with a business when they have a great customer experience!
- According to Salesforce, 80% of customers consider their client experience as important as its products and services.
The Drawbacks
Learning Curve
While Dubsado is super customizable and powerful, there is definitely a learning curve. It might take some time and even some trial-and-error to get everything set up the way you want it.
However, once your Dubsado account is up and running, the time savings and efficiency you'll gain is totally worth it.
And did I mention the free trial Dubsado offers?! Your first three “clients” are free! So you can play around with all the customizable options and workflows and forms to see if you like it, before you ever pay!
🎉 Pro Tip: It might feel scary to switch to a CRM platform especially if you’ve never used one before. I really recommend working with a Certified Dubsado Specialist, systems pro, or OBM to help you set it up. Don't forget the done for you Dubsado set ups that Ashley Tindall offers!
Honeybook is another great option that isn't quite as customizable as Dubsado. I don't have as much experience with Honeybook as I do with Dubsado but if you’re not a super techie person, Honeybook may be a better option.
Cost
Dubsado isn't free, and that's probably the biggest hesitation I had in the beginning. But you get what you pay for, and in the long run, the time you'll save will pay for itself. Check out the cost of Dubsado and some of its competitors like Honeybook to get a feel for what the costs are.
And then consider how much time you spent manually sending invoices, contracts, and proposals. What else could you do with that time? Even if the answer you come up with is “take a nap,” that feels worth it to me! Your self-care matters too.
It Doesn't Do EVERYTHING
What I've learned from running an online business for the last 8+ years, and talking with lots of other business owners in various niches, is that there is no all-in-one tool. Like, there's always going to be something the tool doesn't do that you want it to.
In my case, I don't use Dubsado's financial tools. I just completely ignore it when I log in to my account. I use other tools for the finances in my business (like Wave and Relay and Airtable) so it's okay that Dubsado's financial reporting isn't very robust.
Something to consider when you're looking at any CRM tool: Focus on the things the tool is best at, and if that's what you need to make your life easier, go for it! What Dubsado does best is automating client communications, so that's why I use it!
Exclusive Offer: Save 20% with My Coupon Code 🎉
Here's the fun stuff: I have a code to get you 20% off your first month or year of using Dubsado. This is a great opportunity to try out all the amazing features Dubsado has to offer at a discounted rate.
You'll just enter the coupon code when you sign up using my affiliate link. And…
Don't Forget to Try Dubsado for Free
Okay you've read this whole blog but you're still not 100% sure if this is the tool you need. No worries! Dubsado offers a free trial, so you can test out everything, play around with it, and even create some “pretend” clients to walk through the whole process.
The cool thing about Dubsado is their free trial is unlimited! Unlimited time wise, but it is limited to three clients. (and a bonus client lol)
This gives you plenty of time to test out all the different features and see if you like it before you launch it into the world and grab the full, paid version.
And Finally, My Final Thoughts
Dubsado is super powerful and helpful and organized. If you're on the struggle bus with juggling all the things in your wedding cake business, Dubsado can be a total game changer.
And because we love a good list, here are my favorite features again:
- automate invoicing
- streamline client communications
- fully customize your brand experience
- save time
- be more efficient
- do less in the office and more in the kitchen!
If you’re looking to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time creating beautiful cakes, Dubsado might just be the game-changer you need. Don't forget to use my coupon code to save 20% on your first month or year!
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you purchase through this link. However, I make it a point to only share tools and resources I truly love and use.
