Customer Relationship Managers (CRMs) are an absolute business must-have! I truly can’t tell you how I could manage anything that entrepreneurship threw my way without my CRM, Dubsado! I found out about Dubsado through another wedding planner and after looking at other options out there, decided Dubsado was the best for me! Of course, we all have different business needs. I will also mention Honeybook and Aisle Planner and the reasons I decided to move away from them – although they are GREAT tools and could be a great fit for you!
You can Google a ton and compare the multiple programs, but first, let me begin with why I love Dubsado!
1. Dubsado is My Lifeline!
It’s so much more than a business tool, too. It literally saves me hours (probably 8-10 hours a week), allowing me to stay on top of everything and automate the repetitive boring stuff, like sending the same emails over and over again. But all that extra time adds up! And I notice it with how I am able to manage my client workload but also be present as a mom and wife, which I value deeply! Dubsado was started by a husband-and-wife team, and their then 2-year old made up the name Dubsado.
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Here’s a short list of what Dubsado can do:
- Contracts
- Invoices
- Client meeting scheduling (no more Doodle polls, emailing availability and going back and forth a billion times, or paying for scheduling software)
- Forms and Questionnaires
- Workflows
- Basic accounting and expense tracking (although it is important to note that they are not an accounting software, so you should look into other software if you want something more automated in this area)
- And so much more…
More recently, they just integrated with Quickbooks and Xero, too! Which is another thing about Dubsado…
2. They’re always getting better
They ask for feedback to improve…and then they deliver. Obviously, not everything can get done super quickly, but since I started using Dubsado over 5 years ago, they’ve grown leaps and bounds and have made their product robust. I love when they announce new releases! I cannot wait for the day they release conditional logic on their forms (this is such a nerdy thing to say).
3. Their customer service team is top notch.
If you ever talk to someone on their team, they’re all so wonderful, helpful, and kind. I feel like more than just a customer. Like I am BOUGHT into this company, and feel like I have a loyal relationship with them. Maybe that’s weird, I don’t know. But I love them as people and how they’re professional but TOTALLY relatable y’all. These are just extra things about the company that warms my heart and make me want to stay forever!
4. The Price (Better Yet – The VALUE!)
No matter what stage you are in business, I highly recommend investing in a CRM to manage your clients and stay organized. Because they are a GAME CHANGER and worth every penny, and in fact, Dubsado locks in your price FOREVER, even if they increase their pricing as they make their product more robust. I have an amazing rate locked in of almost half of what they charge now, and it’s really reassuring to know that even as my business grows, my expense in this particular category does not. WHAT A WIN! If you couldn’t tell…I’m obsessed. Honeybook and Aisle Planner cost wayyy more than Dubsado (I will break down the cost a little more below).
I could go on forever, but for the sake of time, this blog post won’t dive too deep into all the details. If you want all the nitty gritty processes of how I actually set up Dubsado, you can actually buy my exact step-by-step setups like my workflows, email templates, and questionnaires in the shop.
How it compares with other popular CRMs for wedding planners
Aisle Planner and Honeybook are the two top CRMs that a lot of planners use. I’ve used both in the past. You may be interested in those options as well! Again, your business has different needs and these tools may be best for you, but I want to share more about why they didn’t work as well for me.
Why I am leaving Aisle Planner:
- It is just so freaking expensive. I love the wedding tools but I purchased it before they had any of the actual business management tools. With the addition of those tools came a huge hike in pricing. They charge you by the number of projects versus just having a flat fee with unlimited users…like any other CRM. I don’t want to rag on AP, as they truly have a beautiful, sleek system that IS a life-changer when it comes to planning weddings, but it’s just not affordable for many business owners, especially if you’re just starting out. I so wish they separated the two and just let you use the planning tools, but I digress.
- Pricing comparison:
- At the time I’m writing this, I pay $39.99/month for 10 projects. That’s almost $400/year, and as I’ve grown I just can’t fathom paying the $69.99/month for up to 25 projects. I have more than 10 weddings a year, but feel like I have to pick and choose which clients get access to the tools (basically only my higher package clients). For 25 projects: If you do the math, that’s $839.88/year. YIKES! I pay $170 for Dubsado (with my locked in rate). Once a year – forever. Note: since writing this post, Dubsado does cost a lot more now. But it’s improved so much and it’s still worth every single penny.
- Obviously this isn’t apples-to-apples as AP has the planning tools as well, but I have all that stuff in Google Drive already. You could look into the Refine Portal if you are wanting something for Google Drive. Expensive, but a one-time cost.
- Pricing comparison:
- Automation. AP does automate some things, but the one thing I love about Dubsado is how it runs my workflows. I have full control over everything in Dubsado, too. I just love that Dubsado runs my business for me – literally! AP does not have the automation ability I was looking for.
- A lot of my clients don’t use AP. Sigh. It was not worth paying for a system that was pretty but was never used, no matter how hard I tried to get them to use it! Some of my clients did love it, but most of my clients thought of it as just another thing they had to log into and preferred Google Drive. I am currently phasing out of Aisle Planner once my clients projects are completed (ending November 2021).
- It might be good for you if: you want an all-in-one system and you don’t mind the price! If you can get your clients to use it, it certainly is worthwhile with very helpful tools that will cut down a lot of time for you! Again, I love their actual planning tools and how easy it is to use.
Why I didn’t go with Honeybook
- Not as customizable. I’ve heard that Honeybook is perfect if you want something simple. It’s easy to set up, looks good, and fairly user-friendly. For whatever reason though, Dubsado was a lot more intuitive for me, and I like that I can fully control everything in Dubsado. The overwhelming thing about Dubsado is it’s fully customizable, which means a lot of work on the front end. But now that it’s all set up, it’s a well-oiled machine and I like that I can change things to be exactly how I want it (control issues…) I also wanted more control over how my forms and proposals looked. I felt too limited by Honeybook’s design capabilities and honestly it just felt like everything looked the same, even compared to other businesses who use HB.
- Dubsado allows you to white label everything – basically what that means is when your clients see your portals in Dubsado, it looks like your branding. Honeybook doesn’t have that unless you choose a higher plan. (Note: 3 years ago this wasn’t an option to remove their logo. I am guessing enough people complained, haha! I am glad they offer this now!)
- 2. Pricing. Higher pricing than Dubsado, and they don’t lock in your rate (that I know of). Honeybook is $19-79/month, depending on the plan you choose. Dubsado as of 2023 is $20-40/month and has more capabilities. If you are a service-based business, you definitely need the premier tier plan of Dubsado.
Conclusion
I love Dubsado!! You can trial Dubsado for up to 3 clients (no time limit!) and tell me if you fall in love with it like I have! I have a referral code that gives you 20% off. Also, shameless plug, but I do offer Dubsado services and resources in my shop, and also created the Purposeful Processes Dubsado Course for wedding planners that walks you through everything if you decide you need more guidance on how to set up your CRM!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn credit. Keep in mind that I only share about companies that I truly believe in, and regardless of the fancy 20% off code, I’d still be screaming Dubsado from the rooftops!
