Episode 96: Why You Should Stop Emailing Your Clients To Gather Information & Do This Instead with Brooke Swan
Heads up: I use affiliate links for my fave products. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Conquering Workflows & Systems for Bookkeepers & Accountants podcast with Alyssa Lang, founder of Workflow Queen and Magnetic Bookkeeping & Consulting and Brooke Swan, CEO of Clarity Bookkeeping & Consulting. Episode topic: Why You Should Stop Emailing Your Clients To Gather Information & Do This Instead with Brooke Swan
Alyssa Lang interviews Brooke Swan, Owner of Clarity Bookkeeping & Consulting and The Aligned Self, on streamlining client communication and boosting efficiency through automation tools like Content Snare. Alyssa and Brooke explore how ditching emails for client interaction can save mental bandwidth, improve client relationships, and enhance business growth!
In this episode you’ll hear:
Why Alyssa and Brooke stopped relying on emails for getting info from clients
How Content Snare streamlines and automates client requests and follow-ups
What benefits you can experience from using Content Snare with your clients
How automating tasks saves time and mental bandwidth
Why setting clear deadlines is essential for client expectations and timely submissions
Resources mentioned in this episode:
💻 Effortless Client Requests for Bookkeepers & Accountants
☎️ Book a Human Design Reading with Brooke Swan at Aligned Self
Listen to the Full Episode here 👇🏼
🎧 Listen on iTunes ⇨ Click here
🎧 Listen on Spotify ⇨ Click here
🎧 Chose another listening platform ⇨ Click here
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the endless cycle of chasing clients for information…sending follow-ups, waiting for incomplete responses, and losing time to frustrating back-and-forth…you’re not alone.
In this episode of the podcast, I sat down with Brooke Swan, my go-to systems bestie, fellow entrepreneur, and co-creator of Effortless Client Requests, to talk about why we completely ditched email as our primary tool for client communication and what we’re doing now for client requests for our businesses.
If you’re ready to reclaim your time, reduce stress, and elevate your client relationships, this one’s for you.
Why We Left Email Behind
For years, Brooke and I relied on email for client requests. It worked well enough in the early days when we were managing fewer clients, but as our businesses grew, email quickly became our biggest bottleneck.
“Every time I opened my inbox, it felt like I was piecing together a puzzle, tracking threads, figuring out who had sent what, and trying to remember what I still needed,” Brooke shared.
Here are just a few of the challenges we faced:
Endless Back-and-Forth: Clients rarely sent everything we needed in one go, creating constant follow-ups.
Missed Deadlines: Without clear expectations, clients didn’t prioritize requests, delaying timelines.
Mental Bandwidth Overload: Managing client requests through email was mentally draining, making it hard to focus on higher-level tasks.
Brooke and I realized that if we wanted to grow our businesses and work smarter, not harder, we needed a better solution.
Why We Chose Content Snare
Enter Content Snare, the automation tool that completely transformed how we handle client requests. Unlike email, Content Snare centralizes the process, allowing us to set clear expectations, automate follow-ups, and track progress with ease.
Here’s what makes Content Snare so powerful:
Centralized Requests: Instead of scattered email threads, clients receive a clear, organized form to fill out at their convenience.
Automated Follow-Ups: Content Snare sends reminders for you, so you’re not chasing clients manually.
Real-Time Notifications: Get alerted the moment a client uploads a document, eliminating delays.
Deadline Management: You can set due dates for each request, making sure clients know exactly when you need their submissions.
“The visibility and transparency of Content Snare is unmatched. I can log in and immediately see what’s missing, what’s been submitted, and what still needs attention. It’s a game changer for managing both clients and my team,” Brooke explained.
Through Effortless Client Requests, Brooke and I take it one step further. We’ve created a complete system of pre-written templates, workflows, and tutorials to help you set up Content Snare with ease, so you can start automating your client communication today.
The Benefits of Automation
Switching to Content Snare brought immediate results for both of our firms:
Saved Time: Automation eliminated manual follow-ups, giving us back hours each week.
Improved Client Relationships: Clients appreciated the clarity and simplicity of the process, often commenting on how organized we seemed.
Reduced Mental Load: We no longer had to track who needed a nudge or what was still outstanding.
Fewer Missed Deadlines: Setting due dates made it easy for clients to prioritize their tasks, keeping our workflows on track.
As Brooke put it:
“Even small automations add up. They free up your mental bandwidth so you can focus on what really matters, whether that’s growing your business or just taking a well-deserved break.”
Why Clear Deadlines Are Key
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is the power of clear deadlines. Without them, clients are left guessing when something is due, and often, it falls to the bottom of their to-do list.
“Clients don’t know our internal timelines. By setting a clear due date, we’re not only helping ourselves, but we’re also giving clients the structure they need to stay on track,” I explained on the podcast.
With Content Snare, assigning deadlines is easy, and the automated reminders keep clients accountable.
Real-Life Scenarios: How This Works in Practice
One of the most rewarding parts of implementing Content Snare has been the positive feedback from clients.
“We’ve had so many clients tell us how much they appreciate the organization and simplicity of our process. They love that we’re not bombarding them with emails and that everything they need is in one place,” Brooke shared.
In fact, we’ve noticed a significant increase in the amount of information clients submit on time, something we credit to the user-friendly nature of Content Snare.
Looking for Even More Insight?
If you’re ready to streamline your client communication, check out Effortless Client Requests, where we give you everything you need to set up Content Snare for your firm, including pre-written email templates, request workflows, and video tutorials.
Want to dive deeper into personal alignment and decision-making? Brooke also offers Human Design readings through her business, Aligned Self, which can help you align your energy and goals with your natural strengths.
Take the Next Step
Email is old news. Tools like Content Snare offer a smarter, more efficient way to handle client requests, saving you time and improving your client experience.
Ready to make the switch?
Let’s automate your workflows and reclaim your time…you deserve it!
About our guest:
Brooke Swan is the founder and CEO of Clarity Bookkeeping & Consulting. She started her firm in 2018 with the goal of helping business owners not only understand their finances, but enjoy a better work-life balance and helping them build the business of their dreams. Through their advisory services and creative strategic approaches, Clarity has helped hundreds of business owners reach their goals!
Brooke operates her firm on a 4-day work week that values efficiency, collaboration, and positivity which also allows her team to enjoy a better work-life balance as well! Brooke has a burning desire to help others and has been coaching other bookkeeping business owners for years. She now exclusively coaches with Team Workflow Queen in their Breakthrough program.
Connect with Brooke:
Check our her website: https://www.claritybkpg.com/
Follow her on Instagram: @brookeashleyy_
Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me, @workflowqueen For more information about the Conquering Workflows & Systems for Bookkeepers & Accountants Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:
Visit our website: workflowqueen.com
Follow the Blog: workflowqueen.com/blog
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssa-lang-wq
Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/workflowqueen
Connect on Facebook: facebook.com/workflowqueen
Podcast Publishing Tools we use:
Podcast Editing: Ian Gilliam: iangilliam.com
