Let Your Systems Work as Hard as You Do (Finally)
Two simple fixes that quietly transform your bookings with automations doing Moira Rose–level drama control behind the scenes.
Most photographers don’t need a new website or a full rebrand to get more bookings.
They just need their website and HoneyBook to have an actual conversation.
Because right now?
A lot of your leads are basically doing the digital equivalent of walking into the Rose Apothecary, looking around for help… and finding David behind the counter whisper-yelling, “Mom! They need assistance!”
Your business deserves better than that.
Your clients deserve better than that.
You deserve better than that.
Let’s talk about the two spots photographers lose the most leads and the easiest way to fix both with simple HoneyBook connections and automations that keep things moving (so you don’t have to do the “quiet panic spiral” David does every time something goes wrong).
1. Your Contact Form → The First Door Into Your Business
(And yes, it should be connected to HoneyBook.)
Your contact form is where clients try to introduce themselves. But if that form isn’t connected to HoneyBook, your business can’t really respond. It’s like someone walking into Café Tropical, patiently waiting to order, and nobody ever looking up from the cinnamon bun display.
Not intentional just… not functioning the way you think it is.
Here’s what happens when your contact form isn’t connected:
- Leads sit in your inbox until you remember to check
- You reply slower than you’d like (life, kids, editing, exhaustion — understandable)
- You rewrite the same “Thank you so much!” email for the 87th time
- Lead info gets lost
- The process starts messy, and stays messy
But when you swap your website form for a HoneyBook Contact Form, the whole flow changes.
TRY THIS:
Embed your HoneyBook Contact Form in place of your existing one.
Same design vibe.
Way better functionality.
What you get instantly:
✔ A new project created in HoneyBook
✔ Automatic tagging
✔ Immediate next steps
✔ A warm, instant auto-response (think: Alexis-style charm, minus the chaos)
✔ One place to track everything
Clients feel cared for within seconds not whenever you finally get time to breathe.
To fully utilize this setup, you need automations.
You shouldn’t be manually sending thank-yous.
You shouldn’t be manually following up.
You shouldn’t be manually delivering guides.
Let HoneyBook run the first part of the process while you edit, shoot, life, or take a quiet moment to breathe (you deserve those).
And this part matters: automation doesn’t replace you. It simply fills the gap until you can respond personally. I like to tell clients in that first automated email that I’ll follow up within 48 hours. It keeps things warm and human while still getting essential information into their hands right away. Then when I follow up personally, it’s just a short, genuine note calling out any specific questions they asked or acknowledging anything personal they shared in their inquiry. It’s simple, thoughtful, and keeps the conversation feeling human.
HoneyBook 2.0 Automation Add-On:
Now we get to the magic — the part that actually frees up your time and makes everything feel easier. This is the piece you want to set up. Here is an example of an automation sequence you can build…
Set the Trigger: Contact Form is submitted
Then build out the steps for HoneyBook to automatically:
- Send a warm “Thanks for reaching out!” message
- Share a “What to Expect Next” guide
- Assigns you a tiny task to check in personally
- Moves the project to your “New Inquiry” stage
- Sends a gentle follow-up if they don’t reply
Imagine Moira Rose sweeping dramatically into a room announcing,
“Everything is handled.”
That’s what this automation feels like.
2. Your Buttons → Can Be Direct Links to Your HoneyBook Lead Form
(Because a “Book Now” button that leads to an inbox is giving… season one Alexis energy.)
Your buttons (Book Now, Reserve Your Spot, Let’s Work Together,) should not be sending people to a generic form or your inbox.
Those buttons deserve to lead to HoneyBook Lead Forms, which are basically your booking fairy godmother:
✔ clients inquire
✔ see your packages
✔ schedule
✔ pay
✔ and get next steps
ALL in one flow, on your website.
No waiting.
No emailing.
No “Hi! Just circling back to my own circling back.”
TRY THIS:
Linking your call to action buttons to a Lead Form.
Think:
- Mini session pages
- Your “Book Now” button
- Investment pages
- High-demand services – that don’t require custom proposals
- Return client pages
Anyone who is ready shouldn’t be held back by a clunky path.
Why clients love this:
It’s clear.
It’s easy.
It’s instant.
No mysterious steps.
No “what do I do next?” moments.
Why YOU will love this:
It books clients while you live your life.
Even if your life looks like Moira hiding wigs around the house so no one touches them.
HoneyBook 2.0 Automation Add-On:
Okay, here is another example of how to build an automation out…
Trigger: Lead Form is completed
Now build it out so HoneyBook automatically:
- Sends a “You’re officially booked!” email
- Shares your contract – very important to note that lead forms currently don’t offer the ability to include contracts. You will want to build out a smartfile to send out to them…why? Because we never do work without a contract protecting us!
- Delivers a questionnaire
- Assigns you a task to confirm anything needed
- Moves them into your “Booked + Onboarding” stage
- Sends session reminders at the right time
This is the system that protects your time, your energy, and your client experience all while feeling just as supportive (and slightly dramatic) as Moira’s “bébés.”
Maybe you’re thinking, “Sure, Erin… in a perfect world I’d set all this up. But who actually has the time?”
Feeling Overwhelmed? I Can Help You Build All of This.
If you’re reading all of this and thinking, “This sounds amazing… but also slightly overwhelming,” you’re not alone.
A lot of photographers want the seamless, elevated client experience the automatic replies, the clean workflows, the booking buttons that actually book but the setup feels a little too…
David Rose trying to fold in the cheese.
And that’s exactly where I come in.
If DIY isn’t your thing (or you simply don’t have the time), I can help you:
✨ connect your website to HoneyBook
✨ build your Contact Form + automation
✨ create your Lead Form booking flow
✨ craft warm, on-brand automated messages
✨ design your onboarding workflow
✨ simplify your client journey end-to-end
My goal isn’t to drown you in tech it’s to build systems that feel intuitive, human, and supportive. Systems that let you exhale. Systems that run in the background so you can shoot, edit, mom, rest, and live your life without constantly worrying about what fell through the cracks.
Think of it like having your own personal Stevie: practical, competent, and quietly making everything run smoother than you even realized you needed.
If you’re ready to finally have a client experience that feels aligned, intentional, and (dare I say) Alexis-level effortless… I’d love to help.
👉 Reach out here and let’s build something that actually supports you.
You don’t have to do this alone — and honestly, your future self will thank you.
The Real Magic: Website → HoneyBook → Automations
Think of these three like the Rose family:
Your Website = the storefront
HoneyBook = the operations
Automations = the reliable, surprisingly efficient Stevie making everything actually work
When they work together?
Everything feels lighter, cleaner, and calmer.
You get:
✨ faster replies
✨ faster bookings
✨ fewer missed leads
✨ smoother onboarding
✨ consistency across the board
✨ and a client experience that feels polished + thoughtful
You stop doing 30 tiny tasks a day.
Your business finally supports you instead of the other way around.
A Little Parting Thought (Delivered With Love and a Wink of Alexis Energy)
You deserve a business that feels aligned and easeful.
You deserve workflows that don’t require handholding.
You deserve systems that run even when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or knee-deep in editing marathons.
Connecting your Contact Form + linking your buttons to Lead Forms is the quickest way to get there.
Small change.
Huge impact.
Very Rose-family-approved vibes.
If you want help setting this up — or making it actually feel like you — I’m right here, ready when you are.
