Email Writing Tips From a Professional Client Experience Strategist

Hello there, darling! 

I have some bad news. Your clients aren’t reading your emails. You know it, they know it, and even I know it. Something needs to change. 

Well, fret not! You are in the best possible place to learn client experience strategies that will not only get your clients to read your emails but leave them eagerly awaiting your next one! 

Welcome to Le Blog, a dedicated space for creative wedding professionals to learn all about CRMs – aka, client relationship management software. Each topic I cover on Le Blog should help you learn a little more about your CRM and save you hours each week by streamlining all those little admin tasks stuck in your to-do list. 

By the end of this blog, you will: 

• Understand why your clients aren’t reading your emails 
• Finally know what a canned email is
• Confidently know what to do about it (Spoiler– ! You need canned emails)

And the grand finale….

• Be a pro at writing killer canned emails that serve information without the snoozefest

Are you in a cozy chair? Do you have a freshly brewed cup of tea? Let’s proceed!

3 Signs Your Clients Aren’t Reading Your Emails

First of all, you’re probably wondering to yourself, “Chloe, how do you know my clients aren’t reading my emails?” Well, you’re likely dealing with one (or more) of the following issues: 

1. Clients keep asking questions you already answered in your emails
2. They need reminders about the timeline and due dates (ahem, which you covered in your email)
3. They don’t know how to access their client portal (you guessed it– already sent the info in an email)

These are just 3 signs (out of a gazillion) that your clients aren’t reading your onboarding emails. And frankly, darling, I don’t blame them. 

If you are sending more than 5 general informative emails to your client before the project even begins, that is TOO MANY. 

I know you have a lot to share! I know how important it is to get that info! But your client doesn’t. All they see is another email enter their inbox, on top of the three (hundred) others they haven’t gotten to open yet. 

At the end of the onboarding process, your emails will be buried, unopened, in your client’s inbox while they send you a barrage of questions (that you already answered, might I add). 

So, how do we avoid this? I am so happy you asked! The answer is: CANNED EMAILS. 

Canned Emails are Your New Best Friend 

What is a Canned Email? 

A canned email is a prewritten email template that answers commonly asked questions or delivers important documents. 

If you find yourself sending the same types of emails to multiple clients, and typing them from scratch every single time… it’s time to create some canned emails! 

Canned emails save you hours every single week. Don’t believe me? Picture this little scene…

You’re finally unwinding for the day. You’ve poured yourself a glass of wine, kicked up your feet, and just gotten to the good part of Selling Sunset S8 (it’s episode 3 btw). 

Then, your phone dings. 

Despite promising yourself you were done with emails for the day, you open the notification. It’s that client you booked last week, asking you about the payment schedule… which you thoroughly explained in your last email. 

So you sigh, pause Selling Sunet, and rewrite the whole schedule. With only a little frustration, you send the email and resume your show. 

Fifteen minutes later, your phone dings again. This time, they want to know how to access their client portal. Which you outlined in no less than two previous emails. 

With a barely-contained eye roll, you turn off the TV and return to your desk, where you spend the next half hour exchanging emails with your client, reminding them how to access their files, timelines, and payments. 

Before you know it, your precious hour of downtime is gone, and it’s time to make dinner. 

But if you had a canned email response set up…

You could confidently put your phone on Do Not Disturb, knowing that whatever questions your client has have already been answered through your automated email system. And better yet – all the information is in one place, where your client can look through and absorb it all at their own pace. 

Instead of logging back onto your computer, you could top off your glass of wine and enjoy the drama (because trust me, Season 8 has lots of drama to enjoy). 

I know which scenario I prefer. 

Initially setting up your canned email responses can take a little time. But after that? They not only save you hours, but they also make your client feel valued and prioritized. 

How To Write Your Canned Emails 

Writing your canned emails from scratch is overwhelming and time-consuming. Luckily, you’re not starting from scratch. I’ve broken down the exact, step-by-step process I use to create the perfect canned email bank. 

Step One: Identify All the Similar Emails You Send 

Open your inbox and click on your “sent” folder. Narrow your search down to emails with similar subject lines, like “inquiry response,” “pricing guide,” or anything else you send frequently. 

Look at the body of those emails. They’re pretty similar, right? It’s time for step two!

Step Two: Make a List  

With your inbox open,write down a comprehensive list of your most-sent emails. 

At a minimum, I recommend including a proposal email, a contract/invoice email, and a follow-up email. This will give you a headstart with your inquiry/booking process, which is one of the most email-heavy parts!

Now, organize these emails on your list in the order you send them to clients. 

Step Three: Copy & Paste

Now that you have a list of the emails you send the most often and they’re properly ordered, head back to your inbox and open up these emails, one at a time. Copy and paste the body text of each of these emails into a new document. 

Replace the personalized portions of the body text with prompts to fill in later, like “Hey [Name]!” This goes for any area where an exact service or price estimate is mentioned. For price areas, I like to write $XXX so that it grabs my attention later on!

Psst! You just created your very own email template! You’re doing great, darling. 

Step Four: Add to Your CRM 

You will copy and paste this exact template into your CRM. For Honeybook users, click “Tools,” then “My Templates,” then “Emails.”** Add your email templates one by one and title them so you can remember which is which. (Clients won’t see the “Title” of your email, only your subject, so use a naming system that works well for you! I like to number my emails: 001, 002, etc)

For Dubsado users, click “Templates,” in the left menu bar, then “Canned Emails,” and begin adding your email templates. (Again, clients won’t see the title of your email, just the subject, so use a unique naming system to help keep things organized!)

Pro Tip: Both Honeybook and Dubsado offer some smart auto-fill features, like auto-filling names, prices, dates, etc. You can learn more about Honeybook’s SmartField feature here, and Dubsado’s Smart Field feature here. 

There you have it! See, writing canned emails doesn’t have to be scary. Now, you have a template locked and loaded for your most frequent tasks and your client’s most frequent questions. 

Pro Tip: As someone who lives and breathes systems, I recommend having these five canned emails ready to go: 

1. The Inquiry Responder 
2. The Scheduling Invite 
3. The “No” Email 
4. Onboarding 
5. Offboarding/Review Request

** If you have the newest Honeybook format (circa 2024), you’ll click “Templates” along the top bar, then “Emails”.

How To Write Canned Emails Your Clients Will Enjoy Reading 

Okay, you’ve got your canned emails ready to go! Congratulations, darling, that’s the hardest part. Now, you just need to add that extra flare that makes your emails informative and enjoyable to read. 

Most canned emails sound like ChatGPT wrote them. They’re completely lifeless, stiff, and boring as fuck. And worst of all? They make your client feel like just another cog in the machine. They can tell that you didn’t write them. And if you ask me– if someone didn’t take the time to write me an individual email, why on earth would I take the time to read it? 

That’s exactly the attitude we’re trying to avoid. 

Writing canned emails isn’t enough. You need to personalize these emails by adding your client’s name, including details about their specific event, and writing in a way that feels natural and personable. 

Personalized canned emails make your clients feel special. The more your clients believe you wrote each email, the more they’ll actually enjoy reading them! Plus, personalized emails help solidify and promote your brand voice by showing consistency across all your platforms. 

I know, I know. I’m asking a lot. But trust me, personalized canned emails are the best way to save you time and ensure your clients receive the info they need. 

And don’t worry! I’m not going to leave you high and dry to figure out this whole personalization thing, either. In fact, I have just the thing to jumpstart your canned email extravaganza. It’s called The Simple Solution.

The Simple Solution Includes:

• 10 pre-written canned emails
• 3 automation outlines (where you can plug in your emails and be ready to go!)

Essentially, The Simple Solution is a template system that helps you start using your CRM right away. Whether you use Honeybook or Dubsado, TSS will help you get your canned emails written and automations running in less than a week. 

And the best part? It’s only $250! Sound amazing? I thought so, too. 

Click here to purchase The Simple Solution and start using your CRM for all it’s worth. I promise it’s a piece of cake, leaving you plenty of time to get back to Selling Sunset!

Not sure if The Simple Solution is what you’re looking for? Click here to schedule a (virtual) coffee chat where you can ask me alllllll your questions. We can talk about canned emails, client experience, and so, so much more! Whatever CRM you use (or don’t use), and wherever you are in your business, we can create a plan that’s perfect for you. 

Ready, darling? Schedule your call today!

P.S. Did I almost forget to introduce myself? My name is Chloe! I am a Client Experience Strategist to some of the top wedding creatives in the industry. I’m also a travel girlie (going to London, Paris, Athens, Copenhagen, Edinburgh..? Get in touch– I have so many recommendations for you!), a lover of novels (check out my Goodreads to see what I currently can’t put down), and a hot beverage enthusiast. 

Does it sound like we could be friends? Give me a follow on Instagram and let’s chat!