Managing Expectations Leads to Smooth Relationships
As an online entrepreneur, it can be nerve-wracking to think about how to handle situations like cancellations or clients who give new meaning to the words “scope creep”. Setting up expectations for others about how and what to expect when working with you is key to preventing stress and ensuring that you have time and energy to invest in yourself.
Don’t Schedule New Projects and Launches When You’re About to Go Away
Help may be closer to home than you think. Did you know that all of those automation tools you have-Schedulers, online platforms like Kajabi, your email provider-are your secret weapon to setting boundaries with clients? I’ll show you where you can communicate your work boundaries without having to say a word.
Online Calendars
Automatic schedulers often are the first point of contact between you and a potential client. Here are a few examples of what your online scheduler can help you with:
โAdd your cancellation policy for coaching and strategy sessions.
โAdd some information to the booking calendar about how you work and what you expect from potential clients.
โPre-qualify discovery call appointments with a series of questions using automated emails.
โSet reminder emails 24 hours ahead of appointments with a friendly reminder of any relevant cancellation policies.
How to Embed a Calendar on Kajabi
You can find Kajabi's tutorial on how to embed a calendar (scheduler) on your Kajabi website HERE.
What You Could Include in a Proposal
There are a number of ways you can include boundaries in your proposals, including:
- setting your working days and times
- indicate when and how often you check your emails
- your preferred communication channels (I mean, do you need join your client's what's app group hmmmm)
- preferred communication channel for urgent matters
- indicate how you will respect your client's boundaries
- your payment policy: for example, do you take part up front and the rest upon completion of the project?
- do you have a time limit for how many days a project is considered open?
- what's your cancellation policy and/or refund policy?
- what are the deliverables? More importantly, what isn't included in the deliverables?
Proposals
Ok, you may or may not have an automatic system for sending out Proposals. However, if you’re a service provider, and you think that you can’t be bothered with putting together a Proposal, then please think again. Avoid misunderstandings, or worse, being taken advantage of, by preparing a Proposal that includes at a minimum:
โYour payment terms (how much and when).
โWhen you’re available during a project and how long it will take to get back to them.
โBoth deliverables and non-deliverables as well as the timeframe the client can expect the work to be done.
โWhat forms of communication that you use, such as email or Messenger.
If You Don't Set Boundaries...
You find yourself in stressful situations that overwhelm you.
Instead of feeling rundown and exhausted, setting even a few simple and easy-to-communicate personal and professional boundaries can lead to positive results such as:
- Freed up time to invest in activities that light you up.
- Feeling respected and comfortable in your personal and working environments.
- Increased energy levels because you took action to shed "the weight of the world" off of your shoulders.
Draw a line in the sand with the help of the Boundary Scrips so that you can create a more harmonious lifestyle that pulls you up to the top of your priority list.
Grab The Boundary Script Swipes
Email Automation
Do you only use email to read messages and reply? What you may not know is that you can do a lot more with Gmail, Office 365, or your online platform’s email automation (Kajabi is my online platform). At a minimum, start using:
โThe automatic out-of-office email, which will communicate when you will get back to someone or when you’ll be unavailable during your holiday. Give people a glimpse of your personality by the way you write your messages.
โUse Kajabi’s automated email function to send a personalized reply when someone fills out a form with an inquiry.
โUse an email signature or “super signature” that communicates your office hours.
โTurn off notifications so that you aren’t tempted to dive into your email box right before you plan on going to sleep.
Thinking Ahead
Phew, that’s quite a checklist I’ve given you to work on.
Take a moment now and remember why you became an online entrepreneur yourself. Really, stop reading and take a moment to think about the reasons you show up as a Kajabi solopreneur.
Likely it’s for the freedom of designing a business that works for you. Setting up basic boundaries using the automation available to you is an effective way to ensure that you have enough time and energy to serve your clients well.
Sara Smits van Oyen
I’m a Kajabi Specialist who's been on a professional journey that's spanned over 30 years in finance roles before finding the sweet spot of helping lifestyle entrepreneurs share their unique gifts with the world. I’m a mood creator and client journey geek who loves to help her clients shine in the spotlight so that they can focus on taking great care of themselves and their clients.
Summer-Proof Your Kajabi Online Business: A Solopreneur's Guide
Jun 06, 2023
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