Around Black Friday last year, I made a big decision and switched my CRM from Sprout Studio to HoneyBook. After nearly five years with Sprout Studio, this was a major move, and I knew it was going to take some time to get everything set up just the way I wanted. One of my main goals for Q1 was managing this migration, so I wanted to share how it’s going so far, what I love about HoneyBook as a new user, and what the transition has been like.
Why I Made the Switch from Sprout Studio to HoneyBook
First, this is not a takedown of Sprout Studio—I loved working with them for years! Their customer support was fantastic, and I appreciated that they were a true all-in-one platform, handling everything from contact forms to client galleries and ordering. Sprout Studio is truly built specifically for photographers. However, as my business evolves to include more education and coaching, I needed a CRM that could handle more than just photography sessions while keeping things organized all in one platform.
HoneyBook stood out because it’s designed for creative professionals – not just photographers – making it easier to integrate coaching offers, mentoring calls, and other services. However, even if your business is solely geared around photography services, it’s helpful to have a tool that allows you to think outside the box.
For example, it could open the door for other streams of revenue if you are selling anything other than sessions, like time at your studio space, yearbook-creation services, etc.
Behind the Scenes of My HoneyBook Migration
Migration Was Manual (But valuable!)
HoneyBook does include migration services from some platforms, but at this time, Sprout Studio wasn’t one of those. I could have paid a Honeybook pro to do this (another great feature of Honeybook!) but I opted to handle it myself so I could weed out unnecessary data, get a fresh take on my client workflows, emails, etc. along the way. Plus, I believe that to recommend a tool, I need to fully understand how it works—and that meant learning the ins and outs myself.
My Three Favorite Things About HoneyBook as a New User
1. Tailored for More Than Just Photography Services
With HoneyBook, I can seamlessly manage multiple revenue streams. Sprout was more focused on photography services, making it harder to incorporate other offers into my workflow.
2. Beautiful, Dynamic Booking Proposals
The visual booking proposals in HoneyBook are gorgeous and so customizable! Mine includes:
- A brand-centered quote and introduction with a photo of me to connect with the client at point of purchase
- Testimonials to build trust
- Collection selection, contract signing, and payment—all in one place
- A built-in questionnaire for onboarding
The Visual Pipeline Makes Workflow Management Easier
I love how HoneyBook structures clients as projects rather than just sessions. This makes it easier to manage various types of work, from family sessions to podcast interviews to mentoring calls. The drag-and-drop pipeline allows me to see where each project stands and sort by type or stage in the process.
The Learning Curve
Like any new system, there’s a learning curve. Even though I consider myself pretty savvy with workflows, I had to take my time learning where everything is and how it all fits together. It can be frustrating to go from a system that you’re very familiar with to a brand new platfrom, language, and structure. That said, I can already see the long-term benefits, especially with HoneyBook’s finance tools and reporting features (which I haven’t even fully explored yet!).
Some photographers were frustrated by HoneyBook’s recent price increase, but when comparing it to what I was paying for Sprout, the cost isn’t drastically different—especially considering the additional features and seamless client experience HoneyBook provides.
If you’re curious about trying honeyBook…
If you’re considering making the switch, you can get 30% off your first year with my referral link right here.
And if you’re also in the process of refining your client workflows and need some guidance, I’d love to help! Book a free (no strings attached) 20-minute mentoring call at leahoconnell.com/call, and let’s talk through your business action plan.
Links from this Epsiode
(this is my new software power trio!!)
- TRY HONEYBOOK (first month free + 30% off your new plan)
- TRY PICTIME – First month free
- TRY SHOWIT – first month free
Need more help getting on a track that feels exciting and sustainable? Grab coffee with me! Schedule a free 20 minute call to talk business and see if/how I can help: https://www.leahoconnell.com/call
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