Hey there, fellow creatives! Today, we’re diving into the epic battle between Airtable and traditional spreadsheets. Spoiler alert: Airtable is the hero we’ve all been waiting for! If you’re a photographer or creative entrepreneur juggling a zillion projects, this post is for you. Grab your favorite cocktail, or mocktail if that’s more your speed, and let’s chat about Airtable vs Spreadsheets and why Airtable should be your new BFF in the world of business organization!
Before we get started, a heartfelt welcome to all the new faces! I’m Colie, your go-to gal for all things systems and your biggest business fan! If you’re looking for tips, advice, or a sprinkle of expert magic to optimize your workflows, you’re in the right spot. Curious about my services and how I can help you thrive? Click here to find out more!
Okay, now let’s dive into 2 of the main differences between Airtable vs spreadsheets.
1. Airtable Offers Customizable Views
Alright, let’s be honest. When talking about Airtable vs spreadsheets, spreadsheets get the job done, but they’re not exactly exciting. Airtable’s customizable views let you see your data in ways that make your heart sing (or at least make your eyes stop glazing over).
Here’s an overview of the different views you can expect from Airtable:
1️⃣ Grid View: Think of this as your trusty standard spreadsheet (but with superpowers). On Airtable, you can customize fields to hold anything from text and images to checkboxes and drop-down lists. It’s like spreadsheets on steroids.
NOTE: You can create as many duplicate Grid Views as needed to see your data filtered or grouped to make sense for you or answer specific questions. My favorite? Seeing my sales data grouped by month/year or grouped by the type of offer they purchased.
2️⃣ Calendar View: For all my fellow photographers out there, this one’s a game-changer. See all your deadlines, shoot dates, and editing timelines in one beautiful calendar. No more double-booking or missing deadlines because your spreadsheet is a hot mess.
Hot Tip: You can use formulas to create these deadline dates based on the session date… automatically!
3️⃣ Kanban View: If you’re a fan of moving sticky notes around, you’ll love this! Visualize your projects as cards moving through stages. It’s perfect for tracking your progress and making sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Imagine planning a photo shoot with these views. You can track client details, shoot dates, editing timelines, and deliverables, all in one place. No more hunting through tabs or trying to remember which file has the info you need. Airtable makes it all accessible and, dare I say, fun?
2. Easy Internal Automation
Picture this: You’re sipping your coffee, thinking about your next big project, and suddenly you remember you forgot to follow up with a client. Panic sets in. But wait! With Airtable’s internal automation, you can kiss those “Oh no, I forgot!” moments goodbye.
I know it might sound too good to be true, but with Airtable, you can easily set up an automation that moves a project to the next stage when a task is completed. Or, set it up so you can get an automatic reminder to check in with a client after a shoot. Airtable can even send an email for you. It’s like having a virtual assistant who never sleeps (and doesn’t require a paycheck).
Here’s how it works in real life: You’ve finished editing a shoot and need to notify the client. With Airtable, you can set up an automation to send a friendly email with the link to their photos. Or maybe you need a reminder to order prints a week after a gallery viewing. Airtable has it covered (and makes your life a lot easier).
How I Use Airtable As My Magical Unicorn Assistant
Airtable is like my magical unicorn unpaid assistant of business tools – versatile, handy, and capable of handling just about anything I need in my business. Whether you’re drowning in project details, struggling to keep up with client info, or trying to organize your portfolio, Airtable’s got you covered.
Let’s dive into the specifics and chat about just a few of the ways that Airtable can turn chaos into order for your business.
❶ Project Tracking: Keeping track of multiple projects can feel like herding cats. Yes, you have your CRM, but what about the actual workflow once clients hire you? With Airtable, you can track deadlines, and statuses, and attach files all in one place. Need to check the status of that wedding shoot from last month? It’s all right there.
❷ Client Management: Remembering client details is crucial for good relationships. With Airtable, you can store everything from contact info to notes about past shoots. This way, you can follow up with personalized touches that make clients feel special. Get a reminder to send a birthday or anniversary card, automatically. And happy clients = more referrals!
❸ Business Organization: Airtable lets you organize all your affiliate links, business account logins, portfolio links, etc… without looking in ALL the places. You can even organize SOPs related to booking a new client, editing a session, or ordering products.
❹ Marketing Content: Last but not least, I organize all of my content in Airtable too. From weekly podcast episodes to regular blog posts like this one (and all the Instagram content in between), there’s a lot that happens BTS that we keep track of (and repurpose, repurpose, repurpose).
Interested in dipping your toes in Airtable?
Check out my brand-new template to make organizing all your content organization efforts as easy as possible! My Content Organization Hub template for Airtable was created to show you the magic of Airtable without any stress or complicated automations. Replace your spreadsheets and introduce Airtable into your business for just $9 🎉
Airtable vs Spreadsheets: Real-Life Application
To give you a real-life perspective, I had an amazing chat with Annemie Tonken on my podcast. We both use Airtable to run pretty much our entire businesses, and let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer. Annemie and I geeked out over how Airtable’s flexibility let’s us tailor it to our specific needs – from tracking leads and managing projects to organizing our portfolios.
We talked about how Airtable helps us stay organized, save time, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. For photographers and other creatives, being able to customize Airtable to fit your unique processes is like having a tool that was made just for you. It’s not just about managing data; it’s about enhancing your entire workflow and making life a whole lot easier.
If you’re ready to take your organization to the next level, check out my detailed blog post on how to organize your business using Airtable. This resource is packed with tips and examples to help you set up your Airtable workspace. It’s a perfect complement to this post and will give you even more insights into maximizing Airtable’s potential!
Airtable vs Spreadsheets
Airtable is more than just a spreadsheet replacement – it’s a powerful tool that can transform how you manage your business. From customizable views to internal automation, Airtable offers features designed to streamline your workflows and boost your productivity. Already tried Airtable? I’d love to hear your experiences and answer any questions you might have. Let’s chat!
And, if you’re still on the fence about Airtable vs Spreadsheets, I hope this blog nudged you closer to taking the plunge (your workflows will thank you!). If it feels a bit overwhelming or you just need that extra bit of motivation, I’m here to help. Why not let me handle the setup for you? Or check out my ready-made templates to get you started!
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