If you’ve been paying attention, you might’ve noticed HoneyBook recently announced an upcoming increase in pricing coming early next year. An increase of $20 a month for its Essentials plan, $50/month for Premium, and the cost of the Starter plan is nearly doubling. You can see information on the upcoming price increase in my Honeybook vs Dubsado blog post which has been updated. And let me tell you—people are not happy. This has sparked a lot of conversations about switching CRMs. For many business owners, the natural next step seems to be a switch from Honeybook to Dubsado.
But here’s the thing: switching CRMs isn’t a decision to make lightly. It’s not something you can tackle on a whim over the weekend. As someone who has navigated CRM transitions in my own business and helped countless entrepreneurs do the same, I can tell you it takes time, strategy, and a lot of patience. The good news? I’ve broken it down into manageable steps to help you make the move without unnecessary stress.
But first, hi! I’m Colie, your go-to gal for all things systems, automation, and client experience strategy. Whether you’re making the leap from Honeybook to Dubsado, need help fine-tuning your workflows, or want a fresh start with a custom CRM setup, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. I also have templates designed to save you time and stress! Got questions or feeling overwhelmed by the idea of switching CRMs? Let’s chat about how I can help you streamline your systems and make this transition as seamless as possible.
When (and When Not) to Switch CRMs
Let’s start with the big question: should you even make the switch?
Here’s the deal—switching CRMs is a big investment. It takes time to set up your new system, money to run both platforms during the overlap, and energy to learn how to use the new software. That’s why I encourage you to have a solid reason for making the change.
Good Reasons to Switch:
- Your current CRM is holding you back. If your business has outgrown HoneyBook’s features, and it’s impacting your ability to scale or improve your client experience, it might be time to switch. [NOTE: with the new features Honeybook announced this year, I don’t think outgrowing it is a concern right now.]
- You need better automation. Dubsado is fantastic for creating complex workflows, which can save you hours of admin time. Remember, Honeybook is releasing a new Automations Builder in early 2025 and I talk all about it HERE.
- You’re craving customization. HoneyBook’s Smartfiles are great, but a little more limited when compared to the flexibility code blocks in Dubsado allow you.
Reasons to Pause and Reconsider:
- You’re tempted by one shiny feature. CRMs are always rolling out updates, so switching for one or two features might not be worth it.
- You’re upset about a price hike. I get it—$20 a month adds up. But before you jump ship, ask yourself if you can offset the cost by raising your own prices or cutting expenses elsewhere.
If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and still want to make the move, here’s your roadmap for transitioning to Dubsado like a pro.
Prepping for the Big Switch
Before you dive headfirst into switching from HoneyBook to Dubsado, you’ll need to do some serious prep work. Here’s where I recommend starting:
1. Take Inventory of Your Assets
Pull up a spreadsheet (or Airtable if that’s your jam) and list every single thing in your HoneyBook account. I’m talking:
- Email templates
- Form templates
- Contracts
- Automations (take a screenshot and copy down each step (action + trigger)
- Packages
Pro Tip: Include links to each item in HoneyBook so you can easily copy and paste them into Dubsado later. This is your master document and will save you so much time during the migration.
2. Backup Your Data
This is crucial when making the switch from HoneyBook to Dubsado (or any CRM for that matter!). Download your client list, contact info, invoices, contracts, and financial data from HoneyBook. Focus on the past 2-3 years, especially if you have repeat clients. Unfortunately, there’s no magic “download all” button, so this will take time. Save everything as PDFs or CSVs so you have a record before making the switch. (And yes, this part is tedious, but it’s worth it. Trust me—future you will thank you.)
3. Start a Dubsado Trial
You wouldn’t buy a car without a test drive, right? The same goes for CRMs. When making the switch from HoneyBook to Dubsado, make sure to sign up for a Dubsado trial and play around with it. See how it feels—does the layout make sense to you? Are the features intuitive? Your CRM should be a tool you enjoy using daily, not something you dread logging into.
Step-by-Step: How to Switch From HoneyBook to Dubsado
Once you’ve prepped, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Connect Your Integrations
First things first—hook up your email, calendar, payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, etc.), and any other tools you use (like Zoom, QuickBooks, or Xero). Test everything to make sure it’s working smoothly before moving on. Keep in mind, you connect your own payment processor in Dubsado so if you don’t have a Square or Paypal account, you’ll need to sign up for one or use Dubsado Payments, powered by Stripe!
2. Migrate Your Assets
This is where that inventory spreadsheet will save you tons of time because this is the most time-intensive part. Here’s how to tackle each type of asset:
- Email Templates: These are the easiest to migrate. Copy and paste the text into Dubsado and update any smart fields to match the new system.
- Forms and Questionnaires: Recreate these in Dubsado’s form builder. Pay attention to any conditional logic or custom fields.
- Contracts: You’ll need to manually rebuild these. Use Dubsado’s drag-and-drop editor to customize the layout.
- Workflows: Dubsado’s workflows are incredibly flexible, but they’re not identical to HoneyBook’s. Take time to understand the triggers and actions in Dubsado, and adapt your workflows accordingly.
3. Update and Refresh
While you’re at it, take this opportunity to elevate your client experience. Here’s how:
- Refresh your email templates with updated language, add links to recent blog posts, and make sure everything reflects your current brand voice.
- Use fresh photos (especially if you’re a photographer) in proposals and forms.
- Streamline your workflows to save time and create a more seamless experience for clients.
I have Dubsado templates inside the CRM Blueprint course for everything you will need, if you don’t want to start from scratch.
4. Test Everything
Before inviting clients into your new system, test it thoroughly. Pretend you’re a client and go through the entire process—from submitting a lead form to signing a contract and making a payment. Check every email, form, and link on both desktop and mobile to ensure it’s working flawlessly.
Tips for Learning Dubsado
Learning a new CRM can feel overwhelming, but Dubsado offers plenty of resources to help you get started:
- Check out their knowledge base and tutorials.
- Watch YouTube videos for step-by-step guidance.
- Consider hiring a strategist (like me!) to help you set up and optimize your account or check out my CRM Blueprint course for a DIY option with step-by-step guidance inside!
I have a mini-guide here if you are just looking for a quick and dirty to get you using Dubsado in a single day. That post includes a behind-the-scenes video to show you how I book and onboard newborn photography clients inside Dusbado.
A Final Word Making The Switch From Honeybook to Dubsado
A switch from HoneyBook to Dubsado isn’t a decision to take lightly—it’s a big investment of your time and energy. But if you’re ready for the change, Dubsado offers powerful tools to take your business to the next level.
My advice? Plan ahead, stay organized, and use the transition as an opportunity to refine your systems and elevate your client experience. And if you need help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out (hint: that’s what I’m here for!).
Follow me on Instagram and let me know if you’ve decided to make the switch—I’d love to hear how it goes!
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