caitlin elizabeth photography | post-it note organization system | eastern shore portrait photographer

during my move to the eastern shore, things got a little crazy.

i was trying to keep my clients back across the bay happy

plus working on starting my business on the shore.

i had a terrible time keeping up with where i was with which client

in the editing/proofing/ordering/shipping process

while still doing all of the 'business-y' things.

i've heard of many photographers using a spreadsheet to keep up with their to-dos

so i tried it!

keep in mind: i was an english major. 

numbers are not my friend.

and i still use my fingers to add/subtract small numbers.

so spreadsheets terrify me :)

(because i associate them with math)

despite my affinity for paragraphs instead of excel cells, 

i was pleasantly surprised by how well the spreadsheet worked 

for keeping up with client information!

but it fell short when it came to my 'business to-do's

so i had to figure something else out.

i use to keep lists. everywhere. about everything.

any scrap of paper i could find would have some sort of list on it:

grocery list

things to pack on my next trip list

upcoming meetings list

favorite quotes list

running tally of the number of times my history professor said 'umm'

...

you get the picture.

but i would lose them.

so keeping a 'business to-do' list was out of the question.

i needed something that was tangible, easily accessible, 

and worked for me.

enter: office supplies.

i <3 office supplies.

especially post-it notes.

the little ones?! GAH!

i am ALWAYS at my computer. i probably spend 10x as much time

in front of the computer as i do behind the camera

(sad, but true)

but that's what makes this system WORK.

each post-it has a 'business task' that needs to be done

most of them have blog ideas that i'll use as

'filler post' when i don't have a session to blog!

but they're also things like 'pay taxes' 'website design' 'new proofing site'

read 'sales without shame' 'order strap' etc.

since i'm always at my desk, i see these little reminders constantly!

i get so much satisfaction throwing them away as they're done :)

head on over to the CEP facebook page for a preview of last night's session

with an eastern shore beauty - and i need you to weigh in on which edit you

prefer of the image (black and white, or color!!)