Why 17hats Tags Are the Key to Smarter Systems

Running a small business can sometimes feel like herding cats — every client, project, and task pulling you in a different direction. That’s why I love using tags inside 17hats.

At first glance, tags look like simple labels. But when used intentionally, they become one of the most powerful ways to keep your business organized and give you the clarity you need to move forward.

Contact Tags vs. Project Tags

Tags in 17hats come in two forms — and knowing the difference is key:

• Contact Tags travel with the person. They’re ideal for identifying what kind of client they are (“VIP,” “Past Client,” “Newsletter Only”) or for grouping contacts you want to communicate with in a specific way.
• Project Tags stick to the work. They’re tied to the specific service or job someone has booked, such as “Wedding 2025,” “Mini Session,” or “Coaching Package.” They help you see what kind of work is happening and where each project stands.

Together, contact and project tags give you context at a glance – who someone is to you, and what you’re currently working on together.

Why Tags Matter

1. Organization at a Glance Tags let you cut through the clutter and zero in on exactly what you need. Instead of scrolling through endless lists, you can filter to see only “Mini Sessions,” “Coaching Clients,” or “VIPs.”

2. Smarter Follow-Ups Tags make it easier to stay in touch with intention. For example, you might tag past clients so you can easily find them when you’re offering a loyalty discount, or create a tag for mini session clients to reach out when you’re opening new dates.

3. Clearer Visibility Into Your Workload When projects are tagged consistently, you can instantly see how much of each type of work you’ve booked. It’s a quick way to check if your calendar is balanced or if you’re leaning too heavily on one service area.

4. Foundation for Pipelines This is the part many people miss – tags aren’t just about sorting and filtering. They’re also the backbone of pipelines in 17hats. Pipelines are what let you visually track where clients or projects are in your process. And the way 17hats knows where to place them? Through the tags you’ve applied.

We’ll dive deeper into pipelines in another post, but for now, remember this – consistent tagging today makes pipelines work beautifully tomorrow.

A Few Smart Ways to Use Tags

Here are some everyday examples of tags in action:

• A photographer tags projects by session type – “Wedding,” “Mini Session,” “Headshots” – making it easy to see how many of each she’s booked this year.
• A coach uses contact tags like “VIP Client” or “Group Program 2024” to quickly segment clients for the right updates or invitations.
• A designer applies project tags such as “In Progress,” “On Hold,” or “Completed” so she can get an instant sense of project status without digging into details.

Pro Tip: Keep a Tag Spreadsheet

Here’s where things can go off the rails – without a plan, tags can pile up fast. You might start with a few, but before long you’re staring at a list of 50+ tags, many of which overlap or don’t make sense anymore.

To avoid that, I recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet that tracks:

• The name of each tag
• Whether it’s for contacts or projects
• Its purpose (what you use it for)
• Any related notes (like “used in mini session workflow”)

This one step helps you stay consistent, prevents duplicate or unnecessary tags, and keeps your 17hats system clean and easy to manage long term.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Creating too many tags. Focus on the ones that give you real insight or make follow-up easier.
• Inconsistent naming. Decide upfront if it’s “VIP Client” or “VIP,” “Mini Session” or “Mini.” Then stick with it.
• Skipping documentation. Without that spreadsheet, it’s easy to lose track and end up with clutter.

Final Thought

Tags may be small, but they’re mighty. They bring order to your contacts, clarity to your projects, and they lay the foundation for the pipelines that keep your business moving forward.

Start simple, stay consistent, and document your system as you go. A little intention now will pay off in a smoother, smarter business tomorrow.

Want to be sure your 17hats system is built on a strong foundation? A 17hats Audit may be just what you need to make sure your tags (and everything else) are working for you. You can set up a Free Discovery Call to chat about whether a 17hats Audit or one of my other services might be the right fit for you. Schedule Here.

You might also like…

• Say Hello to Organization and Goodbye to Chaos with 17hats
• Master Your CRM System Setup with this Must-Do Prep Work
• Small Business Success: Crafting Business Processes that Work

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Deb Mitzel is Your 17hats Guide—an experienced Small Business Operations Consultant and Coach, as well as a 17hats Implementation Specialist. With a passion for empowering small business owners, Deb specializes in helping clients reclaim their time so they can focus on building businesses that support their personal and professional dreams. Deb believes in creating an Integrated Life—a harmony where your business and personal life work together to serve you best. She knows that with the right systems, strategies, and a little guidance, you can build a business that is a blessing, not a burden. If you’re ready to simplify your processes and maximize your impact with 17hats or other tailored strategies, Deb offers a Free Discovery Call to explore how she can help. Click below to schedule your call and take the first step toward turning your vision into reality.

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