Are you still going back and forth in emails or DMs trying to schedule appointments? Or maybe you're paying for a separate booking service without realizing you already have one built into your AttractWell or GetOiling subscription!
This week, after helping several clients troubleshoot and streamline their booking systems, I wanted to share just how much you can automate and customize with tools you already have. From managing your availability and sending reminders to collecting client information and recording meetings, these features can save you time, simplify your business, and create a more professional experience for your clients.
Are you making it harder than it needs to be for someone to book time with you? If you're a business owner who offers consultations, coaching calls, appointments, or one-on-one services, chances are you've spent time going back and forth with someone trying to find a date and time that works.
You know the routine.
"Are you available Tuesday?"
"No, but I could do Thursday."
"Thursday doesn't work. What about next week?"
Before you know it, you've exchanged six messages just to get something on the calendar.
There's a better way and if you're already using AttractWell or GetOiling, you may have everything you need sitting right inside your back office.
Are You Paying for Something You Already Have?
You may already be familiar with scheduling services like Calendly or Acuity Scheduling. These platforms make it easy for someone to view your availability and book an appointment without all the back-and-forth communication. But here's something I want you to consider...
If you're already paying for AttractWell or GetOiling, are you utilizing the booking features included with your subscription?
If not, dare I say it? You might be working harder, not smarter!
And if you're paying for another scheduling service when your existing platform can accomplish what you need, you may also be spending money unnecessarily. I'm not suggesting everyone needs to cancel their current scheduling software. There may be specific features or integrations your business requires. But before adding another subscription to your monthly expenses, I encourage you to explore what you already have.
You might be surprised at just how much you can do!
Why I'm Talking About Booking Systems This Week
This topic actually came out of several client conversations and projects I've been working on recently. Earlier this week, I helped a client troubleshoot booking links that weren't working properly.
During one of our Elevate Work Sessions, I helped another business owner figure out why her booking system wasn't functioning as expected.
I'm also working with a new client who hasn't set up her booking system yet, and another client who's transitioning from a WordPress website with a third-party scheduling service. For that client, we're going to be able to bring her booking process into the same platform she's using for her website and other business tools.
Four different situations, but one common theme. Your booking system should be making your life easier, not creating more work and if you already have access to these features, why not take advantage of them?
Make Your Booking Experience Your Own
One of the things I appreciate about the booking features inside AttractWell and GetOiling is how much you can customize.
This isn't just a generic calendar where someone selects a date and time. You can actually create a booking experience that reflects your business, supports your schedule, and prepares your clients for their time with you. Let's look at some of the features.
1. Customize the Look and Feel of Your Booking Page
Your booking page is an extension of your business, so why shouldn't it reflect your branding?
You can personalize details such as:
- Fonts and colors to coordinate with your brand.
- The name and description of your booking service.
- The information someone sees before scheduling.
- Different booking types for different services.
For example, you might offer a free 20-minute consultation, a 60-minute coaching session, and a paid strategy call. Each can have its own description so people understand exactly what they're scheduling. And when someone clicks that booking button on your website, the experience feels intentional and professional.
2. Offer Virtual or In-Person Appointments
Not every business operates the same way, and your booking system should accommodate that.
If you offer virtual appointments, you can configure your bookings to use Zoom. Depending on how you want to conduct your meetings, you can use a newly generated Zoom meeting link or a recurring meeting link. And here's something else worth mentioning!
AttractWell and GetOiling subscriptions include access to Zoom meeting capabilities without the standard 40-minute free-meeting time limit.
That means you can schedule longer coaching calls, consultations, or strategy sessions without worrying about your meeting automatically ending at 40 minutes. There are still participant limits and account-specific settings to consider, but for many business owners offering one-on-one services, this is another valuable feature already included in their subscription.
Prefer to meet in person? You can create booking options for in-person consultations or appointments, too. This is especially helpful for businesses that offer a combination of virtual and local services.
3. Connect Your Calendars and Protect Your Availability
This might be one of my favorite features because it gives you so much more control over your time. You can connect your calendars and configure your booking system to check for conflicts before displaying available appointment times.
For example, if you have an appointment on your Google Calendar that's marked as busy, your booking system can account for that time and if you need an entire day off? Block it on the connected calendar your booking system checks.
- Vacation? Mark yourself unavailable.
- Sick day? Block your calendar.
- Something unexpected comes up? Update your availability.
You don't have to manually communicate every change to everyone who might want to schedule with you.
One important reminder: Your calendar needs to be accurate for this to work properly. If you aren't keeping your appointments, tasks, and other commitments updated, your booking system can't magically know when you're unavailable. A little diligence on your part makes automation much more effective.
4. Establish Boundaries Around Your Schedule
Just because someone wants to book time with you doesn't mean you need to be available at a moment's notice.
You can customize settings such as:
- Which days and hours you're available.
- How far in advance someone can schedule.
- The minimum notice required before booking.
- Buffer time before and after appointments.
- How many appointments can be scheduled in one day.
Here's a personal example.
I require at least eight hours' notice before someone can book a call with me.
Why? Because I don't want to wake up on Tuesday morning and discover someone has scheduled a call for Tuesday afternoon.
My workdays are already pretty structured, and I plan my time around client projects, business responsibilities, and family commitments. Last-minute appointments just don't work well for me. But maybe they work perfectly for you!
That's the beauty of being able to customize your scheduling preferences. You get to establish what works for your business and your life. And those buffer times? They're helpful if you need a few minutes to prepare before a meeting, review notes, grab a drink, or finish documenting your previous appointment.
5. Create Different Booking Types and Call Packages
If you offer multiple services, you don't have to manage everything through one generic appointment link. You can create different booking options based on the services you provide.
For example:
- A free introductory consultation.
- A paid one-on-one strategy session.
- A client project review.
- An ongoing coaching session.
- A package that includes multiple calls.
This is especially helpful for coaches, consultants, and service providers who sell programs that include several appointments.
Rather than coordinating each session manually, you can structure the booking experience around the service someone has purchased and because your booking types are saved inside your back office, you have a central place to manage them.
6. Ask Questions Before Someone Books (And Keep the Answers Organized!)
Here's a feature I think more business owners should be using! You can include questions as part of the booking process.
Why is this helpful? Because it gives you an opportunity to gather important information before someone ever gets on a call with you.
Let's say you're offering a website consultation. Instead of spending the first 15 minutes asking what platform someone uses, what their website address is, or what they're hoping to accomplish, you can collect some of that information ahead of time. That allows you to review their answers, do a little preparation, and make better use of your time together.
And here's what makes this even better: Their answers are attached to their contact card inside your back office!
So you're not searching through emails, text messages, or handwritten notes trying to remember what someone shared with you. You can refer back to their information as you continue building that relationship.
Whether they're an existing client, a potential customer, or a new lead, having those details organized in one place helps you keep track of your interactions. The questions you ask will depend on the type of service you're providing. Just remember to keep them relevant. You don't want someone to feel like they're completing a lengthy application just to book a quick conversation!
7. Automate Confirmation Emails, Reminders, and Follow-Ups
Booking the appointment is only the beginning. You can also use automated communications to help your clients feel prepared and informed.
For example, you might send:
A booking confirmation: Let them know their appointment is scheduled and provide the details they need.
A reminder before the appointment: Help them remember their scheduled time and where to join.
Preparation instructions: If they need to complete a questionnaire, gather documents, or bring something specific to your session, communicate that ahead of time.
A follow-up email: Thank them for their time, share helpful resources, or provide next steps after your meeting.
Think about how much time you could save by not having to manually send these messages for every appointment and think about the experience you're creating for your client. They know what to expect, how to prepare, and what happens next. That's a win for everyone.
8. Give Clients the Flexibility to Reschedule or Cancel
Life happens. Appointments need to be moved, schedules change, and unexpected situations come up. You can establish cancellation and rescheduling windows that work for your business. For example, you might allow someone to reschedule up to 24 hours before their appointment.
That gives your clients some flexibility while still protecting your schedule and instead of someone having to message you and ask to move their appointment, they can manage their booking within the guidelines you've established.
9. Make It Easy to Add Appointments to a Digital Calendar
Once someone books, they can add the appointment to a compatible digital calendar, such as Google Calendar or Apple Calendar.
That means they don't have to manually enter the date, time, and meeting information.
And depending on their calendar settings, they may receive additional reminders as the appointment approaches. It's a small convenience, but those little details contribute to a better customer experience.
10. Record Your Meetings and Keep Your Notes in One Place
Here's another feature I think is incredibly valuable, especially if you offer coaching, consulting, or other one-on-one services.
With the Zoom functionality available through AttractWell and GetOiling, you can configure your virtual meetings to record automatically. When recording is enabled, Zoom provides a recording notification to participants.
And after your meeting, the transcription can be accessed through your back office. Think about how helpful that can be! Instead of trying to remember every detail from your conversation, you have a transcript you can reference afterward.
You can use that information to:
- Summarize what you discussed.
- Identify action items and next steps.
- Create a project outline.
- Prepare a follow-up email.
- Review important details you don't want to forget.
And remember those questions someone answered when they booked their appointment? Those answers are already attached to their contact card. So now you're bringing together the information they shared before the meeting with the details from your actual conversation.
That's more than scheduling. That's creating a better system for managing your client relationships.
Just be sure you're respecting your clients' privacy and obtaining any necessary consent when recording meetings.
But Here's the Catch: Your Booking System Has to Work!
Remember those clients I mentioned earlier? They had booking options, but something wasn't functioning correctly and this is exactly why I've been encouraging business owners to regularly audit their websites and back-office systems.
Just because you set something up doesn't mean it's still working the way you intended.
Technology changes. Settings get adjusted. Calendar connections can stop working. Links can break and sometimes you don't realize something is wrong until someone tells you they can't book an appointment.
But what about the people who don't tell you?
What about the potential customer who clicks your booking button, sees no availability, and simply moves on? That's an opportunity you may never even know you missed.
Give Your Booking Process a Quick Audit
Here's a little homework for you this week.
- Visit your website as a potential customer. Find every button or link that invites someone to book an appointment.
- Click each booking link. Does it take you to the correct booking option?
- Check your availability. Are the correct dates and times appearing?
- Review your calendar connections. Make sure the correct calendars are connected and being checked for conflicts.
- Review your scheduling restrictions. Are your buffer times, minimum notice, and daily appointment limits set correctly?
- Test the booking process. Make a test appointment and confirm that it appears on the appropriate calendar.
- Review your communications. Are confirmations, reminders, and follow-up messages working as intended?
- Check your other links. Don't forget the booking links in your emails, social media profiles, automated campaigns, and other marketing materials.
And if you haven't established a booking system yet, maybe this is the week to finally get it done!
You Don't Have to Figure It Out Alone
Here's something else I want my fellow AttractWell and GetOiling users to know. The platform provides a booking setup worksheet to help you work through the process.
There is also a dedicated work session where the first 30 minutes are spent walking through the booking features and helping you get started with building your system.
So if you've been putting this off because you're not sure how to set everything up, take advantage of those resources!
And of course, you're always welcome to join me inside one of our Elevate Work Sessions. We meet virtually on Fridays at noon Central to work on our businesses, troubleshoot tech, and make progress on the projects that keep getting pushed to the back burner.
Bring your questions, your laptop, and whatever you're working on.
Work Smarter With the Tools You Already Have
If you've been following along with my recent blogs, you've probably noticed a common theme. I'm a big believer in making better use of the tools and resources we already have.
Sometimes we're so focused on finding the next solution that we overlook the features sitting right in front of us and sometimes simplifying your business doesn't require purchasing something new.
It requires taking a closer look at what you've already built.
Your booking system is a great example. It can help you save time, establish boundaries, create a more professional experience, and make it easier for someone to take the next step in working with you.
So whether you're setting up your booking system for the first time or giving an existing one a much-needed audit, I hope you'll carve out a little time to work on it this week. Because your website should make it easier for someone to work with you, not harder.
Not Sure What Else Needs Attention on Your Website?
If this has you wondering what other parts of your website or back office could use a little attention, I have a great place for you to start.
Download my FREE DIY Website Audit to walk through your website and identify opportunities to improve your visitor experience, clean up outdated information, and make sure everything is working the way it should.
And as a thank-you for downloading the guide, you'll receive a coupon code for 50% off a Personalized Website Audit if you'd like me to take a closer look and provide specific recommendations for your business.
Remember, the goal isn't to have more tools. It's to make the tools you already have work better for you.
Let's simplify it, build it, and brandify it!
— Brandi
AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:
I’m a proud affiliate for some of these tools and products that are suggested on this page and throughout my site. Meaning if you click on a product and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. My recommendations are based on knowledge and experience and I recommend them because they are genuinely useful and helpful, not because of the small commission that I may receive.
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