Your first week with a booking link: a simple checklist

A booking link only helps if people use it. This checklist gets you started in a week.

Day 1: check it works

Open your link on your own phone. Book a pretend appointment. Make sure the services, prices and times look right and that you can see it in your calendar.

Day 2: put it everywhere

• Your Instagram bio and your WhatsApp profile.
• Your Facebook page and Google Business Profile.
• Your email signature and business cards.

Day 3: tell your regulars

Send a short, friendly message: "I now take bookings online. Here is my link if you would like to grab your next appointment." Do not make them feel forced.

Day 4: change how you reply

When someone asks "are you free Saturday?", reply with the link instead of a list of times. After a few weeks, people start doing it themselves.

Day 5: set your rules

Check your opening hours, the gap between appointments and how far ahead people can book. Block off any holidays.

Day 6: add a reminder habit

Choose when you will send reminders, such as the evening before. Consistency is what cuts no-shows.

Day 7: review

See who booked through the link and who still messaged. Ask a couple of clients if anything was confusing, and fix it.

What to expect

Some clients will adopt it straight away and some will keep messaging. That is normal. Be patient and keep gently pointing them to the link.

The takeaway

A week of small steps turns a link into a habit. Bookable gives you the link, the calendar and the reminder messages, free for 7 days.

Keep reading

• How to price your services and show how long they take
• Client notes: what to keep and what to leave out
• How to get clients to rebook before they leave