Adding an online booking system was one of the best decisions I made for my practice – even though I resisted it for a long time.
I worried about double bookings, back-to-back meetings, and losing control of my calendar.
None of those fears materialized.
Instead, I gained hours of productivity each week and dramatically improved my client experience.
Here are the critical settings that made it work:
Setting #1: Calendar Integration
Your booking system must sync with all your calendars – work, personal, and yes, even your “joy” calendar (what, you don’t have a Joy calendar like I do?!).
This comprehensive integration prevents double booking and ensures your true availability is reflected.
Despite my initial fears, I’ve never experienced a double booking in seven years of using this setup.
Setting #2: Buffer Times
Set mandatory gaps between meetings to avoid back-to-back scheduling.
These buffers allow for meetings that run a few minutes over, bio breaks, and mental reset time.
I recommend at least 10 minutes between standard meetings and 20 minutes between intensive sessions.
Setting #3: Duration Display
Enable visible meeting durations on your booking page.
When clients see that they’re scheduling a 20-minute consultation, they’ll often self-regulate and keep conversations focused.
This transparency improves meeting efficiency and reduces awkward cutoffs.
Setting #4: Reminder System
Implement both email and text reminders.
Send an immediate confirmation, a 24-hour email reminder, and a day-of text reminder.
This system reduced my consultation no-show rate from 35% to 10%, saving hours of wasted time.
Setting #5: Email Integration
Connect your booking system to your email marketing platform.
While opting-in should be optional, most leads will subscribe when you demonstrate value.
This integration creates a nurture pathway for prospects who aren’t ready to commit immediately and well as keeps your business top of mind for future referrals.
Don’t wait as long as I did to implement online booking. Start with these settings, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
