As my business starting growing, it became very clear, very quickly that I needed something more than pen and paper. I was starting to make mistakes, double book myself, and knew if I continued on the path I was, my client experience was going to suffer. I knew the answer was online scheduling, but I was so resistant at first. It felt like too much work, and again, I love pen and paper. But I finally took the plunge with Calendly online scheduling software about two years ago and haven’t looked back. My only regret? Taking so long to set it up!

I am not exaggerating when I say Calendly completely revolutionized my business. 

 

I run a full-service luxury business that is also high volume with an average of 180 sessions a year. I have several touchpoints with clients between consult calls, wardrobe and planning meetings, the session itself, ordering appointments and installs. Simply put, I need a system that can handle a lot and allow me to customize, all while being both user-friendly and simple for my clients.

4 Reasons You Should Be Using Calendly in Your Photography Business

Eliminates Mistakes

The truth is, if you’re relying solely on memory and pen and paper, you will make mistakes. Having an online system that not only allows you to schedule easily but notifies you of appointments AND cross-checks with other calendars so you do not double-book is 100% necessary.

Your Calendly calendar will also sync with your personal Google calendar. As a momma, this has been key to balancing my kids’ schedule and my work schedule.

No More Back and Forth Via Email

As newborn and family photographers, we are serving busy mommas. Our clients value their time and do not have time for back-and-forth email chains, nor do we. The more streamlined and efficient you can make it, the easier it will be to convert them in the inquiry process. Trust me, if it’s hard to become your client, no one will.

Allows Clients to Self Manage

Life happens. Sometimes people will need to reschedule. In the confirmation email your client receives, they can choose to reschedule if something comes up. This not only eliminates more back and forth but reduces the number of no-shows you have. This is GOLD, especially when you are running a full-service business with so many different types of client appointments and sessions.

Sets the Expectations

Calendly also allows you to set those expectations and boundaries from the beginning. The times given to your clients are the times you are available. It removes you from the equation and the urge to sacrifice personal time to accommodate schedules. Sure, it will happen from time to time but it doesn’t need to be the norm or how you operate your photography business.

You have to respect your time if you want your clients to respect your time. And from personal experience, I’ve found this to be a lot easier with the use of an online scheduler like Calendly!

A lot of the reason I avoided Calendly (or any online scheduling system) was because I felt overwhelmed trying to set it up. It’s a lot of work. But trust me when I say it’s 100% worth it. It will not only save you a lot of time and stress in the long run, but it truly does make the scheduling aspect of your client experience a lot easier for your clients. It doesn’t make the service you’re providing any less personal, it just makes it more efficient for you and your client.