Online booking lets customers pick a time without a phone call, and reminders help them turn up. Here is how to set it up in an afternoon.
1. List your services and rules
Write down each service, how long it takes, its price, and any gap you need between appointments. Decide your working hours, how far ahead people can book, and your cancellation policy. Every booking tool asks for these.
2. Choose a booking tool
Free ways to start
- Setmore. The free plan covers up to 4 users, with unlimited appointments, a booking page, email reminders and payments.
- Square Appointments. The UK Free plan costs £0 for a single location, and includes text and email reminders and prepayments. Card fees apply when customers pay.
- Calendly. The free plan gives you one event type and one calendar connection, which suits consultations and calls.
Paid tools built for salons and clinics
Fresha lists its Independent plan at $19.95 a month and Team at $14.95 per bookable team member a month, each with a 7 day trial. New clients who find you through the Fresha marketplace carry a one time 20% commission (minimum $6). Returning clients and bookings through your own links do not.
3. Turn on reminders
Reminders are the simplest way to reduce no shows. Setmore's free plan sends email reminders, and Setmore Pro adds text reminders with 500 credits a month per Pro member. Fresha plans include 100 free messages. Square Appointments includes text and email reminders on its Free plan.
4. Decide on deposits and cancellation fees
Fresha lists no show and cancellation fees. Square Appointments includes prepayments on every plan, and lets you set a cancellation policy that charges the card on file for a no show or late cancellation. Put the policy on your booking page so customers see it before they book.
5. Add Book Now buttons
Share your booking link everywhere customers find you. Square Appointments lists Book Now buttons for Instagram, Facebook and Google. Add the link to your website, email signature and messages too.
6. Test it like a customer
Book, move and cancel a test appointment on your phone. Check the confirmation and reminder messages read well, then go live.
Comparing tools? See Calendly vs Setmore and Fresha vs Vagaro.
Questions
What is the best free online booking tool?
Setmore's free plan covers up to 4 users with unlimited appointments and email reminders. Square Appointments is free for a single location in the UK, and Calendly's free plan suits a single type of meeting.
How do I reduce no shows?
Turn on text or email reminders and set a clear cancellation policy. Tools such as Fresha and Square Appointments also support cancellation fees or prepayments.
Does Fresha charge commission?
Fresha lists a one time 20% commission (minimum $6) on new clients who book through its marketplace. Returning clients and bookings through your own links do not carry that commission.
Pick your trade and problem and see 3 to 5 tools with checked prices.
Sources
Prices. They change often, so confirm on the official site. We are not affiliated with any company mentioned. How we rank.
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