Book Them and Book it (to the Beach)

Issue 01: May 28, 2024

It’s a harsh truth.

Getting scheduled for a discovery call, work session, or a coffee/tea chat at a time or date when unavailable is awful.

Like medical or dental appointments, networking events, or taking a day (or week) off to get away from your desk.

Not only is it embarrassing as it reflects poorly on your brand and professional reputation, but it's also time-consuming.

You know, playing email tag, sending messages back and forth. Trying to reschedule, if possible.

Taking both parties out of their zone of genius, groove, or flow state, if you will. Away from the work they want to be doing.

Thankfully, this is easily avoided by being proactive, combined with using appointment scheduling software:

By clicking on the link to add to calendar in the confirmation email for your appointment/event;

Downloading and importing/uploading the ICS (iCalendar) file received via email into your calendar app (i.e. Google Calendar, Outlook)

If using an app/website such as meetup, eventbrite, posh, or luma, select Add to Calendar;

Absent any of the above or in a pinch, creating the event manually in the calendar.

A calendar app integrated with appointment scheduling software removes the time from being available.

Or, solve the problem from the other side of the calendar app/appointment scheduling software tandem:

Go into the scheduling software and set unavailable dates.

I've listed the steps for TidyCal here, as it's what I use, but any good appointment scheduling software has this capability:

1.??? Select edit on the booking type.

2.??? Put a check in Add unavailable dates.

3.??? Select the date and then add the hours, which will match the hours available on a day that can be booked.

4.??? Then, duplicate the event and edit the date for a multi-day event (if applicable).

Once all unavailable dates are selected, then select Update booking type.