Online Bookings

Online booking software can be used to simplify the scheduling of appointments, estimates, onboarding meetings, and more. There is an online software tool called "Calendly" (available at calendly.com) which allows you to do this for free. The user is given a virtual calendar for which they can set their available times and days; share the calendar via a link or a page on their website, and even set up paid bookings. The best part? All of this can be done for free with no technical expertise.

Please note that this article does not contain any affiliate links and is not a paid advertisement , but genuine advice from dealing with online bookings in my own businesses and those of my clients as a web developer and business consultant.

What will you learn in this article?


  • Setting up online booking with Calendly

    There are many options for online booking that meet different requirements. Calendly is free online software that enables clients or customers to book an appointment on an interactive calendar. As a user, you can set your available times, view booked appointments, and send reminders and invitations. There is even an option for generating meeting links with Google Meet, as well as other online video conference services. This calendar can be embeded on your website or viewed at a specific link, e.g. "calendly.com/your-business-name".

  • Create paid bookings with Calendly

    If you have already set up an online payment system for your business - learn how to do that in my article "Online Payments with Stripe" - you can offer customers a way to reserve your time by paying online. This is great for a wide range of traditional and online businesses, from life coaches, to IT Consultants, and even barbershops.



Using Calendly to Simplify Appointment Booking

Calendly is a scheduling tool that streamlines appointment booking for businesses, whether in-person or virtual, creating a professional and hassle-free experience for customers.

Step-by-step guide to setting up Calendly:

  • - Create a Calendly account. Sign up at calendly.com and choose a plan that fits your needs (free and paid options available).


  • Set up your availability.

    • - Go to the “Event Types” section and create a new event (e.g., “Consultation Call” or “On-site Estimate”).
    • - Set your availability by specifying dates, times, and durations for appointments.



  • Customize your booking page.

    • - Add details such as a description of the service, location (e.g., Zoom or in-person), and buffer times between meetings.
    • - Enable reminders to ensure clients don’t miss their appointments.



  • Share your Calendly link.

    • - Copy your unique scheduling link and include it in emails, social media, or on your website.
    • - For a seamless user experience, embed your Calendly page directly into your site using their provided HTML snippet.


Pro Tip: Calendly integrates with popular calendar apps like Google Calendar and Outlook to automatically sync bookings with your schedule.




Integrating Stripe with Calendly to Enable Paid Bookings

Combining Stripe and Calendly allows businesses to collect payments when clients book appointments, improving cash flow and simplifying the customer experience. Click here to learn how to set up Stripe for accepting payments and sending invoices online, if you haven't already.

Step-by-step guide to integrating Stripe with Calendly:

  • Connect Stripe to Calendly.

    • - Log in to Calendly, navigate to “Integrations,” and select Stripe.
    • - Follow the prompts to link your Stripe account.



  • Enable paid events.

    • - Create a new event type or edit an existing one.
    • - Under “Payment Settings,” toggle the option to require payment at booking.



  • Set pricing for appointments.

    • - Enter the price for the service (e.g., $30 for a basic haircut or $100 for an IT consultation).
    • - Customize the payment terms, such as refunds or deposits.



  • Test the workflow.

    • - Book a test appointment as a client to ensure the process works smoothly from booking to payment.



  • Promote your paid booking system.

    • - Share your Calendly link with integrated payment options through emails, social media, or embed it on your website.


Pro Tip: Use Calendly’s reporting tools to track revenue from appointments and identify your most popular services.


Final Thoughts

Modernizing your business with tools like Stripe and Calendly can make day-to-day operations smoother and increase cash flow. If you have questions, feel free to contact me at ben@palaskasconsulting.com or call 805-886-9173.