Appointment scheduling – it’s not just
for your doctor
Appointment scheduling has come up a couple of times in the last week with my one-on-one clients. And I thought it would be a good idea to share some things with you I shared with them.
If you’re already time-blocking, appointment scheduling will be real simple for you.
And if you are, you can skip this whole tip and save yourself some time.
But the main thing I want to share is to make sure you’re the one in charge of your schedule. Not the people you’re making appointments with.
Think about “the professionals”. Doctors, lawyers, CPA’s, etc. Now, I’d like you to put yourself in that category, too. Because claiming professional status is probably the single biggest obstacle for small business owners and entrepreneurs. I know you’re not calling up your doctor’s office and saying, “Hey, I need to see Dr. Smith. How about Sunday? And hmm…10:30 works for me, so I’ll see you then.” Right? No, what’s more likely is you’ll say, “I need to see Dr. Smith.” And an office manager (or receptionist) will say, “Alright. How about next Tuesday at 8, Friday at 1, or the following week on Thursday at 10?” Then, you choose.
So, that’s what I’m challenging you to do as well. Because you ARE a professional. And as a professional, you need to be in charge of your time. Speaking of that, here’s a couple of things about the timing of appointments.
Think about the length of your typical appointments.
And do you talk with clients or customers more by phone? Or face-to-face? Also, make sure you allow enough padding around your appointments. That extra time to be sure you have time to get to your next one. And properly prepare and to sum up the appointment you just had with some valuable notes for later. Be sure to write down what’s supposed to happen next and schedule any necessary follow-up. When you do it right away, there’s no chance of forgetting.
Here’s a “secret” little tip. Why do appointments always have to be an hour? Well, they don’t. Consider taking the psychologist approach and make your hour appointments be 50 minutes. Or even 45. Then, when they’re done, your padding will be built in already.
Two things happen when you adopt this professional approach to appointment scheduling. One, you establish yourself as a professional whose time is valuable. And two, you’ll have guidelines to follow until they’re second nature. Of course, there are always exceptions. But you can just deal with those exceptions differently when the time comes.
By the way…my RondaReady online business coach CRM system includes all the tools you’ll need to set up appointments. And so much more. But be warned. It only works for go-getters. If that’s not you, save your money. And if it IS you, I’m totally confident you’ll love how much this proven system can help you get ready, and…
Stay Ready,
Ronda
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