The Dubsado scheduler is a powerful tool. The scheduler allows you to sync your calendar in Dubsado and set any further availability to share with your clients. From there your clients can pick and choose which dates are best to set up their time with you. You can have them fill out forms and a pay deposit all without ever leave the page on your site you embedded it on. New to Dubsado? Sign up for a free trial here.
We are excited to bring you a post specifically to help photographers book their photography mini sessions seamlessly through Dubsado. We have created a detailed outline, to do list, and video to help guide you through this process. Should you need help in this process at anytime, feel free to chat our email our team (hello@dubsado.com)
Goal
Create a scheduler template that can be shared publicly or embedded on a website to allow clients to book mini sessions. The best part of this, the entire process can be automated for you.
Before we dive in, it helps to be familiar with a few of Dubsado's features. If you need more info on it, click the link below:
Alright, we are big to do list fans over here. So here is a to do list of what you will need to make all this mini scheduler magic happen:
Scheduler template for the mini session event
Confirmation canned email
Reminder canned email
Lead capture to connect to the schedule
Contract template
Canned email to send the contract
Instructions to set it all up
1. Write out the details of the mini session event (time, location, pricing, etc...) - this will help you keep all the details consistent while making your templates.
2. Create a scheduler template. Set the appointment duration and availability (fixed date range) accordingly. In the Advanced tab, adjust the buffer times as needed.
3. Write your canned emails.
Session confirmation - will be sent immediately once the appointment is booked. Should include all important details and use appointment smart fields.
Session reminder - will be sent prior to the event at the time interval you choose. Use appointment smart fields and repeat all important details.
Send contract - will be sent via workflow after the client pays and books. Must include the contract link smart field.
4. Build your contract template. The scheduler will not set a project date so it cannot be brought over using a smart field to the contract. So if you'd like the date of the session in the contract, you will need to add it in. However, the client will see the scheduled time in email alerts and reminders.
5. Build a lead capture form. Make sure to a least include a first name, last name, and email field.
6. Create a workflow to send the contract.
7. In your workflow, add the action " send contract 0 days after invoice paid in full" and select your contract template and prepared canned email. NOTE: You can add additional actions to your workflow if desired. Just remember that 1) the workflow will start as soon as the client completes the lead capture form, before the client pays and 2) you will not be able to use project date or appointment triggers.
8. In the settings of the lead capture form you built, set the Default Workflow to the workflow you just created to send the contract.
9. Return to your scheduler template. It's time to connect everything together! Head to the Advanced tab and....
Under Sending & Sharing Options, select your custom confirmation canned email under the Confirmation Email dropdown.
Under Sending & Sharing Options, select your lead capture form under the Additional Form dropdown.
Under Additional Options, turn on the Invoice option. Add a line item for your session fee here.
Under Additional Options, turn on the Notification option. Set up your custom reminder canned email(s) here by entering the time the reminder should send, selecting the canned email and clicking Add.
10. Test it out and embed your scheduler on your site. NOTE FOR TESTING: You can create a discount code for 100% off and enable this in your scheduler template for testing purposes! Applying the discount code to the scheduler invoice will allow you to make the appointment without processing payment. However, if you want to test "after invoice paid in full" triggers in the workflow, you'll beed to manually remove the discount from the invoice and apply a test payment.
Say you wanna take it to the next level...
Want to cut down on the emails sent to your client? Change the send contract action in the workflow to "send contract immediately after all previous actions complete" AND change the send option to APPLY TO PORTAL. This will add the contract to the project as soon as the client submit their lead capture form. You can now add the contract link smart field to your scheduler confirmation email.
Take advantage of the project statuses and tags.
Add a follow up workflow. We don't want any actions in the follow up accidentally triggering for clients who did not pay, so put all followups in a separate workflow. Trigger the follow up workflow from the booking workflow using the Start a Workflow action.
Tips
Keep it simple. Mini sessions will generally have a lower price point, so if you can, keep it all in one payment. You will find this much easier to set up if you are not trying to use a payment schedule.
You can re-use the same schedule and workflow template for a future event. Remember to carefully check your workflow and contract for any fixed dates and set up new availability in the scheduler.
Remember the a project will be generated as soon as the lead capture is submitted. However, the appointment is only made if the client completes their payment at the same time when they selected the appointment time slot. One benefit here is that you'll be able to catch potential clients who did not complete booking and manually reach out. If still interested, they will need to re-start the scheduling process. So after following up, archive the project form their incomplete booking.
If you would like to add more to your workflow, be mindful of the actions that could accidentally send to someone who did not complete the booking process with payment.
