Heroes of the New Economy
January 17th, 2010We are seeing a new generation of entrepreneurs that are adapting, creating new opportunities and prospering in this economy. From the one shop freelancer to large organized groups, we are witnessing a seismic shift in how technology is being applied to generate new business.
As we started hearing about how our clients were using Setster, we became inspired by their stories. A surprisingly large range of individuals and companies are growing, prospering and in some cases have created unique market segments for their services.
Since seeing and having success makes dreams believable and achievable, we thought we would share their success with others.
In this series, we’ll be highlighting business using Setster’s appointment software. In their own words, users describe how they have been able to generate success. We hope you enjoy their stories and hope it motivates and inspires you to create and prosper.
The Setster Team
http://www.setster.com/blog/2010/01/from-a-hobby-to-a-business/
http://www.setster.com/blog/2010/01/a-more-efficient-machine/
http://www.setster.com/blog/2010/01/heros-of-the-new-economy-finding-a-niche-to-bridge-the-divide/
http://www.setster.com/blog/2010/01/heros-of-the-new-economy-balancing-time/
Update in progress…
August 17th, 2010Hello Setster users,
Some of you have asked about what’s going on with the recent changes to Setster. If you didn’t know, we’re working on the 5th rendition of the software; fixing minor issues and adding a slew of new features. Yes, yes, we’re aware that we just released a features update, but we have more in the works.
Stay tuned for more…
The Setster Team
Getting the most out of online booking
August 16th, 2010Using Setster you will acquire new customers and retain existing customers while maximizing your availability and time to focus on your business. Setster will only be able to accomplish this if you are willing to engage and participate in promoting your appointment scheduling solution for your customers to use.
Just like any online customer management and marketing platform, Setster is a tool and you actually need to use it to be successful with it. Below are 5 tips that you need to do now to start engaging your existing customer base to use your online scheduling solution so you can be on your way to maximizing your availability and accessibility to your customers.
Tip #1 Put a link to your Setster URL (http://myaccount.setster.com) in your email signature line of your email client.
Tip #2 On your Blog, write a very quick blog entry that says “To all our valued customers, we now accept online appointments to make ourselves more accessible and available. Click here to schedule an appointment with us.”
Tip #3 On your FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media profiles, add an additional link to your Setster URL (http://myaccount.setster.com) with the title “Book an Appointment With Me Now”.
Tip #4 On your website, add a new graphic, banner or paragraph with a large legible font with a clear message spelling out “Book an Appointment With Me Now”. Make sure that this link or banner is a compliment to the Setster appointment button that you’ve already embedded in your website.
Tip #5 In your next newsletter, mailer or client communication (and continuing for the next 3 months), promote that you are accepting online appointments 24 hours a day and that people now have access to your availability through a very cool online scheduling tool called Setster.
Yes, it is just that easy to spread the word! And did you know that Setster customers that have actively promoted their online availability to their customers report to us an average increase of 50-100% in appointment bookings in the months that follow?
It’s not magic, it’s Setster!
Wishing you success,
The Setster Team
5 ways to use Twitter to generate appointments
August 2nd, 2010There is a lot of talk about how you can use Twitter to enhance your business. While many people look at it as a distraction, you can actually harness the power of this medium to generate new business, get more referrals, keep your current customers informed and book more appointments.
So the question is, how do you use Twitter to make you money? The key is to have some objectives in mind when starting out with Twitter. Once you have these goals and objectives in mind you are in a much better position to use Twitter effectively.
Some examples of goals are:
(a). Get people to talk about your services
(b). Get people to visit your site
(c). Be seen as an expert in your field
(d). Get people to book appointments with you
Participation is the key to success. Twitter is a community where you can communicate directly with your clients and potential clients. In order to generate a buzz, you’ll want to build your Twitter community, preferably with people who can potential bring you new business. Start by becoming active and Tweeting about subjects that are interesting to your followers. The following list are ideas that you can use to when posting.
1. Generate traffic to your website by posting a link to your website
2. Drive traffic to your blog by posting a link to your most recent blog posting
3. Get customers to talk about your services by asking them to twitter about you in an email or newsletter
4. Introduce new services and link back to your site
5. Offer specials and discounts for booking online
A few things to think about. First, don’t just post marketing messages about your services. Its’ better to be objective about your industry and come across as an expert than someone who spams their followers. Second, did you know that Google indexes Tweets? This means the more active you are on Twitter, the higher your search engine rankings become next to your non-Tweeting competitors. Third, use a service like http://bit.ly/ to shorten your URL’s when posting your links. This leaves more room for your message. Take http://yourname.setster.com and put into Bit.ly and get the short link, then use it in your Tweets so people can link directly to your appointment page.
In closing, make your customers feel special for following you. Offer them special promotions that are time sensitive. Make an appointment now http://bitly and get a free xyz with your service. Happy tweeting and best of luck making new appointments.
New Features Announcement
July 19th, 2010Dear Setster Users,
You asked for features that will improve your experience with Setster and we’ve delivered them to you.
From the very beginning, we set out to make sure that your experience and that of your users is as easy and seamless as possible. We are constantly working on ways to enhance the features while at the same time keep the service simple to use.
We’ve asked for your input and received great feedback on how we can improve. To that end, we recently added a slew of new features that will both make your schedule even easier to control and make it easier for your clients to book time with you.
How did we improve Setster?
- Keep your Calendar in Sync! Now, not only can you bring your Setster appointments into Google, you can bring your busy times over to Setster and block those times from your availability. Using Google 2-Way Sync, you both bring your Google calendar into Setster and push your Setster events into your Google calendar
- The best way to stop no shows! What’s the best way to eliminate no shows? Make your client put some skin in the game. In other words, take a deposit. Your client will be much more committed to showing up if they have money on the table. With the new Partial Deposit feature, you will see your no shows disappear You can also enforce your cancellation policy with partial deposits. Now you can decide if and how much you want to charge as a partial payment up front as the appointment is being set.
- Manage multiple locations! Do you work from multiple locations, or is your business in multiple cities? Check out the new Multi-Location feature that allows you to define locations and services that are specific to only those locations.
- Don’t get stuck with a last minute cancellation! Cancellations are one of the more frustrating tenants of a service based business. Once a time is blocked out for a client, it is costly when they do not cancel the appointment in time for you to replace it with another paying client. The Enforced Cancellation Policy feature lets you determine how far in advance a client can cancel an appointment.
- Save time and lessen your work load! Giving your clients flexibility in scheduling means giving them an easy way to cancel or reschedule an appointment. One of our newest features, Client Cancel/Reschedule lets your clients cancel or reschedule directly from the confirmation email you send them. Plus you can decide how close to the appointment time you are willing to allow a cancellation or reschedule.
- Give yourself time between appointments! Do you travel between appointments? Maybe it takes some time to set up between appointments. With the new Appointment Padding feature, you can make sure you have plenty of time to travel or prepare for your next client.
- Make the most of your web traffic by capture leads from your website! Each time a client sets an appointment, we push their information intoSalesForce.com as a new lead. Now you can record your leads directly from your website, send emails and market directly without having to duplicate your efforts.
- Teach a class or hold seminars! Do you provide group services? Our new Group Session feature allows for multiple sign -ups for your service. You can even hold a one-time event and limit the number of attendees. Remember the Partial Deposit feature? Use this in conjunction with Group Sessions for a seamless event.
Check out these new features and more by singing into your account at www.setster.com.
We are always working on enhancing the features of our service and love when we get feedback and feature requests. If you feel there is something we can do to improve, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us.
Wishing you success!
The Setster Team
New features
April 5th, 2010Our team of amazing engineers has just completed a round of feature upgrades to Setster. We are excited as these features represent the most common requests we’ve had from our clients.
Some of the new features:
- Multiple Locations
- Support for Multiple Service Providers
- Multiple Service Provider Log-in
- Group Sessions
- Partial Deposits for Service
- Client Cancel/Reschedule
- Padding Between Appointments
- Automatic Appointment Reminders
- Enforced Cancellation Policy
We hope you enjoy and keep the feature requests coming!
Add a Book Now button to Craigslist
April 5th, 2010You are doing everything you can to promote your services right? Your listed in online directories, you publish a newsletter, you even post your services on Craigslist.
Did you know that you can put a book now button directly into the Criagslist posting. Now, when readers of the listing see your add, they will see a button that directs them to your site where they can book an appointment 24 hours a day.
Whats great about using the book now button in Craigslist is that you are completing your online marketing circle. It started with creating awareness about your services. Next, enticing potential clients to use your services. Finally, use Setster to require payment or deposit for your services and you’ve made a sale.
Putting the book now button in Craigslist is simple. Go to your Setster account and select the “Get Widget” tab. Scroll down to the third widget down and click the “Get the Code for this Widget” button.
With your cursor, highlight the text inside the box and copy it.
On to Craigslist. Simply open your Criagslist account, write up your post and paste the text from Setster into the post. A book now button will be automatically placed in the posting.
Here is a posting we did on Craigslist for our book now button.
How to add Setster calendar events to Google calendar
March 28th, 2010Setster now imports your Setster Calendar into Google Calendar.
- Go to the “Availability Tab” in Setster
- Under Export calendar to: use the drop down box to choose Google
- Copy the URL provided
- Open your Google calendar.
- Under the “Other Calendars” Section, click Add
- Select “Add by URL”
- Paste the Calendar URL from Setster into the space.
- Click Add to Calendar
That’s it. You now have a Calendar that imports all your appointments automatically into Google from Setster.
Heroes of the new economy: Balancing Time
January 19th, 2010I am a Psychologist in a busy, 2-day per week private practice. The balance of the time I teach marriage and family psychology at a graduate school of theological studies.
Over the years, I have found it difficult to book my clients and balance my other work responsibilities. Some weeks I might spend 2-3 hours simply booking and rebooking clients as their schedules change. And this intrusion is often at the expense of my family or some non-vocational interests.
I Googled “online calendars” and found Setster and I have been using it for the past month with significant success. My clients appreciate not having to email and phone me to make their appointments. And I love it when I see that a booking has occurred and I have done nothing to make it happen. Plus it appeals to the “techy” in me and many of my clients.
During my time of using Setster, I enjoyed a 2-weeks vacation. While away I could watch my calendar, see who was making appointments and not have to worry about unattended emergencies. This was a real help to me.
I also very much appreciate having a listing of my clients email addresses and other info where I can easily contact them.
The price is a bargain. I hope that there will be sufficient support of this excellent and growing program to be around for the years to come. I am depending on it.
Heroes of the new economy: Finding a Niche to bridge the divide.
January 18th, 2010Babeltech started early 2009 to fill a gap in our local market – bridging the divide between traditional IT and increasingly complicated technology (TV, Stereo Systems, Cell Phones). We provide a combination of IT and Technology support, repairs and consulting helping our customers achieve more, develop a better understanding of their equipment and have a better quality of life.
As a startup business, Babeltech has found it essential to try and minimize costs such that we didn’t require the help of venture capitalists or investors and thus keep profits internally. Using a service such as Setster allows us to do this.
By using Setster to run an appointments widget on our own website, where we can direct new and existing clients to make appointments, instead of having to receive the calls ourselves. This is a fantastic change, as receiving calls whilst on a job site was always troublesome and doesn’t give the professional image nor the quality of care we want to give our customers.
Setster’s integration with our invoicing company, Freshbooks, was another revelation! By automating the invoicing process, such that appointments made with Setster and completed are turned into drafts invoices in Freshbooks, we save time. Saving time when invoicing allows us to spend more time with the clients, letting us focus more on what we do best and results in greater revenue.
As a startup business, it feels good to be supporting other expanding companies, such as Setster. I would recommend Setster to any other business out there (and I regularly do!)
James Buzzard
Head Babeltech www.babeltech.com.au
How to Sync Outlook and Setster
January 18th, 2010How to Sync Outlook and Setster
1. Open Outlook and go to the Calendar section.
2. Select your calendar and click on Publish My Calendar
With Outlook 2007, you can publish for free to calendars.office.microsoft.com. You’ll need a Live ID account. If you don’t already have one, a Live ID is useful for many other services too. To get one, start at login.live.com and click the “Sign up for an account” link.
3. If requested, sign into your Live ID account. Enter the email address and password of your Live ID account.
4. Check “Remember my password” so that Outlook can send calendar updates to the server automatically.
5. In the detail section, select Availability only. You only want to publish your free/busy times
6. In the permission section, select “Anyone can view and search for this calendar on Office Online
7. Click OK
8. You will get a notice saying your calendar has been published. Click OK to see the invitation.
9. On the invitation, there is a calendar address. Highlight and copy the text to the right of the words “webcals”.
10. Sign into your Setster account and go to the Availability Tab
11. Select MSN in the Import Calendar from source drop down menu
12. Paste the copied URL into the space provided.
13. Add “http” to the front of the URL
14. Click Save
That is it. You Outlook calendar and Setster are now synced.