4 Steps to Book Virtual Consultations That Impress Clients
Ever had a client miss their virtual consultation or struggled with a last-minute tech glitch? Virtual consultations are a powerful way to connect with clients across industries—from telehealth and coaching to tutoring and business consulting. Even beauty professionals like tattoo artists benefit from virtual consultations as a first step to assessing client needs before in-person services.
But without the right approach, scheduling mishaps, no-shows, and technical hiccups can create roadblocks that turn the convenience of meeting online into frustration.
Acuity Scheduling takes the guesswork out of virtual appointment scheduling, making it easy for professionals to connect with clients without logistical headaches. Follow these steps to ensure your virtual consultations run seamlessly from start to finish, so you can represent your business in the best light.
Step 1: Setting up your virtual consultation workflow
Before you can meet clients virtually, you need the right setup. Here’s how to provide a stress-free experience from the very start:
Create an online booking page
An on-brand, online booking page captures client interest and ensures they can easily self-schedule their virtual consultation. Whether you create a standalone page for scheduling or integrate your booking experience into your website, this is your opportunity to share your availability and showcase your offered services. Plus, outline important details like your cancellation policy without adding work to your day.
Customize appointment types
Not all virtual consultations are the same. You might offer free introductory sessions, paid deep-dive consultations, or other appointments that vary in duration and price. Set up dedicated appointment types with structured agendas to help manage expectations and keep your schedule organized.
For businesses offering a combination of virtual and in-person services, it’s even more critical to clearly distinguish between appointment types. Clients should be able to easily choose between virtual and in-person sessions based on their preferences and needs.
With Acuity, you can create as many appointment types as you need and group them into categories, making it simple for clients to find the right option. You also benefit from advanced calendar settings like appointment padding to prevent back-to-back fatigue.
Choose the right video conferencing tool
Do you need a simple solution for quick sessions, breakout rooms and recording features, or a reliable platform that’s widely used by corporate clients? Select a video conferencing tool that best aligns with the needs of your business, and make sure it integrates seamlessly with your scheduling software.
Acuity Scheduling pairs perfectly with virtual meeting solutions like Zoom, Google Meet, Join.me, or GotoMeeting so every type of virtual consultation can run smoothly.
Once you’ve set up your preferred provider, select the appointment types you want video conferencing included on to easily meet with clients virtually. Learn more about connecting video conferencing to Acuity Scheduling.
Step 2: Streamlining the online scheduling process
A frictionless booking experience keeps both clients and staff happy and schedules on track. Here’s how to optimize your online scheduling process for maximum efficiency:
Digitize client intake forms
Avoid wasting valuable consultation time by gathering key details in advance. Create a pre-consultation questionnaire for clients to fill out online during the booking process so you have all the information you need to prepare.
With Acuity’s custom intake forms, you can ask clients about their concerns, goals, health history, and more, or request materials like tax documents that you might need to review. This not only saves time on the call, but also ensures each session is productive and personalized to each unique client.
Automate appointment notifications
A well-timed notification goes a long way to ensure clients are informed and on time. Set up automated appointment confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups, keeping clients engaged at the right moments and accountable for their appointments.
Acuity offers automated emails and text reminders, as well as internal appointment notifications and agendas for staff, so everyone gets the timely update they need. If you’ve connected video conferencing, adding a location tag to your emails will automatically generate a meeting link for the client.
Step 3: Enhancing the virtual meeting experience
With scheduling running smoothly, the next step is ensuring a professional, engaging client experience during the consultation itself. Follow these best practices to show up as your best self:
Ensure a professional setup
A well-lit space, a neutral or branded background, and a high-quality microphone can significantly impact the client's comfort on the call and overall perception of your professionalism. Background noise should be minimized, and a headset can help with clear audio.
Test your tech
A few minutes of preparation can save you from awkward troubleshooting during a live session. Check your internet speed, ensure your camera and microphone are functioning properly, and keep your software updated to prevent unexpected disruptions.
Make it easy to join
When it comes to virtual consultations, identifying the meeting location isn’t always intuitive. To give your clients the best experience, share clear instructions for how to join the call and if there’s anything they need to do to prepare.
With Acuity, clients receive a direct video conferencing link in their appointment emails—and they don’t have to dig through their inbox to find it. Instead, they can add the appointment to their personal calendar, where the meeting link will be readily available at their scheduled time, preventing last-minute confusion or delays.
Step 4: Reducing no-shows and maximizing engagement
While virtual consultations might be more convenient for some, clients can still run late or miss their scheduled sessions entirely. Want to keep them committed? Save your business time and money with these tricks:
Send regular reminders
No-shows can be significantly reduced with appointment reminders. Acuity’s automation tools allow you to send up to 3 customizable email reminders to your clients at different intervals. Users on the Growing and Powerhouse plans may also choose to send an SMS reminder as appointments approach, ensuring clients have plenty of notice for optimal attendance. If there’s ever a conflict, there’s plenty of time to reschedule and fill the previous slot.
Require deposits or prepayment
Paying for an appointment in advance gives clients a financial incentive to show up. Consider payment policies like requiring a deposit or credit card vaulting to secure your revenue.
Acuity gives you the option to collect deposits, full payment, or store credit card information at the time of booking, reinforcing client commitment and helping you enforce your cancellation fees with ease.
Follow up after the session
Strengthen client relationships by following up after each consultation. This is an opportunity to show your appreciation, recap your session, and invite them to see you again. Personalize your post-appointment emails with client details, share next steps or aftercare tips, or even offer a discount code to book their next appointment.
A thoughtful follow-up maintains engagement and encourages long-term client retention. It’s also the perfect time to request a review, so you can build credibility online and address feedback to make each session better than the last.
Meet your clients anywhere, without the hassle
By optimizing your scheduling and video conferencing setup, you can create seamless, professional, and stress-free virtual consultations. Acuity Scheduling empowers you to manage bookings effortlessly, reduce no-shows, and focus on delivering value to your clients.
Ready to take your virtual consultations to the next level? Try Acuity Scheduling today and experience the difference.
