Photographer - Online Booking System

[RW-Photography]

Hi all!

I've recently started my own photography business, after being established for a few months the bookings are starting to come in (and hopefully will continue doing so!!!)

The issue I have is, I've always done photography on a 'part-time' basis, whenever I had a day off work or when I could fit a wedding in etc. A booking system isn't something I've really had to think about, I used to take payments over the phone or cash in person.

Now, I'm getting busier and I'm noticing dates are becoming fully booked.

I'm wanting a feature on my website to have Online bookings. Where available dates/times for certain services I have offer show whether they're available or not. If they are available a client is able to click it and pay for that slot online, the availability then automatically refreshes and stops any other clients booking during that time.

I'm currently using the GoDaddy website builder business plan - which is great for what I need BESIDES a functioning booking system. Theirs is very basic and doesn't allow me to do half of the things I need it to do.

Potentially a booking system that could be a HTML link would be great or potentially an additional site solely for booking purposes.

Any help would be appreciated,

thanks

 

[The Ecom Guy]

Having an additional booking site seems a little over the top, either use a 3rd party which can handle all your booking needs and you only need to link them there (like what you suggested about having a seperate site, except for the site is a 3rd party.

A quick google i came across one for £7 per month reservio which allows up to 200 appointments. I am sure you could fine some free ones. Then all you do via your GoDaddy site is link to there.
Google something like free cloud appointments / online booking system etc and see what you come across

If it does take off and become more of a full time thing, think about moving your site to a platform that can handle the reservations side of things, but for now, not worth the additional cost / time when it looks like you can achieve what you are after either free or for a relatively minimal cost

 

[WebShopAssist]

Hi,
There are online booking systems which can easily be embedded in any website.
You could test these: sagenda.com, simplybook.it

 

[fisicx]

@RW-Photography Using the GoDaddy site builder will bite you on the bum as time goes on and you need new features a change of direction or even just a site refresh.

GoDaddy is great as a hobby site builder but should never be used for a business.

There are loads of ways to add a booking system to a proper website. Many of then free. But you can't do it with GoDaddy (as you have discovered). Embedding a booking system means it can be styled to look the same as the rest of the site and you have more control over what is displayed and how people make a booking.

Escape the clutches of GoDaddy and get help building a proper website. You will be so pleased you did as a whole world of opportunities will open up.

 

[kkfcXHzmCc]

I'd suggest leaving GoDaddy, get yourself a good steady host and install WordPress. Nothing on there that you couldn't do yourself; LOADS of booking plugins too!

 

[TheWebDesignCompany]

@RW-Photography Using the GoDaddy site builder will bite you on the bum as time goes on and you need new features a change of direction or even just a site refresh.

GoDaddy is great as a hobby site builder but should never be used for a business.

There are loads of ways to add a booking system to a proper website. Many of then free. But you can't do it with GoDaddy (as you have discovered). Embedding a booking system means it can be styled to look the same as the rest of the site and you have more control over what is displayed and how people make a booking.

Escape the clutches of GoDaddy and get help building a proper website. You will be so pleased you did as a whole world of opportunities will open up.

Spot on, if you are progressing from part time doing it on the side, to taking the business seriously, you need to set up a professional quality website.

As has been suggested you can easily set one up on Wordpress with all the features that you are looking for.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

How do you know that you want to accept all jobs? How do you know if a job will overun?

In my 25 years of commissioned photography every single assignment needed individual pricing and time allocation. I've done pictures in everything from one hour to 5 days.