Scheduling Zoom Calls: Dear Devlin

DEAR DEVLIN: I’m Being Stood Up On Zoom Calls

Scheduling Zoom Calls

Dear Devlin,

I am having a really disheartening time with scheduling Zoom calls and being stood up by leads.

It happened again tonight and I am at my wits end, and I’m a new mum and for me to show up for clients it really does take a lot of energy for me with no sleep, breastfeeding and just surviving to be honest. So before the baby I put in workflows and automated systems to assist me in Studio Ninja and Calendly with an email or text before any zoom calls to notify them and all I have to do is turn up to talk weddings and make sure I haven’t got baby sick down my top.

But for the past few months, I have been stood up by several leads and it’s actually really getting to me.

What would you do? Stood up on Zoom

Human-Centric Communication: Consider adding a friendly note in your initial emails or texts that acknowledges how busy everyone is – both you, as a parent, and them, as wedding planners. When couples feel valued and seen, they’re more inclined to honour the appointment.”

Dear Stood Up on Zoom,

First off, I’m so sorry you’re going through this – it’s tough enough handling enquiries when you’re running on a good night’s sleep, let alone with a new baby to care for. It sounds like you’ve already put some great systems in place, but it’s disheartening (and exhausting) to keep getting no-shows.

1. Try TidyCal for Better Scheduling and Reminders

You’ve mentioned using Studio Ninja and Calendly, which is fantastic. However, there’s another tool worth trying: TidyCal. It’s a one-time fee of $29 – remarkably cost-effective compared to monthly subscription services. TidyCal integrates smoothly with Zoom and Google Calendar (which can then link to your Studio Ninja), so couples choose a time that works for both of you. You can also set it to send automatic reminders the day before and an hour before the call, to both you and the client. A few extra reminders can significantly reduce no-shows, especially for busy couples juggling a million tasks.

2. Reassess the Connection You’re Building

If the missed calls persist, it’s worth taking a step back to see if there’s a gap in how couples feel connected to you before the call. Are they getting enough of a sense of who you are, both as a photographer and a person when they first discover your business?

  • Put Your Face Out There: I know it’s tough as a new mum, but showing your face on your website and socials helps couples feel they’re booking time with a real person, not just a brand name. Even a quick, friendly “About Me” video or pinned Instagram post can humanise you and encourage them to respect your time.
  • Human-Centric Communication: Consider adding a friendly note in your initial emails or texts that acknowledges how busy everyone is, both you, as a parent, and them, as wedding planners. When couples feel valued and seen, they’re more inclined to honour the appointment.

3. Highlight Mutual Respect

Respect is a two-way street. If you’re communicating that you value their time and understand their wedding-planning stresses, they’ll hopefully reciprocate by valuing yours. It might help to include a polite reminder like:

“I’m excited to chat about your wedding plans on [Date/Time]! Please let me know at least 24 hours in advance if something comes up, so we can reschedule. My schedule is a bit tight these days (thanks to a sweet little one at home), but I want to ensure our conversation is relaxed and focused on you.

This gentle nudge signals that your time is precious too, without sounding off-putting.


A woman in a sparkly dress with pink hair dials a retro phone, a retro photo with a modern twist to illustrate an article about scheduling zoom calls

4. Protect Your Energy

Above all, remember you’re working with limited resources right now – physical, mental, and emotional. Make sure your scheduling system respects your life. Set up a limited number of slots each week so you’re not drained by multiple calls, especially if there’s a high no-show rate. And try not to take it personally, sometimes couples get overwhelmed or life just happens.

5. Keep Loving Your Business

You’re clearly passionate, and I’d hate for these no-shows to sour that. Streamlining your booking process and amping up those reminders can be a game-changer. If no-shows still happen from time to time, know it’s not a reflection on you personally, it’s just part of running a business in a busy, digital world.

6. Make Booking You Easy

Finally, I wonder if the Zoom call step might be a block to booking you and those those no-shows might have just gone ahead and booked if you had a nice simple process to secure your services. You admit that you are busy and the calls are difficult to mange, who’s to say that it isn’t the same for those couples? Now imagine that a dozen photographers that they have short-listed all push them into zoom calls but then there’s one that says, you can just go ahead and book here. I’m not saying don’t give them the Zoom call option too but it might be worth reviewing if there’s a nice easy process in place where it’s not necessary.

I hope these suggestions help save your energy and keep you feeling positive about your work. You’ve got enough on your plate already, your booking process shouldn’t add more stress!

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