The problem
A new client finds you on a directory and emails, then three or four emails pass before an intro call is booked, and some people give up and contact the next therapist. If 6 inquiries a week each take 12 minutes of email to arrange a call, that's 72 minutes a week, about 5.2 hours a month (72 x 4.3 / 60).
What the AI does
Calendly gives you a booking link: you set the times you're free for intro calls, and enquirers pick one. The Standard plan adds automated reminders and video conferencing links. You reply to each inquiry with a short message and the link, or put it on your directory profile and website. Keep the booking form to name and contact details; what brings them to therapy is for the call.
A worked example
A counselor in Manchester gets about 6 inquiries a week through a counseling directory and their website. They set up a 15-minute intro call in Calendly Standard, offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Before
About 12 minutes of email per inquiry to arrange a call: 5.2 hours a month
After
About 2 minutes per inquiry to reply with the link: about 0.9 hours a month
What it's worth
About $258£194€231A$372C$365 a month of the counselor's time, at an assumed $60£45€54A$86C$85 an hour, against $10 to $12 (about $11£8€10A$15C$15 to $12£9€11A$17C$17) for Calendly Standard. That's 10 minutes saved on each of 6 inquiries a week: 60 minutes x 4.3, about 4.3 hours.
How to set it up
- Check Calendly's pricing: the Free plan has one event type and no reminders; Standard is $10 (about $11£8€10A$15C$15) a seat a month billed yearly, or $12 (about $12£9€11A$17C$17) monthly.
- Create a 15-minute intro call with the times you want to offer, and connect your work calendar so sessions block those slots.
- Limit the booking questions to name, email and phone number, and don't ask why they want therapy.
- Add the link to your directory profile and website, and include it in your reply to each inquiry.
- Turn on reminders, and keep your own notes from the call in your practice records, not in Calendly.
What goes wrong
- Anything an enquirer types about their mental health is special-category data. Keep the form to contact details and check Calendly's data processing terms.
- Calendly only knows about the calendar it's connected to. If your sessions are kept somewhere else, block them out or you'll be double-booked.
- Someone in crisis may book an intro call. Put a line on the booking page pointing to urgent help, such as NHS 111 or Samaritans, because you won't see it until the call.
- Calendly prices are in US dollars and per seat.