It’s Time to Upgrade Your Calendar System to Build Your Health Coaching Business

Are you still keeping your calendar in a paper planner?

If you want a successful health coaching business, and more time to enjoy your life, it’s time to upgrade.

Oh, I can feel some of you clutching your cherished planners to your chests already!

There are so many good reasons why a digital or online calendar is superior to the paper version – if you’re serious about building your health coaching business.

If you’re just starting out, working with a couple of clients, you may not see the need. However, when making business decisions, it is important to consider the business you want, not the business you currently have.

Here are some of the many benefits of using a digital calendar for your health coaching business:

• doesn’t have to cost you a dime: get a Google Apps account and check out the calendar feature
• you can sync up with an online appointment scheduler (like timetrade.com) which is essential for the serious business builder: your clients take responsibility for scheduling their own appointments, which saves you all that back and forth time
• you can easily add a new appointment or that unexpected event at your kids’ school to an online schedule and be sure that no one can schedule a session with you at that time; eliminates the risk of being double-booked
• you can move or cancel an event without crossing out, erasing or otherwise making a mess in a paper planner
• helps you stick to weekly office hours: clear boundaries support healthy work-life balance
• always have a back up of your calendar: this is reason enough to go digital in my opinion
• build your health coaching business while you sleep: new prospective clients can schedule an initial consultation, or Breakthrough Session, with you anytime, even while you’re busy with other clients, on vacation, or sleeping
• access anywhere: no more worrying if you left your planner behind; you’ll have access to your calendar from all your devices (computer, tablet, smartphone) and from any computer anywhere
• professional and client-attracting: handing a new contact your business card to direct them to your online schedule, or checking your calendar on your smartphone, is far more professional than pulling out your over-stuffed planner and shifting your post-it notes around in order to pencil in a new appointment
• automatic reminders: never miss another appointment again by engaging one or all of the many alarm options including reminder emails, pop-up messages and alarm sounds
• create multiple color-coded calendars to separate personal and business events
• add an event in seconds: you can quickly add events you RSVP to via email, evite, your coach’s online schedule, online school calendars and more; eliminates human error

I understand the initial resistance. It’s a big change for many of you.

But it is the 21st century… and I’m sure it’s not the biggest tech change you’ve ever made.

Back in high school I didn’t even have an email address, let alone a personal computer. Now most people (even kids) have not only a laptop, tablet and iPhone, many have their own website. That’s a lot of advancement!

I strongly recommend getting started with a digital calendar now.

With your email account, you can create a calendar that coordinates with it. On the software end, try Outlook on a PC, Entourage or iCal on a Mac. Consider linking these up to an online calendar too (like Google or Google Apps) for optimum functionality. If you check email online, set up your calendar there too.

If you need help making the transition from a paper planner, you may want to continue using pen and paper for your to-do lists and other notes. I still prefer my tasks in handwritten lists, but using a digital calendar or app for this is another level of tech advancement that can do wonders for organizing your health coaching business.

I use iCal on my Mac, and sync it up with a Google Apps calendar which then syncs up with my iPhone and my TimeTrade account. Works like a charm, and helps me sleep better at night knowing I’m not forgetting anything.

Sure it takes a little time to get everything set up, but once it’s done, it’s done. No need to buy refills for your planner next year!