Public speaking coaches: booking group workshops online

A speaking workshop works when each participant gets time at the front of the room. Put each workshop on your booking page as its own service with a set number of places, say in the description what level it suits and what to prepare, and let people book a place at any hour. The workshop closes itself when it's full, you know in advance who is coming, and you spend your time coaching instead of answering messages about dates.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page, and each slot belongs to one service, sits within one day and has its own capacity. A beginners' confidence workshop and a pitch practice evening suit different people, so give each its own service.

Durations, places and prices are examples: set your own.

Work backwards from the time each person needs on their feet. In a three-hour workshop with two rounds of five-minute talks plus feedback, eight people may be the limit. Set the places to that number. When the last place is booked, the workshop leaves your page, so nobody arrives to a room where they won't get a turn. Places left are not shown on the page.

The booking form takes first name, last name, email and phone, plus an optional note that reaches you in the new booking email and also appears in the participant's calendar file. Ask in the note for the talk or situation they want to work on, such as a team meeting or a conference.

Slots repeat each week on the weekdays you choose until an end date, so a Thursday evening workshop for the term takes a few minutes to set up. Each online booking takes one place on one date. For a four-week series, ask participants to book each date, or book the following dates yourself from your bookings list after the first one: first and last name are enough, and if you enter their email they receive a confirmation with a calendar file.

Some participants want individual work before a big talk. Offer a one-to-one service with one place per slot. Slots of different services can overlap, so follow-up times can sit in the same afternoons as workshop preparation.

A company that wants a private workshop for its team can book a service with one place per slot, so one booking takes the whole session. Say in the description the maximum group size and that the workshop can run at their offices. Book doesn't take payments, so say how you invoice.

Participants can't move or cancel online: they contact you, and you move them to another date. Book doesn't email clients about changes and sends no reminders, so tell people yourself if a workshop moves. Your bookings sync with Google, iPhone or Mac calendars. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.