Mediums: taking bookings for small group evenings

Run each small group evening as a slot with a set number of places, so guests book one place each and the evening closes itself when it's full. Create a group evening service with a description that says how the evening runs and what guests can and can't expect, put the venue and arrival time in it, and keep the group small enough that the evening stays calm. With places counted in advance, you know who is coming, the room is set for the right number, and nobody turns up to a full room.

On Book, each slot has its own capacity. For a group evening, open one slot in the group evening service on the date and time of the evening, and set its capacity to the number of guests you can welcome: eight, ten, twelve. Each person who books takes one place, and when the last place is booked, the evening no longer appears on your public page. Your page doesn't show how many places are left, so if you like to keep a chair spare, set the capacity one below the number of chairs.

Durations, places and prices are examples: set your own. Keep private sittings as a separate service with one place per slot.

Guests choose an evening from the service name and description, so tell them plainly how it works:

A clear description avoids disappointment, and guests who come with the right expectations make for a better evening for everyone.

Group evenings may take place at your practice, a rented room, a café after hours or a host's home. Put the address, the room, parking and access in the service description, and ask guests to arrive ten minutes before the start so the evening can begin in quiet. If you change venue from one evening to the next, create a service per venue or put the venue in the service name, so a guest never goes to the wrong place.

A guest arriving halfway through breaks the atmosphere. Say in the description whether you close the door at the start, and stick to it. Someone who knows the rule in advance is less likely to arrive late, and those who do understand why the door is closed.

If you hold a group evening on the same weekday every month, open the slots for the coming months in one go so guests can plan ahead, and give each evening a clear date in your calendar. Weekly repeats in Book run on chosen weekdays until an end date, so for a monthly rhythm, create each evening's slot on its own date. Keep the same venue and start time from one evening to the next where you can: regular guests find their way without reading the description again, and new guests can see several dates at once and pick the one that suits them.

The public booking form books one place at a time, so two friends coming together book twice, once each. Say so in the description. If someone calls to book for a small group, you can book them yourself from your calendar: first and last name are required, email and phone optional, and you can add each person into the same slot while places remain. Ask in the note for the names of the people coming, so you can greet them.

If an evening has to move, a room cancelled or you unwell, change each booking from your bookings list and contact every guest yourself: Book doesn't email clients about changes. The phone numbers and emails are in each booking. Guests can't move their place online; they contact you, and you move them to another evening with a free place.

Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract. It doesn't take payments, so say how you are paid.