While BookMe provides an easy way for a client to book your photography services directly through your Zenfolio provided website, at least 24 hours in advance, you may still book sessions with clients outside of BookMe and Zenfolio. In these cases you'll need a way to indicate you've been booked for specific dates and times so that no one else books with you for that same time, and you may also want to send invoices to these clients. For these reasons, you can manually add a client booking into BookMe, allowing you to block off those booked times and have the ability to send invoices to the client.
To add a booking to BookMe manually, follow these steps:
- In your Zenfolio account, click on the
BookMe icon from the left-hand side.
- Within the BookMe pages of your account, select the My Bookings tab.
- Click on the Add Booking button. Please note: At least one (1) Service must be enabled to manually add a booking.
- A window will appear for you to enter in the client's information like Name, Email, Phone Number, and an option box to add any notes you want to add. Then click Next.
- On the next page, you'll indicate what Service the client has booked from you. Also set the specific Date(s) and Time(s) the session will take place. Then click Next.
- On the final step, you'll choose how you'd like to collect payment from the client. You will also need to enter in a physical billing address for the client. Then click Save.
- Choosing Charge credit card will allow you or the client to enter in their payment information to charge immediately.
- Choosing Send invoice will send the client an invoice to the email address you provided for them. They'll be able to pay through that email.
- Choosing Send the invoice manually will allow you to send an invoice from within BookMe at any time you want to do so. This is also the option to choose if the client has already paid you outside of BookMe. You will be able to view their booking after creating it, and indicate that the client has already paid for your services.
Keep in mind that BookMe services are available for bookings on a rolling 24 hour cutoff for clients – times within a 24 hour period will not be available for clients to book. For these last minute bookings, it is recommended that the clients reach out to you directly to ensure that you are aware of their booking needs and will be available on such short notice. If you book a time with a client within a 24 hour period, you can add their booking manually.