How to use a calendar plugin to grow your business

There are plenty of ways to grow your business in 2022. The traditional methods include email, social media, and content marketing. But did you know that a calendar plugin can help you strengthen all three of these strategies?

It's true!

Calendar plugins have come a long way over the last few years. There are more options available than ever, and many of these tools can help you grow your brand in fun and creative ways.

Today, I'd like to share five case uses for on-site calendars. I'll explain how you can use these handy plugins to connect with your audience, skyrocket sales, and boost engagement across all platforms.

Let's begin!

Book Consultations with Customers

The first way you can use your calendar plugin is to allow users to book consultations with your team. This strategy effectively connects with potential customers who are on the fence about your product or service and need a little more convincing.

There are plenty of advantages that come with allowing users to schedule their appointment through your calendar.

For starters, it's convenient. Visitors don't have to contact your support team or send an email. They can simply choose an available time slot and show up when it's time for their appointment.

I found that fewer people no-showed when we encouraged them to choose a time and date themselves. As a result, we had the opportunity to talk to more prospects, which ultimately led to additional sales and engagement.

Let Users Know About Upcoming Webinars

Many business owners have adopted video content as a regular part of their marketing strategy. It's no wonder we feel this way. Almost 50% of online shoppers say they wish brands would produce even more videos in the future.

Social media webinars are the prime choice for video content. Users will attend this event to learn about your products and the industry as a whole. You'll also have the opportunity to talk to your viewers and answer their questions.

Sending email invitations and creating a blog post about your webinar will certainly get you more attendees, but it's not the only way. I recommend including upcoming webinars on your calendar in a frequently traveled part of your website.

You can even encourage users to secure their spots from your calendar if you have limited space. This is a great way to gauge how many people will ultimately attend your event before you go live. You'll also expose new visitors to your webinar, which can help you generate new leads.

Here's where it gets interesting; around 53% of attendees will reach out to you after an event, and many will ultimately buy something from your site. An on-site calendar will help you get more eyes on your live webinar, which will lead to more people reaching out after it's over.

It's also worth mentioning that you can use your calendar plugin to promote other smaller social media events, like giveaways.

Give Visitors Directions to Your Store

If you have a physical store, you can link your calendar to popular map applications so users can get directions to your business.

I think this strategy is helpful for businesses that want to attract more local traffic. When you consider that "where to buy" and "near me" searches are up nearly 200% over the last several years, it's easy to see why there's a new emphasis on improving local search.

Many premium calendar plugins come out of the box with integrations for all of your favorite map programs. You'll have it ready to go in just a few minutes. From that point forward, if someone finds your website, they can easily find your store's physical location.

Keep Membership Customers in the Loop

Do you have a membership site? If so, you can use your calendar to keep subscribers in the loop about what your brand has in store next.

The types of events you decide to host will vary based on the type of membership website you run. For instance, a fandom membership site might have events like interviews with people who worked on the subject of the fan site.

A subscription website for growing professionals might have live chat sessions where members and the founders can talk freely about the industry and answer questions people might have.

Think carefully about your business, and let users know what events to expect next by laying it all out in your calendar plugin.

Sell Tickets to Premium Events

Finally, you can boost profits by selling tickets to premium events through your calendar. Again, the type of premium events will vary based on your niche. People are willing to pay for experiences like online courses or day-long virtual conventions with their favorite creators.

I use this strategy to direct social media users, email subscribers, and on-site visitors to the calendar, so all ticket reservations come from one central location. When a user is genuinely interested in what you're offering, they will return to your site to grab their seat.

Don't be afraid to experiment with pricing and how you reach out to existing customers and new prospects. You may find that people are willing to pay a lot more for a ticket to your event than you initially thought.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! On-site calendars are an excellent way to connect with your customers and skyrocket business growth. My last piece of advice is this; take a careful look at the various calendar plugins on the market. Not all are created with equal value, so do your research and find one that matches your specific needs.