How to create and manage a client waitlist

Do you want to know how to create a manage a client waitlist? Maybe your 1-to-1 services are currently fully booked and you are looking for a way to manage requests from people who want to work with you or maybe you aren’t quite fully booked yet but are planning ahead for when you reach that stage. Either way, you are in the right place. Keep on reading to find out how to create and manage a client waitlist.

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What is a client waitlist?

A client waitlist (sometimes referred to as a client waiting list) is a way for people to register their interest in working with you. People are added to the list and informed that they will be told when you have availability to take on new clients.

 

What are the benefits of having a client waitlist?

There are multiple benefits to having a client waitlist.

1. A client waitlist helps you to understand the demand for your service – As a business owner, you are constantly trying to balance supply and demand. By running a client waitlist, you can gain a real insight into the demand there is for your service. This can be highly beneficial as a business owner because as demand rises you may be able to increase your prices or even consider offering other services such as a group programme.

 

2. A client waitlist helps to ensure you stay fully booked – One of the biggest small business owners make is to not focus on marketing and lead generation when they are fully booked. They spend their time delivering a great service, their clients leave happy and then they realise that they now have spaces for new clients but because they stopped marketing their business they have no leads. Having a waitlist means that you can drive your marketing to your waitlist when you are busy and as soon as you know you are going to have availability for new clients you can contact the individuals on your list and hopefully book new clients in and incur no gap between clients (unless of course, you want a gap).

  

3. A client waitlist can increase people’s desire to work with you – Highlighting the scarcity of a service or product is often used in marketing in order to encourage sales. When a potential client or buyer knows that there is a limit on a number of products or services it encourages them to take action. It can help potential buyers to make decisions quicker because they understand that by spending longer making a decision, they might miss out on the opportunity altogether (or have a to wait a very long time). Also, a waitlist sends a signal out that you are fully booked and that shows potential buyers that you already have a full client base. If someone is fully booked we automatically assume that the product or service is great otherwise all those other people wouldn’t have bought it.

 

Now that you fully understand what a client waitlist is and why having one is beneficial it is time to get into delve deeper into how to create and manage a client waitlist.

 

How to create and manage a client waitlist

There are a few different ways of creating a waitlist.

1. Creating a client waitlist using your email service provider

A very simple way of creating a client waitlist is by having people register their interest to work with you by signing up for your waitlist via your email service provider.

Essentially, you create an opt-in form that is specifically for your waitlist. Everyone who signs up via that form will then have a tag added to them (so you know they are on your waitlist).

Then when you are ready to take on new clients you can send an email to all, or a number, of your subscribers with the waitlist tag.

In the example below, you can see clearly that Alex Beadon uses her email service provider to manage her waitlist. There is a form to fill in and she makes it clear by joining the list you’ll be the first to hear when she is taking on new one-on-one coaching clients.

 

 

Pros:
Creating a client waitlist via your email service provider means the process is highly automated. People can join your waitlist without you having any involvement and you can then easily send an email to everyone on the list when availability opens up.

 

Cons:
Due to the ease of joining your waitlist, it may mean that some people join who don’t really intend on being clients, or even if they would like to be a client of yours, they might not be your ideal client. This might work if you want to be able to contact people in the order that they requested to work with you.

 

 

2. Creating a client waitlist using an online form

Another way of creating a waitlist form is by having a form that potential clients fill in. You can use whatever form software you currently use in your business, such as Google Forms or Typeforms. You’ll need to embed the form into your website or have a link that you can direct people to. Potential clients fill in the form and that information is sent across to you. Then you can email individuals as spaces become available.

 

Pros:
Using this method should mean that everyone who fills in the form is genuinely interested in working with you. Also, as you can read their answers, you’ll have a better ideal if they are a good fit for your services. If you prefer to offer places out to people in the order that they registered their interest, then this method will allow you to do that.

 

Cons:
This method isn’t as automated. Depending on the form software you use, you may or may not be able to automate adding them into your email service provider. Even if you can, you may decide you want to send individuals emails out as spaces become available. Whilst you can create a template to make your life easier it still will involve some manual work to send the emails.

 

Other things to consider when creating a client waitlist

Regardless of which method you choose to use for your waitlist, there are a few other things you need to consider.

 

1. You need to market your waitlist

If you want people to join your waitlist then you need to make it clear that there is currently a waitlist to work with you. You can add a PS onto your newsletter that says you are currently fully booked, but if they are interested in working with you then they can join your waitlist. You can put a banner on the top of your website so anyone who visits your website is aware they can’t work with you immediately and will need to sign up. You should also ensure that your waitlist information is clear on the pages that mention your sold-out services.

 

2. Do you currently know when you’ll next be taking on new clients?

If you already know when you’ll next be opening your books for new clients, then you can share that information beforehand. Depending on your services you may be fully booked now, but because you know your services last for 6 months you know that you’ll be contacting the waiting list in August with the intention of being able to work with new clients from September. Being upfront from the beginning about when you will be opening up the waitlist will enable prospective clients to plan ahead. This may be useful especially if you offer a high-ticket service.

 

3. How far in advance do you need to contact your waitlist to ensure you have people signed up in time?

For example, imagine it is 1^st of March today and you have taken on a whole load of new clients for 3 months, so they will finish working with you at the end of May. You need to decide when you should contact your waitlist with the aim being that you have new clients signed up ready to work with you on the 1^st of June. For example, if you have a high-ticket service that means you talk to people before they sign up, you’ll need to allow more time than if it is a service where you are willing to send the email and let people book instantly.

 

 4. Do you want to inform everyone on your waitlist at the same time or in the order they joined?

Some business owners run their waitlist so that slots are opened up to people in the same order that they showed interest. Other business owners will open up the doors to everyone on the waitlist and spaces are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. You can do either method but deciding beforehand and communicating that is important. For example, if are going to contact potential clients one by one in the order that they joined the list then in the email you send you’ll want to make it clear this has been offered to them and they have to confirm or book within X days otherwise they’ll lose their chance and you’ll be in touch with the next person on the list. If you are contacting everyone on your list, then you can create a sense of urgency and say you have got spaces for X more clients and this email has gone to X people therefore if they want to work with you, they’ll need to book quickly.

 

There you have it! You now know how to create and manage a client waitlist.

 

Getting to the stage where you need a client waitlist is exciting! Many business owners dream of getting to the stage where they are fully booked and can run a client waitlist and it never happens. If you have got to the stage where you are fully booked – congratulations! I truly believe that setting up a waitlist will be highly beneficial for your business. In the short-term, it will help ensure you have a consistent stream of clients and in the long-term, it will help you to make informed decisions about changes to your prices or introducing new services and/or products.

 

In the comments, I would love to know which method (email service provider or form) you are going to use to create your very own client waitlist.

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