- Start with online booking. Calendly is free for one type of appointment.
- A CRM is simply one place for every enquiry and what happened next. HubSpot's is free for two users.
- Email newsletters: Kit is free up to 10,000 subscribers, Brevo free up to 300 emails a day, Mailchimp free up to 250 contacts.
- Zapier and Make connect apps that don't talk to each other. All-in-one systems like GoHighLevel start at US$97 a month.
If every enquiry, booking and follow-up has to go through you, the business can only grow as fast as your inbox. You don't need to automate everything. Start with the step that costs you the most work, or the most lost customers.
The enquiry journey, and what can run without you
| Step | What can happen automatically |
|---|---|
| Someone enquires | An instant reply thanking them and saying what happens next |
| They want to talk | A booking link where they choose a time that suits both of you |
| Before the appointment | Reminders by email or text the day before and an hour before |
| They don't book | A friendly follow-up a few days later |
| After the job | A thank-you, the invoice, and a review request |
| Months later | A newsletter or check-in, so they remember you when they need you again |
If you only do one thing, do online booking with automatic reminders. It saves the back-and-forth and cuts no-shows.
The tools, by job
| Job | Tool | Free version | Paid from (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookings | Calendly | 1 appointment type, 1 calendar | Standard $10 per person a month |
| CRM | HubSpot | 2 users, 1,000 contacts, 2,000 marketing emails a month | Starter $20 per seat a month |
| Email newsletters | Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Creator $33 a month |
| Email newsletters | Brevo | 300 emails a day | See Brevo's pricing page |
| Email newsletters | Mailchimp | 250 contacts, 500 emails a month | Essentials $13 a month |
| Connecting apps | Zapier | 100 tasks a month, two-step automations | Professional $19.99 a month |
| Connecting apps | Make | 1,000 credits a month | Core $12 a month |
| All of the above | GoHighLevel | 14-day trial | Starter $97 a month, plus usage for texts and email |
Prices from each company's pricing page, in US dollars. Some are billed yearly; check the page for your country.
Separate tools, or one system?
- Separate tools (Calendly, a free CRM, a newsletter tool) are cheaper to start, and each one is simple. The cost is that they don't share information, so you end up copying details between them or paying for Zapier or Make to do it.
- An all-in-one system (GoHighLevel, HubSpot's paid tiers) keeps every contact, booking, message and email in one place. It costs more and takes longer to set up, but once it's running it's the difference between you chasing the business and the business running itself.
A sensible path: start with free booking and a free newsletter tool. Move to one system when you catch yourself copying the same details into three places.
What "automation" looks like in real life
- A new booking creates the contact, sends the confirmation and a questionnaire, and reminds you both.
- A form on your website sends the enquirer your price guide and alerts you on your phone.
- A comment on your post sends the person a link (see comment-to-DM).
- A finished job triggers a review request three days later.
Rather hand it over?
That's what I'm for. Book a free 30-minute call and you'll leave with a plan for your website and marketing, whether or not you hire me.
Book your free call More guidesSources (8) · facts and prices checked 27 September 2026
- Calendly pricing
- HubSpot CRM pricing
- Kit pricing
- Brevo: free plan
- Mailchimp pricing
- Zapier pricing
- Make pricing
- GoHighLevel pricing
Prices change often and vary by country. Always check the company's own page before you buy.