Ready to take your online fitness coaching business to the next level?
Whether you’re just starting out or finally getting your systems in place, one of the easiest ways to feel more in control and less overwhelmed is by automating your client check-ins.
Enter: Calendly — the free scheduling tool that takes the back-and-forth out of booking calls, so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing up appointments.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up Calendly to streamline weekly check-ins, save time, and keep your coaching process smooth.
Why Use Calendly for Check-Ins?
Here’s why Calendly is perfect for online fitness coaches:
- Automates your client scheduling
- No DMs or emails back-and-forth
- Clients choose from your set availability
- Sends confirmations + reminders
- Integrates with Zoom, Google Calendar & more
- Completely free to use
Using Calendly means fewer admin headaches and more space to actually coach.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Calendly for Client Check-Ins
Let’s get you set up in under 15 minutes. All you need is a free Calendly account (create one at calendly.com).
Step 1: Create a Client Check-In Event
From your dashboard, click “+ New Event Type” and select One-on-One.
Step 2: Set Up Check-In Event
Name your event – something simple like Weekly Coaching Check-In.
Choose a duration – 15 or 30 minutes usually works well for check-ins.
Pick your location – Choose the location that works best for you — like Zoom, phone call, in-person, or Microsoft Teams. Calendly also integrates with other popular tools like Google Meet and Webex, so you can pick what suits best for you.
Set your availability – pick the days and times you’re available for clients to book.
Once you’ve filled out all the details, just click Create to save your check-in event.
Step 3: Fine-Tune Your Check-In Event with “More Options”
Once your basic event is set up, click More Options to customise the experience even further. This is where you can really tailor the booking flow to fit your coaching style and keep things professional and streamlined.
Add a Description
Let your client know what the session is for, how to prepare, or what to bring. Example:
“This is your weekly check-in call. We’ll review your dashboard, chat through your wins and challenges, and set goals for the week ahead.”
Set Buffer Times & Daily Limits
Avoid burnout and rushed calls by building space into your schedule.
Buffer Time: Add time before or after each meeting.
Example: Add 30 minutes after each meeting to write notes and prep between calls.Max Meetings: Set a daily limit on how many check-ins you’re willing to take.
This helps you stay in control of your time and avoid overbooking.
Adjust the Booking Link
You can edit the URL of the event to something short and clean like: calendly.com/yourname/check-in
This looks more professional and is easier to share.
Edit the Invitee Form
Customise what info you collect before the call. We recommend asking for:
How are you feeling about your progress this week?
What’s been your biggest win or challenge since our last check-in?
Is there anything you’d like to focus on or ask about during our call?
Have you completed all the check-ins in your dashboard?
Rate your energy/motivation this week (1–10).
This helps you walk into the call prepared.
Set Up Notifications & Confirmations
Make sure both you and your clients never forget a meeting! Calendly allows you to automate reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups for all your event types. This saves you time, reduces no-shows, and keeps everything running smoothly.
Reminder Emails & Texts: Send reminders 24, 48, or even 72 hours before your meeting. You can also customise the message to reinforce what the client should prepare or bring to the call.
Confirmation Pages: Once a client books their check-in, Calendly automatically sends them a confirmation page, but you can also customise it with details (e.g., how to reschedule or what to expect during the meeting).
Follow-up Messages: After the event, send a quick follow-up email to ask about their progress or remind them to update their client dashboard before the next check-in. You can set this to trigger automatically for multiple event types, such as weekly check-ins, initial consultations, or other types of calls.
Tip: Automating your reminders and follow-ups across all your events helps you save valuable time. No more scrambling to send out manual reminders for every meeting — let Calendly do the heavy lifting!
Step 4: Share Your Booking Link
Once your Calendly event is live, click “Share” and copy your unique link.
Now it’s ready to be sent to your clients!
You can:
- Paste the link into your welcome email
- Add it to your Instagram bio or link-in-bio tools
- Include it in your client onboarding messages
Want to take it a step further?
Embed this link in a branded Welcome Pack to keep everything in one place and give your clients a seamless start. (more on that below).
Want to Streamline Your Client Onboarding Even More?
If you’re manually sharing your links, answering repeat questions, or creating onboarding emails from scratch — our Client Welcome Pack Template is for you.
It’s designed to help fitness coaches automate and simplify onboarding, share links like your dashboard and Calendly check-in in one professional place, and set expectations and create a smooth client experience.