In a bid to enhance productivity and simplify the scheduling process, Gmail introduced a groundbreaking tool that allows users to effortlessly share their availability for one-to-one meetings. In its July 11, 2023 update, Google unveiled the "Offer times you're free" feature, designed to revolutionize the way you coordinate meetings with clients, colleagues, and other contacts.
In this article, we'll show you how to use this feature to send your availability and schedule meetings directly through Gmail. Let's dive in!
6 Real-World Use Cases for Sending Your Availability
But first, let's run through some scenarios that illustrate the versatility of the Gmail feature, showcasing how it can be applied across various professional settings.
1. Freelancer meeting with clients
Imagine you're a freelancer managing multiple projects. Sending your availability through Gmail becomes a game-changer when coordinating meetings with potential or existing clients. Instead of lengthy email exchanges, you can propose suitable meeting times, allowing clients to effortlessly choose a slot that fits both of your schedules.
2. Project manager coordinating team meetings
As a project manager overseeing a team, organizing regular meetings is crucial. With the new Gmail feature, you can streamline the process by proposing meeting times directly in emails to team members. This simplifies scheduling and ensures everyone is on the same page, minimizing the back-and-forth communication often associated with arranging team meetings.
3. Sales professional scheduling appointments
For sales professionals juggling multiple leads, time is of the essence. Sending availability through Gmail enables you to efficiently schedule appointments with potential clients. By proposing your free slots within the email, you make the process swift and seamless, increasing the likelihood of securing meetings and closing deals.
4. Teacher arranging parent-teacher conferences
In the education sector, coordinating meetings between teachers and parents is a common challenge. With the Gmail feature, teachers can send their availability for parent-teacher conferences. This ensures that parents can easily select a time that suits them, fostering better communication and involvement in their child's education.
5. Remote team collaboration
Picture a remote team spread across different time zones. Coordinating meetings can be tricky, but the Gmail feature simplifies this process. Team members can propose their available times in emails, making it easier for everyone to find a suitable meeting time without the need for extensive coordination.
6. Networking at conferences or events
Attendees of conferences or networking events often find themselves in need of scheduling impromptu meetings. With the Gmail feature, professionals can quickly share their availability with new contacts. This is particularly useful in fast-paced environments where efficiently scheduling follow-up discussions is crucial.
As you can see, there are many great use cases for sending your availability. Now let's dive into how to send availability in email Gmail.
How to Send Your Availability: A Step-by-Step Guide
It only takes a few clicks to send your availability time slots through Gmail. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Open Gmail
Launch Gmail on your desktop browser.
Step 2: Create a new email
Next, click "Compose" to create a new email. You can also use this feature when replying to an email.
Step 3: Locate the availability button
Click on the "Set up a time to meet" button, which is located to the left of the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner. Next, select "Offer times you're free."
Step 4: Choose a suitable time
Your primary calendar (Google Calendar) will automatically appear to the right of your screen, giving you a meeting scheduler.
At the top, you can click the left and right arrows to toggle between the specific dates in your calendar grid. Once you settle on a date, click the time slot that works for you.
Below, you can set the duration of your availability. You can even select multiple times in the calendar event grid. When you're finished, click Next.
Step 5: Create event and send it
Add an event title and provide any additional event details that you think will be important for your recipient to know. Then click "Add to email" and hit Send.
Once the recipient selects a time, the event is automatically created and added to your calendar.
How Can Indy Help?
Having a Gmail account gives you access to several great Google Workspace tools like Google Meet, Google Calendar, and Google Docs, but it's missing some of the most important tools you need as a freelancer.
That's where Indy comes in! Indy has everything you need to manage your business:
- Proposals: Craft compelling project proposals effortlessly and win more clients.
- Contracts: Get ready-made contracts that protect your business and build trust with clients.
- Forms: Indy has questionnaires, intake forms, project briefs, and feedback forms to help you get the information you need from clients to nail your projects and grow your business.
- Invoices: Generate polished invoices with ease and get paid right through Indy.
- Project Management: Break down projects into manageable tasks using to-do lists and Kanban boards.
- Client Portals: Boost client satisfaction with a centralized communication hub where you can chat with clients in real-time and share files.
- Time Tracker: Automatically track and log the time spent on each project to make billing easier.
- Files: Upload, store, and share documents with clients and get feedback and approval.
- Calendar: Schedule meetings and get a daily, weekly, and monthly view of everything that's due or overdue.
Plus, Indy connects seamlessly to your Google Calendar so you can keep everything under one roof. Get started today for free!
A Quick Recap
Gmail’s update gives you a booking page that allows you to set the meeting duration, add multiple recipients, and send your proposed times right to your recipient's calendar. With Gmail's "Offer times you're free" feature, the days of email ping-pong for scheduling meetings are a thing of the past. Embrace this innovative tool to streamline your communication and make your workdays more productive than ever. As Google continues to roll out enhancements, we can expect an even more seamless and intuitive scheduling experience, setting a new standard for collaborative efficiency in the digital workspace.
But it's still missing key features for managing clients and projects. That's where Indy steps in to help you manage your entire business in one place, from proposals to project management to invoicing. Ready to accelerate your business this year? Then get started today for free!
