12 Valuable Tools You Should Be Using on GigSalad

Last updated on August 28, 2024

After 14 years of adding features, improving processes, and updating our designs – you may have missed some of the cool things on our platform! From managing your calendar to requesting more reviews, we have some great GigSalad tools that make the gig life easier.

Effectively manage your leads

Getting the most relevant leads starts with your availability. We’ve spent quite a bit of time making the calendar useful for our members, so make it work for you by taking advantage of all the handy features! Check out the Calendar section of your control panel to find these tools.

1. Calendar syncing

You probably have your own calendar system, but now you can sync your Google or iCloud calendar to GigSalad. This way, when you update your other calendar, the same entries will be added to your GigSalad calendar. You can also export your GigSalad bookings to your external calendars with an iCal feed. Keep your calendars seamless and your schedule organized!

2. Lead blocking

If you’re tired of declining leads for times when you’re working your 9-5, or if you’re planning a vacation or business trip – block ’em! By setting your General Availability under Calendar Options, we’ll only send you leads that fall within those timeframes.

You can also add a new individual event when you’re unavailable (for example, a summer vacation). Edit these any time to ensure your leads are always relevant to your schedule.

✔️ Check out our Help Center article for more information on managing your calendar.

3. Text notifications

We’ve said it many times, but the first to respond is often the one to land the gig. Never miss a lead with text notifications! You can even save our number to keep all notifications in the same messaging thread on your phone. We always send an email when you get a lead, but text notifications are a great backup. In your Dashboard, click on the Account tab, then Notifications to set up or edit text alerts.

Simplify the communication process

Following up on leads probably takes up the bulk of your time, but we’ve created some tools to make it easier for you. If you haven’t put these to use, do yourself a favor and check them out. Visit the Tools section in your control panel to get started.

4. Saved messages

If you prefer to respond to leads with a personal message rather than a quote, the Saved Messages tool is for you. Use shortcodes to personalize each message, plus create as many as you need for each service or event you get leads for. The best part is you can respond to leads with one click! Talk about a time-saver.

5. Saved quotes

Rather than spending lots of time putting together individual quotes, create a few Saved Quotes that reflect your most-requested services. You may still have to craft unique quotes when needed, but creating some saved quotes can help save time and energy for most clients. Be sure your quote reflects your services to be provided and isn’t being used to send messages. It’s a binding contract and should only be sent when you’re ready to be booked.

Get more verified bookings

Once your client is ready to book, it’s time to decide the best way to move forward. The following tools were designed to add flexibility to the booking process and help you close more of your leads.

6. Mark as booked

While we always advise keeping your bookings on the platform, we know that sometimes exceptions need to be made. The Mark as Booked tool allows you to handle the details offsite, but pay the service fee on the lead to verify it. Any review that comes in for the booking will automatically be verified and it’ll count toward your Top Performer status.

👉 Pro tip: Calculate the service fee ahead of time by clicking on “I already booked this gig with the client directly” and entering the information. When you give your final quote to your client, you can include the fee to avoid paying it out-of-pocket.

7. Import outside leads

So you love the GigSalad platform and wish there was a way to bring your outside leads in? You got it! The Book Outside Gig tool allows you to send a quote to any client you’d like using their email address. Just fill in the details like a normal quote and send it directly from our platform. Once the quote is sent, you’ll immediately see it in your GigSalad leads. If your client responds, you’ll see their response in your Inbox, so you can keep communicating there if needed.

✔️ Check out our Help Center article for more information on booking outside gigs.

Help your profile stand out

We cannot stress enough how important reviews are to your profile! No one wants to buy (or book) something without knowing if it’s a good product or business. Rev up your review game with these tools – find them under the Reviews section in your control panel.

8. Recruit reviews

New members on GigSalad are at a bit of a disadvantage since they may not get a review until they’re booked – but may not be booked without reviews. Use the Request Reviews tool to reach out to past clients and ask them to share their experience on your new profile. You can send the request right through our platform – all you need is their name and email address. You can also copy and paste the link and send it via Facebook messenger, text, email, or other methods of communication.

⭐ Pro tip: Be sure to recruit each review individually — they each must come from a unique person. In other words, don’t write your own reviews. It’s not fair to your fellow GigSalad users and we monitor the site to remove fake reviews.

9. Feature reviews

If you’re a Featured member, you have a bonus tool at your disposal. You can feature up to 3 of your favorite reviews on your GigSalad profile. They’ll be the first displayed and the rest will follow in chronological order. This helps highlight your best performances (or maybe bump a recent not-so-good review down a few notches).

Improve your personal website

Many GigSalad users also have a personal website to share more information or gain additional traffic and leads. You can easily link your GigSalad profile or spruce up your site with our handy widgets and badges.

10. Badges

Tout your GigSalad success with badges built for your personal site! Whether you want to share how many years you’ve been active with us, how many bookings you’ve completed, or how many amazing reviews you have – there’s a badge for you. They link directly to your GigSalad profile so potential clients can check out more about you.

11. Quote widget

If your personal website is getting traffic but you want to process the bookings through GigSalad, the Quote Widget is for you. Simply copy and paste the provided code into your site’s HTML for an easy way for clients to request a quote! You’ll receive a notification like a normal lead and the messages will be housed in your GigSalad inbox. And don’t worry, the leads that come through your Quote Widget will never be seen by or sent to other vendors.

12. Review widget

Show off your talent by displaying GigSalad reviews on your personal website. Our Review Widget lets you embed a review “feed” into your site. You can choose between 1 and 4 reviews to display and will automatically update as you get new reviews. The widget also lets visitors leave a review on your GigSalad profile with the click of a button from your personal page.

GigSalad provides all the tools you need to make a living doing what you love! Take some time to explore all the features available — you might find something new that makes your gig life a bit easier. 🎉