Skip to content
goldenhour
Back to help

Your first week

Your first five days after you go live

Setup already gave you a live booking page, your hours, and a starter menu for your trade. This is what to do with the week that follows: a structured five-day plan that takes you from "my page is live" to "my calendar is filling." Each day has one focused outcome.

Setup lets you skip things, so a few days below start with a catch-up line. If you did that step in the wizard, it is already done and you can move straight past it.

  1. Day 1

    Services + pricing

    Goal: Your menu reads like yours, not like the starter one.

    • If you skipped the starter menu in setup (you unticked the box, or you picked "Something else"), add your first service now: nothing can be booked until one is published.
    • Rename and re-price the starter services so they match what you actually offer (Settings → Services). Add real photos + descriptions.
    • Set duration + processing time + before/after buffers for each.
    • Set base price + (if applicable) deposit amount.
    • Mark services public vs private; set 2-3 as Featured (the booking page renders those first, with a badge).

  2. Day 2

    Booking page polish

    Goal: The live page reads like your brand, not goldenhour's.

    • Upload your logo + favicon (Settings → Branding).
    • Write the artist bio (see /help/founder-photo-and-bio).
    • Pick a booking-page template (Settings → Booking page → Template).
    • Set up your custom domain (Settings → Custom domain): DNS one-time setup ~10 min.
    • Verify the email-from domain so confirmations send from your brand.

  3. Day 3

    Payments + security

    Goal: Money flows + account is locked down.

    • If you pressed "I'll set this up later" on payouts in setup, connect Stripe now (Settings → Payments): until you do, clients can book but cannot pay through the page. How long Stripe's own flow takes depends on your country and business type.
    • Test a real booking with your own card: confirms charges work + receipts send.
    • Turn on 2FA (Settings → Security). Save backup codes.
    • Set your cancellation policy text + no-show fee (Settings → Policies). Pick from /help/cancellation-policy-templates.

  4. Day 4

    Marketing surfaces

    Goal: Customers can find you.

    • Claim your Google Business Profile + set the appointment-link to your goldenhour URL.
    • Update your Instagram bio link (use /api/booking-link/<slug> for the stable redirect).
    • Order printable QR-code business cards via /api/qr/<slug>.
    • Draft your launch SMS to your existing client book (free templates in /help/winning-back-lapsed-clients).

  5. Day 5

    Soft launch

    Goal: First real booking lands.

    • Send the launch SMS to your top 20 existing clients.
    • Post on Instagram with the booking link + a 'book first 5 spots' urgency line.
    • Test the rinse-timer / aftercare flow yourself (book a fake one to walk it).
    • Schedule end-of-week 15-min review in your calendar.

End-of-week review

15-minute check on Friday

  • Did the launch SMS land? Open + click rate visible in Reports → Campaigns.
  • Any bookings? If yes: read the customer experience end-to-end (manage page, prep checklist, confirmation).
  • Anything missing? Lashes/brows on a face-only template? Lock-screen badge on your Apple Wallet pass? Note + fix Monday.

Getting started: live in two minutes, set up in ten