A CEO and fundraising team's best friend

If you're not using Calendly (or another scheduling tool) you might as well still be using dial-up internet.

If you haven’t yet turned this…

Into this…

To put it frankly… you’re wasting time, losing out on potential investors, and stuck in the digital equivalent of the stone age.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know that time is more than money—it’s momentum. Every second you spend juggling schedules with potential investors, partners, or collaborators is a second taken from your mission and growth.

The back-and-forth email chain to lock down a meeting time can be downright exhausting— it's not only inefficient, but it can also cost you potential opportunities.

Your potential funders go through hundreds if not thousands of emails each week. Scheduling your first call with them is likely their first insight into how things run at your organization. If it's not easy and straightforward, why would they bother to hear your pitch, and go through the due diligence process with you?

So, let’s talk about one simple solution that can save you hours and up your chances of actually getting that call on the books: Calendly.

Picture this: You’ve got a warm lead on a potential investor. They’re interested in what you’re doing, excited about your mission, and willing to jump on a call to hear your pitch. But there’s one catch—finding a time that works for both of you.

Studies show that, on average, it takes 8 emails to set up a meeting. That’s right, eight. And if you’re trying to arrange time with someone in a different time zone? It gets even trickier.

It’d be really interesting to see just how many meeting requests fall through simply because scheduling becomes too difficult or interest fades by the time a slot is confirmed.

When you’re trying to grow your business or your impact, the last thing you want is to miss out on a great partner because of something as simple as scheduling logistics. This is where a tool like Calendly can make a huge difference.

Are there other apps out there? Of course. But we like Calendly. Funders do too.

There’s a paid version with some fancy features… but the free version is all you need to add efficiency for you and your team.

Why Calendly Works: Simple, Efficient, and Focused on Your Time

Calendly allows you to send a single link that shows your availability and allows people to book a time that works for them.

Here are a few reasons why it’s worth integrating into your daily routine:

1. Fewer Emails, More Conversations
   With Calendly, your scheduling process goes from multiple emails to just one. You send a link, they pick a time, and both sides get an automatic calendar invite. You can easily skip the scheduling dance, making you more accessible and responsive to investors’ interest, right when it’s at its peak.

2. Capitalize on the Moment of Interest
   In any business, but especially in social enterprises, timing is everything. Interest can be fleeting, and the last thing you want is for an investor’s initial enthusiasm to cool down. By making it easy to book a time right away, you’re creating a frictionless path from “I’m interested” to “Let’s connect.” Research shows that meetings scheduled within 24 hours of initial contact are up to 4 times more likely to happen than those scheduled after a delay. A tool like Calendly keeps you agile and capitalizes on these moments.

3. Accommodate Different Time Zones
   For many social enterprise leaders in Africa, potential investors might be in Europe, North America, or Asia. Calendly automatically detects and adjusts for time zones, so you don’t have to worry about the mental math (or the missed meetings from accidental time zone misinterpretations). And with reminders built in, both you and your potential investor will get nudges before the meeting to reduce the chance of no-shows.

4. Free Up Time to Focus on Your Mission
   You’re busy running a social enterprise—your time should be spent on high-impact activities, not calendar coordination. By removing the hassle of finding mutually available time slots, tools like Calendly free you up to focus on the mission-critical work that matters most.

5. Control Over Your Availability
   Calendly allows you to pre-set blocks of time that you’re open for meetings, so you can be sure that you’re not interrupted during crucial work times. This way, investors see only the slots that you’ve deemed convenient, allowing you to maintain control over your schedule and avoid burnout from back-to-back calls.

But Wait, There’s More: Customizing Your Scheduling Tool

Calendly and similar tools aren’t just about saving time—they’re about making scheduling work for you. Here are a few customization options the tool allows:

• Set meeting durations to keep calls efficient and focused.

• Add buffer times between meetings so you’re never stuck rushing from one call to the next.

• Send automated reminders to make sure everyone remembers the meeting, increasing your attendance rate.

• Make scheduling part of your brand by offering customizable URLs and landing pages

OK; OK. That’s enough. I think you get the picture. If you’ve yet to use Calendly (or something similar) in your calendar and inbox. Stop everything you’re doing. And set it up.

Ready?

Read on for our complete guide on how to set up your schedule, fully integrate with your Gmail/Outlook or personal calendars, check for conflicts, allow potential funders from any time zone to speak with you, and generally make the tool work best for you.

STEP 1: Creating an account
STEP 2: Syncing your inbox/calendar
STEP 3: Setting your (general) availability
STEP 4: Setting your (specific) availability
STEP 5: Customizing your “event”
STEP 6: Bringing your brand into your scheduling
STEP 7: Sharing your Calendly link with the world!

Setting up and effectively using your Calendly: An end-to-end guide