Direct booking
A direct booking is an appointment a client books straight with you, through your own booking page or link, instead of via a marketplace, listing app or agent. You own the client relationship and pay no marketplace commission on it.
Why direct booking matters
Many professionals in India find their first clients through marketplaces and listing apps, which works well for discovery. The trade-off is that the platform owns the relationship. It sets the rules, may take a cut, and can show the same client your competitors on the same screen. A direct booking puts the repeat client back in your hands.
Direct bookings come from places you control: your Instagram bio, WhatsApp Business profile, Google Business Profile, website, a QR code on your visiting card, and word of mouth. Point all of them to the same link, so wherever a client hears about you, booking takes the same few taps.
For direct booking to work, the experience has to be as smooth as a marketplace: real slots, a clear price, instant confirmation and an easy way to pay. Book A Sloth gives you that page at bookasloth.com/your-name, with UPI payments, automatic confirmations and reminders. Your client list and booking history stay with you.
Example
A Chennai physiotherapist who found her first patients on a listing app adds her booking link to her Google Business Profile, and repeat patients now book their follow-ups with her directly.
Related terms
Book A Sloth turns these into one link: a booking page with upfront payment over UPI, GST invoices and automatic reminders.