Holiday light installers fill October by messaging last season's customers in late August or early September with a booking link and a deposit request, then following up on a schedule until each customer books or declines. The bottom line: one date field and three workflows in GoHighLevel do the follow up, so the owner spends September on quotes and crews, not on chasing replies. If you have not contacted last season's customers yet, the window described below is closing.
What installers say about the calendar
Jobber's small business guide says to reach out to returning customers as early as late August or early September to renew them, book them, and collect a deposit, and to offer a small discount to encourage early sign ups. It says the season typically runs from November 1 to the end of January, and that the busiest period is the two weeks before and after Thanksgiving.
Installers describe the same pattern from their side. A Dallas area installer says its crews have roughly 8 to 12 weeks of installation time each year, with most installs packed into October and early November. A New Jersey installer says early slots go to returning customers first, and a starter playbook for new companies lays out September and October for signing jobs and collecting deposits, November for installs, December for service calls, and January for takedown. These are company statements, not industry surveys, but they agree on the order of events.
The three step follow up
| Step | Timing | Message |
|---|---|---|
| First invitation | Renewal outreach date, for example August 25 | Returning customers get first choice of install weeks. Booking link and deposit. |
| Second message | 7 days later | Short reminder with the number of install weeks still open. |
| Third message | 14 days after the first | Last call before the calendar opens to new customers, and a call task for the owner. |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Export last season's customers with the address and the last install date.
- Create a date field called Renewal outreach date and set it to your chosen start date for every customer on the list. Add the tag last season customer.
- In Automation, create a new workflow and add the Custom Date Reminder trigger.
- Select the Renewal outreach date field and add the Has Tag filter for last season customer.
- Add Send SMS and Send Email actions with the invitation and your calendar booking link.
- Add a Goal Event for a booked appointment, so customers who book skip the follow ups.
- Build the second and third workflows with the After Number of Days filter set to 7 and 14, and an Add Task action in the third.
- Optional: according to two GoHighLevel setup guides, a calendar can collect a Stripe deposit at booking. Confirm the option in your own account before you promise it.
Text to send
Hi [first name], it is [company]. Last season we installed your lights at [address]. We are opening our calendar to returning customers first. Pick your install week here: [booking link].
What the workload looks like
For example, if you installed 150 homes last season and 60 of every 100 customers rebook when asked, that is 90 jobs booked before you spend anything on new customer ads. Each customer who never gets a message is a job you might have booked for free. The reason to automate is the late summer timing: sources put the outreach in late August and early September, when the owner is busy ordering material and hiring crews.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending one message. Customers miss the first one. The second and third are where many bookings happen, so keep the follow ups.
- Skipping the deposit decision. Jobber says to collect deposits at booking. Decide the amount before you send.
- Waiting for the address list to be perfect. Send to what you have. A wrong address on a few records is cheaper than a late start.
- Forgetting takedown. The same customer record can drive a January takedown reminder and next year's message.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Customers who hired you last season have a business relationship with you, but keep the STOP message in every text and honor opt outs across all your workflows. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Is late September too late?
Sources describe late August to early October as the booking window and October as when installers fill their schedules. Start now if you have not, and lead with the weeks still open.
Should I discount early bookings?
Jobber suggests a small incentive for early sign ups. That is a pricing decision for your business.
Do I need a new list every year?
No. Keep the tag, and move each customer's Renewal outreach date to the next year after each season.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.