Appointment Reminder Templates To Use for Your Service Business

Sure, clients cancelling late (or not showing up at all) happen now and then — but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to prevent those. This is where appointment reminders come in handy. 

A quick message or call can help make sure an appointment doesn’t slip the client’s mind. It can also help you and your staff stay on schedule and even protect your income due to missed time slots. 

 Below, you’ll find copy-paste appointment reminder templates you can use for texts, emails, and calls. We’ll also cover some quick tips to make your reminders more effective without sounding harsh. 

Appointment Reminder Text Message Examples 

Sending appointment reminder messages sent via text or DM is especially ideal if most of your clients are typically busy folks. However, even though these reminders should be kept short, they still need to include basic details such as:

• Your business name
• The service/s booked
• Date and time of the appointment
• Your business location (or a virtual link, if applicable)
• How to reschedule or (if applicable) cancel 
• Arrival time guidance
• What to bring or how to prepare (if needed)

Here are three appointment reminder templates for text or DM that you can copy-paste and fill in with the right details. 

Text reminder template 1: Confirmation upon booking

You’re all set, [Name]! ✅

[Service] is booked for [Day, Date] at [Time] with [Business/Specific Staff Member].

Location: [Address] (or link: [Link])

Need to make some changes? Reply here or reschedule: [Reschedule link]

Text reminder template 2: Send 24 hours before

Hi, [Name]! Friendly reminder: you’re booked for [Service] tomorrow: [Day, Date] at [Time] with [Business/Staff].

Location: [Address] (or link: [Link])

If you can’t make it, please reply here ASAP or use this link: [Reschedule link]

Text reminder template 3: Send the morning of (or 8+ hours before)

Good [morning/afternoon/evening], [Name]! See you [today/tomorrow] at [Time] for [Service] with [Business/Staff].

Please arrive 5–15 minutes early if you can. We’re at [Address] (or join here: [Link]).

If you’re running late, please text us. Arrivals over 15 minutes late may need to be rescheduled.

Also read: What To Say to No-Show Clients (Including Message Templates!)

Appointment Reminder Templates for Email

Email reminders are perfect when you want to include a bit more details, especially for longer services, new clients, or anything that needs prep (e.g., tattoo sessions, hair color treatments, fitness assessments). 

That said, a good appointment reminder email should include:

• Your business name
• The service/s booked
• Date and time of the appointment
• Location details (or a virtual link, if applicable)
• How to reschedule (and cancel, if applicable)
• Arrival time guidance
• What to bring or how to prepare (if needed)
• Cancellation policy reminder (if you charge fees or require notice)

Below are ready-to-send appointment reminder email examples you can copy, paste, and tweak in seconds.

Email reminder template 1: Confirmation upon booking

Subject line options:

• Your appointment is confirmed! 
• Confirmed: [Service] with [Business]
• Thanks for booking! You’re all set 🙌🏽
  

Email body:

Hi [Name],

You’re all set for [Service] on [Day, Date] at [Time] with [Business/Staff Member].

Where: [Address + suite/door code if needed]
Parking/entry notes (optional): [Short note]

How to prepare:
Please make sure to [prep instructions — such as “come with clean, dry hair,” “avoid caffeine 2 hours before,” “wear comfortable clothing”].

Need to make changes? You can reschedule here: [Reschedule link]
Or reply to this email and we’ll help.

Thanks for booking with us,
[Business Name]
[Phone number] | [Website]

Email reminder template 2: Send 24 hours before 

Subject line options:

• See you tomorrow!
• Reminder: [Service] tomorrow 
• Your upcoming appointment 🗓️

Email body:

Hi [Name],

Just a friendly reminder that you’re booked for [Service] tomorrow ([Day, Date]) at [Time] with [Business/Staff].

Where: [Address + suite/door code if needed]
Parking/entry notes (optional): [Short note]

How to prepare:
Before you arrive: [prep instructions — e.g., “come with clean, dry hair,” “avoid caffeine 2 hours before,” “wear comfortable clothing”].

Cancellation policy reminder: If you need to cancel or reschedule, please do so by [Policy window, such as 12 hours before] to avoid [fee/deposit policy].

To make a change, you can reschedule here: [Reschedule link]

See you soon,
[Business Name]
[Phone number] | [Website]

Email reminder template 3: Send the morning of (or 8+ hours before)

Subject line options:

• We’ll see you soon!
• See you later for [Service]
• Reminder: Your appointment is today 🗓️

Email body:

Hi [Name],

We’ll see you [today/tomorrow] for [Service] at [Time] with [Business/Staff].

Location: [Address, plus any entry and parking notes]

Please arrive 5–15 minutes early if you can. If you’re running late, do text/call us ASAP at [Phone number].

Arrivals over 15 minutes late may need to be rescheduled so we can stay on time for other clients.

We look forward to welcoming you,
[Business Name]
[Phone number] | [Website]

Appointment Reminder Templates for Phone Calls

If you need a quick confirmation or a client isn’t responding to your texts or emails, it might be necessary to call or leave a voice message. 

Not sure exactly what to say? You can use the following appointment reminder templates or scripts as a guide. 

Live phone call scripts

What to say first: 

“Hi, is this [Client Name]?”

What to say next: 

“Hi [Client Name], it’s [Your Name] from [Business Name]. I’m just calling to confirm your appointment for [Service] on [Day] at [Time].

Are you still good for that time?”

If they say yes:

“Perfect, thank you! We’re located at [Address]. [Add details about parking and/or entry]. We’ll see you then.”

If they need to reschedule:

“No problem at all. Do you want to reschedule with me right now, or would you rather reschedule online? Either works.” 

If they’re unsure / checking schedule:

“That’s fine. Do you want to take a quick look and call us back in a few minutes, or should I [text/email] you the details so it’s easy to confirm?”

Quick voicemail script

What to say:

“Hi [Client Name], this is [Your Name] calling from [Business Name]. I’m just confirming your appointment for [Service] on [Day] at [Time].

If you need to reschedule, please call us back at [Phone number]. Again, that number is [Phone number]. 

Thanks, and we’ll see you soon!”

Optional add-on (location details):

“We’re located at [Address]. Also, [add details about parking and/or entry].”

Also read: 7 Tips for Prioritizing Tasks if You’re an Entrepreneur

7 Tips for Sending Appointment Reminders to Clients

Now, here are a few best practices you should follow, as well as mistakes to avoid. 

1. Clarify the next steps, so clients know exactly what to do. Don’t assume they’ll easily figure out whether they should confirm, reply, or click something. 
2. Always include the important details. If your reminder doesn’t clearly say what the appointment is for, when it is, and where to go, it may lead to unnecessary extra work for you. Clients will reply asking for missing info you should’ve mentioned early on.
3. Don’t be vague with the time and date, like writing “tomorrow at 2.” Instead, use a clear format like “Tuesday, March 3 at 2 PM” to prevent mix-ups (especially when people read messages late at night or while multitasking).
4. Tailor the tone and wording to match your brand. If you run a laid-back barbershop, a super formal message can feel weird. Meanwhile, if it’s for a high-end spa, something overly casual might put off some of your clients. 
5. Reiterate your rescheduling or cancellation policies. This includes the cutoff time for any changes, plus any fees or non-refundable deposits (if you have those). 
6. Let clients know the ideal arrival time (such as 10 minutes early) and how much wiggle room there is if they’re running late. This helps keep your schedule on track, as one late client can throw off the rest of your day. 
7. Keep text reminders short and skimmable. That means they should be easy for clients to read at a glance. If you need to mention plenty of other important info, consider sending another reminder via email instead. 

Also read: How To Make Your One-Person Business Look More Professional

Simplify How You Send Appointment Reminders With Bookedin

No-shows and last-minute cancellations will probably never disappear completely (alas, things happen),  but sending the right appointment reminders to clients can help minimize such instances. If you want to make this process even easier, Bookedin can handle it for you!

With this top-notch scheduling tool, you can turn on automated reminders and send up to three text and/or email reminders per appointment, so you don’t have to manually message anyone. 

Book a free demo & see how it works

Pair those with our appointment reminder message examples for service businesses, and you’ve got an easy, repeatable system that keeps your clients in the loop. 

P.S. — If you do need to reach out personally, Bookedin also makes it super easy for you to contact your clients directly via text, email, or call.

Ready to try Bookedin (that is, if you haven’t yet)? Sign up for free today and get a 14-day trial, so you can finally set up your client reminder system! 

Frequently Asked Questions