Get Confirmation Text Templates + Learn How to Send Text Reminders for Appointments & More
Why do people miss appointments, payments, meetings, and events?
Lack of communication.
So what’s the best way to proactively remind someone of something? 67% of people prefer SMS text message reminders.
This article is all about:
- How to send text message reminders
- Text message reminder and confirmation best practices
- Example text message reminder and confirmation sequences
- Text message reminder and confirmation templates and examples
By the end, you’ll have everything you need to send text message reminders and confirmation texts.
Read on for more.
How to Send Text Message Reminders
How do you send SMS appointment reminders, payment reminders, and more?
You’ll need a proper text reminder app. Texting as a business or organization isn’t like texting from your personal phone for work.
Some businesses and organizations allow staff and employees to send text reminders from their personal mobile phones. But there are major drawbacks and liabilities with this.
One drawback is that there’s no way for a team to keep track of text conversations on their personal phones. No one else in your organization can see who has and hasn’t received confirmation and reminder text messages.
So here’s how to get started with a text reminder service, software, or app.
1. Choose a text reminder service, software, or app
You’ve got options when choosing a business text messaging service to send text reminders.
But the two major features you’ll need are a shared team SMS inbox and broadcast text messages.
Shared team SMS inboxes make it possible to send and receive one-way and two-way text messages as a team.
When someone texts your business phone number, you can automatically assign and route the conversation to a teammate. You can even add comments that mention a colleague directly in the conversation thread.
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Additionally, you’ll need an SMS reminder service that makes it easy to send text message broadcasts. This feature allows you to schedule reminder text messages in bulk.
MessageDesk offers both of the above features and more including:
- Separate text-enabled 10-digit local or toll-free 800 SMS phone numbers
- A shared team SMS inbox for assigning and routing conversations
- Text message broadcasts for sending mass text messages
- Text message templates and tags to personalize text messages
- Support for MMS picture messaging
- Scheduled texts and automation for scaling messaging
- Text message signatures so people know who you are
- Automatic out-of-office messages to let people know you’re away
- Support for high-volume carrier-verified A2P 10DLC text messaging
- Built-in opt-out and opt-in tools for TCPA compliance
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2. Set up your SMS phone number to send reminder texts
Next, you need to get a business text number or text-enable your existing business number.
Many business texting platforms and text message reminder services allow you to text from a variety of SMS phone number types. You can even text-enable phone number extensions.
For businesses and organizations, your number options often include 10-digit local phone numbers and toll-free numbers.
A local area code with a ten-digit number is often the best option for sending text message reminders. These numbers look familiar, so people won’t disregard your reminder messages as spam.
You can also text-enable your business landline or an existing office phone through number porting. This allows you to keep your current voice provider and also send and receive texts on your main business line.
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3. Set up call forwarding
If you text appointment reminders, what happens if the recipient tries to call your 10-digit text messaging number? You’ll want to make sure their call gets forwarded to an active phone line.
All you have to do to set up call forwarding is input your business phone number. An appointment reminder text app like MessageDesk will take care of the rest.
This keeps you from missing inbound phone calls from people who need to reschedule or cancel an appointment.
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4. Advertise your SMS phone number
Advertising your SMS phone number is one of the best ways to get people to send you appointment request text messages.
It's easy to let people know you’re textable. Just add a click-to-text button on your website or a landing page.
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Other options include advertising your SMS phone number on billboards, physical signage, and vehicles.
Text reminder apps like MessageDesk also come with embeddable forms and a text message chatbot. Both features allow you to start text conversations from your website.
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5. Pre-save reminder texts as templates with personalization tags
Time savings start with templates. These are great when you or your staff have to send the same reminder messages over and over again.
Text reminder apps (like MessageDesk) allow you to customize text messages and save text messages as templates. Templates can include emojis, images, media, and even personalization tags.
Personalization tags like {{ FirstName }} automatically insert contact details like name, email, and other info into a text message. You can even add a text message signature to all of your texts.
You can also use custom fields to save other relevant info like account number, last appointment date, time, and more.
Note: For all medical practices, you’ll need to avoid sending any personal health information (PHI) in your text messages. I’ve got more on this below.
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6. Include calls to action and links to scheduling software in your reminder and confirmation text messages
Next, you’ll want to add calls to action and links to your reminder and confirmation texts.
The best way to include a call to action is with a link in a text message. Your CTAs should make it clear to people how to confirm an appointment by text message, cancel, and reschedule.
One of the best ways to do this is by sending a link to a meeting scheduling software. Calendly and Google Calendar links are great ways to do this.
7. Automate text reminder sequences with keyword autoresponders
A recent study showed that automated appointment reminders reduced missed appointment rates by 41% on average.
You can always send out one-on-one text message reminders to people.
But text reminder services like MessageDesk also help you text at scale with automated text messages for reminders and confirmations.
You can even chain reminder and confirmation text messages together with keyword-based text message autoresponders.
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8. Set office hours for out-of-office and away messages
Finally, you’ll want to set up out-of-office text messages to let people know when you’re away.
Business texting services like MessageDesk allow you to customize your availability. When someone texts your business number while you’re away, they’ll get an autoresponse text back.
This autoresponse can help you set response time expectations. You can also give people alternative ways to reach you in case of an emergency or urgent matter.
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Text Message Reminder and Confirmation Best Practices
I’ve covered how to set up and send reminders and confirmation texts. Below is a list of best practices to follow when sending reminder text messages.
1. Have a defined appointment no-show and cancelation policy
You’ll want to make your no-show and cancellation policies clear before you text your contacts, customers, or patients.
A no-show policy tells people what happens if they miss an appointment with you. Some organizations even charge a fee for every missed or canceled appointment that occurs within a certain timeframe.
As a best practice, consider including a link to your cancelation policy in your reminder and confirmation text messages. You can save this as part of your templated reminder messages.
2. Make sure replies get routed to the right people
Appointment reminder text apps make it easy for patients, customers, or clients to reply to your reminder texts. This is critical to reducing missed appointments and no-shows.
But let’s say you send out a reminder text and someone replies with a question.
That text message conversation needs a notification. It also needs to get routed and assigned to the right person in your organization.
Again, platforms like MessageDesk make text conversation assignment and routing easy.
When a contact texts your business phone number, you can sort them into a filter group. You can then assign that group to a conversation owner.
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3. Get consent to text confirmations and reminders
Consent and TCPA SMS compliance are impossible to manage if you’re just texting people from your personal phone.
The good news is that to send appointment reminders and confirmations you don’t need the highest level of consent. For people who have already scheduled an appointment with you, you have their implied consent. This is based on an existing business relationship.
But it's still a best practice to make contacts aware of your consent and text messaging policies.
If you ever plan on texting promotional messages for SMS marketing campaigns, then you’ll need express written consent.
Business texting software like MessageDesk automatically handles consent and compliance with opt-in and opt-out controls.
When contacts text STOP they automatically get added to a do-not-contact list.
This keeps you in compliance and prevents you from mistakenly texting contacts who don’t want to receive additional text messages.
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4. Reduce appointment lead times
Appointment lead times are the calendar days between making an appointment and the actual appointment itself. Shortening this time results in greater customer satisfaction and reduces no-shows.
One case study found that an appointment lead time of 30 days increased no-shows, missed appointments, and cancelations.
Lead times will vary based on your business or organization. But it’s generally a best practice to reduce lead times whenever possible.
5. Only send essential information at the right times
You’ll want to send your reminder text messages during normal business hours (8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday).
This is professional text message etiquette. It can help you improve your customer experience and how customers feel about your business.
However, the timing of your texts can vary based on the service or product you provide.
In addition to timing, you’ll want to keep your text messages short and easy to read. Keeping things short and relevant is why text messages have such high engagement and response rates.
Including the appointment day, time, and a link to your no-show and cancellation policies are also obvious best practices.
6. Connect your business texting software to appointment scheduling and payments software with integrations like Zapier
Connecting to appointment scheduling and payments software using services like Zapier can automate your appointment reminders, appointment confirmations, and payment reminders.
There are three ways you can use Zapier with MessageDesk to trigger events, automate your reminder messages, and more.
Add or update a contact
Whenever a new contact requests an appointment, you can sync their contact info with MessageDesk. Or update contact info when a contact reschedules an appointment in an app like Calendly or Google Calendar.
Add contact to a group
You can also add outside contacts to groups in MessageDesk as well.
Send a message
Trigger a text message to be sent when an action happens in another app. You can automatically send a message to a customer any number of days before an event and much more.
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7. Create a reminder campaign
Text messages have clear benefits compared to email and voice. But they’re most likely only part of a larger communication strategy.
So if you use multiple communication methods to remind people, then map out your reminder flow. You’ll want to organize your reminders into a well-timed campaign sequence.
For example, you may send an email reminder or text alert five days prior to an appointment. This could be followed by a text message three days in advance. Then, finally, a phone call the day before an appointment.
You’ll also want to send your appointment reminders early, but not too early. Don’t send reminders too frequently or too far ahead.
Otherwise, people are more likely to opt-out or forget their appointment. Send it too close to the actual date, and it might be too late for a reminder to be effective.
To get you started, I’ve included some example reminder sequences in the next section of this article. Each leverages all of the above reminder methods.
Example Text Message Reminder and Confirmation Sequences and Campaigns
How to schedule an appointment
Appointment request text messages often involve meeting scheduling or appointment software, like Calendly or Google Calendar. The process for booking or scheduling a new appointment via text might look like this:
- Someone inquires about an appointment by texting your business number, using your website chatbot or website contact form.
- The appointment request message starts a text conversation that shares a link to a scheduling service, calendar, or web form.
- A web form with appointment information gets submitted.
- Once the appointment is confirmed, a text and/or email appointment confirmation message gets sent.
How to confirm an appointment by text
- Appointment scheduled: set up an automation to immediately text an appointment confirmation with a keyword like CONFIRM.
- Appointment confirmed: once the recipient confirms, enroll them in an appointment reminder sequence.
How to cancel an appointment by text
- Appointment scheduled: set up an automation to immediately text an appointment confirmation with a keyword like CONFIRM.
- Appointment confirmed: once the recipient confirms, enroll them in an appointment reminder sequence.
- Appointment reminder sent: set up a keyword autoresponder in your reminder for people to cancel their appointment.
- Cancel autoresponder activated: when a person responds with CANCEL, send them a link to reschedule or cancel their appointment.
How to text appointment reminders
Once a contact schedules an appointment, you’ll want to create an email and text reminder sequence. The following example is for reminding about an appointment one week in advance.
- Right after scheduling the appointment: text and email an appointment confirmation message.
- 5 days before the appointment: text an appointment reminder.
- Morning of the appointment: text an appointment reminder.
- The hour leading up to the appointment: text the customer, client, or patient.
How to send HIPAA-compliant appointment reminder texts
Text messaging (as a technology) is not HIPAA-compliant. However, HIPAA doesn’t prohibit you from sending text messages for patient appointments.
You just need to be aware of some specific rules and best practices before you start texting.
To send text messages to patients:
- Messages can’t contain personal health information (PHI).
- Patients need to opt-in to messaging before you text them.
Suggested Article: Guide to HIPAA-Compliant Texting For Medical Offices
How to confirm a meeting by text
Meetings already take up too much time. So meeting reminder text messages can be critical. Here’s a meeting confirmation text message campaign.
- Meeting scheduled: confirm the meeting with a text message.
- 1 week before the meeting: send a meeting reminder email.
- Day of meeting: send an email and text meeting reminder.
- 30 minutes to an hour before the meeting: send a final meeting reminder text.
How to text a payment reminder
I’ve got a whole article on how to remind someone to pay you. But here’s a sample net 30 payment reminder sequence:
- Day 1: email and text customers a link to their invoice.
- Day 5: text invoice reminder.
- Day 10: text invoice reminder.
- Day 15: text invoice reminder.
- Day 20: email and text link to the invoice.
- Day 30: call customer.
How to get feedback with a text message reminder
Conducting text message surveys and polls can help you provide better customer service. Here’s a sample poll reminder sequence running for 4-6 weeks.
- Day 1: text and email a link to a Google form, poll, or survey.
- Day 5: text and email poll/survey reminder.
- Day 15: text and email poll/survey reminder.
- Day 30: text and email a link to the survey/poll.
- Day 40: text a review reminder.
How to ask for a review with a text message reminder
Collecting Google reviews helps you build an online reputation and earn referrals. Consider creating a reminder sequence that asks for a Google review by sharing a link to your Google business page.
- Day 1: text and email a link to your Google Business reviews page.
- Day 2: text and email a review reminder with a link to your Google reviews.
- Day 5: text and email a review reminder with a link to your Google reviews.
- Day 7: text and email a review reminder with a link to your Google reviews.
- Day 9: text and email a review reminder with a link to your Google reviews.
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Text Message Reminder and Confirmation Templates and Examples
Below are various text message appointment reminder templates and confirmation text message examples.
Feel free to copy and paste any of these text messages. You can also check out my list of 100+ free text message templates for more.
Insurance appointment reminder text template
Hi {{ FirstName }}, it’s [My First Name] from {{ OrganizationName }}. Just a friendly appointment reminder for today at [ Time ]. Please be sure to fill out the paperwork I emailed you prior to our meeting. Thanks!
Insurance appointment confirmation template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. I’m [My First Name], [My Job Title] at {{ OrganizationName }}. I just received your request for a phone call tomorrow at [ Date ] [ Time ] to learn more about our rates. Please confirm with YES if this is correct.
See more insurance texting examples.
Finance appointment reminder template
Hi {{ FirstName }}, just reminding you that you have a portfolio review with {{ Name }} on [ Time ] [ Date ] at our offices a {{ Address }}. If you can't make it, please notify us within 24 hours.
Finance appointment confirmation template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. It’s {{ Agent }} confirming our meeting on [ Date ] at [ Time ]. If you need to reschedule, visit my calendar here [ Link ].
Paperwork request reminder text
Hey {{ FirstName }}. Our records show that you have not yet completed our new patient paperwork. You can access it via our online portal using the link we emailed to you at [ Email ]. Please have this completed before your appointment on [ Date ] [ Time ]. Call or text if you have any questions!
Check out more on finance SMS for banks, financial services, advisors, and lenders.
Real estate appointment reminder text template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. I’m [ Person ] from {{ OrganizationName }} and we’re excited to show you the listing on [ Time ] [ Date ]. Please text this number if you have any questions. Thanks.
See the real estate texting guide and free real estate SMS templates for more.
Veterinary appointment reminder text message template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is a reminder of [Customer Field 1]’s yearly checkup on APPOINTMENT DATE AND TIME. Need to cancel or reschedule? Call this phone number or reply to this text message within TIME FRAME. Please be aware that we do charge no-show fees. Thanks!
Veterinary appointment confirmation text template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is {{ OrganizationName }} confirming [Custom Field 1]’s appointment at [ Date ] [ Time ]. Does that time still work for you?
See more about veterinary text messaging and additional text templates.
Medical patient paperwork reminder text messages
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is [My First Name] from {{ OrganizationName }}. Just a reminder to fill out the new patient paperwork. We emailed it to you prior to your appointment at [ Date ] [ Time ]. Thanks!
Doctor appointment text message sample
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is a friendly reminder of your upcoming appointment with [ Doctor’s Name ] on [ Date ] [ Time ]. Need to reschedule or cancel? To avoid no-show fees, please call this number or reply to this text by [ Date ] [ Time ].
Doctor appointment confirmation text message template
Hi {{ FirstName }}, thanks for booking an appointment with our office. Please text CONFIRM to confirm your appointment for [ Date ] [ Time ].
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is [My First Name] from {{ OrganizationName }}. We received your request for an appointment with [ Person ] on [ Date ] [ Time ]. To confirm, please reply with YES.
Medical appointment referral text message template
Hi {{ FirstName }}, this is {{ OrganizationName }}. We received a referral from [ company name ] and need to schedule your initial appointment. To schedule, please text or call us at {{ OrganizationNumber }}. Text STOP to opt out of messaging.
Appointment request text message sample
Thank you for scheduling a consultation with {{ FirstName }} at {{ OrganizationName }}. You are confirmed on [ Date ] [ Time ]. If you have any questions, please reply via text or email. We’ll see you then!
HIPAA-compliant appointment reminder text message template
You have an appointment with {{ OrganizationName }} on [ Date ] [ Time ]. Reply CONFIRM to confirm or CANCEL to cancel your appointment. Please call our office at {{ OrganizationPhone }} if you have any questions. P.S. Don’t forget to bring your insurance card.
See more on HIPAA-compliant text messaging.
Beauty appointment text reminder template
Hi {{ FirstName }}! It’s {{ OrganizationName }} reminding you of your appointment this [ Date ] [ Time ]. Need to cancel or reschedule? Replying RESCHEDULE to this text message by [ Date ] [ Time ] to avoid charges. Thanks!
Beauty appointment confirmation text
Hi {{ FirstName }}, this is [My First Name] from {{ OrganizationName }}. This is a confirmation that we received your request for [ Service ] on [ Date ] [ Time ]. We look forward to seeing you then! Please call or text us at this number if you need to cancel or reschedule to avoid our late fee.
Recruiting appointment text reminder template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. Just a friendly reminder of your phone interview tomorrow with {{ OrganizaitonName }} at [ Date ] [ Time ]. Need a different interview time? Just reply to this message and we can figure out a time that works.
Recruiting appointment confirmation text example
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is [My First Name] from {{ OrganizaitonName }}. Text back CONFIRM to let me know that your interview time still works for you on [ Date ] [ Time ].
Upcoming call text message reminder
Hello {{ FirstName }}, it's [ Person ]. Looking forward to speaking with you today. Please let me know if you need to reschedule by texting RESCHEDULE. - Signature
Interview reminder text message template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. [ Person ] from {{ OrganizaitonName }} here. Your interview is scheduled for [ Date ] [ Time ]. We look forward to meeting with you. Please confirm that the time and date work for you by responding CONFIRM to this message. Thank you.
See additional staffing and recruitment text message examples.
Automotive reminder text template
Hi {{ FirstName }}. [ Name ] from { OrganizationName }} here. This is just a friendly reminder to pick up your vehicle by [ Time ] [ Date ].
Automotive appointment confirmation text
This is {{ OrganizationName }}. Your appointment has been scheduled for vehicle maintenance on [ Date ] [ Time ]. Please reply with YES to confirm. If this was a mistake or you need to cancel, reply with CANCEL.
See car dealership text messaging options and free templates.
Fitness class reminder text template
Don’t forget! [ Custom Field 1 ] class has moved from [ Date ] [ Time ]. Text STOP to opt out of messaging.
Fitness class confirmation text
Hi {{ FirstName }}! Thanks for signing up for [ Event ] on [ Date ] [ Time ]. To confirm your spot, reply to this text message with CONFIRM. Need to cancel? Please reply with CANCEL at least a day before class time to avoid a late-cancellation fee.
Future classes
Hi {{ FirstName }}. Don’t forget about [ Event ] at [ Date ] [ Time ] tomorrow! If you can’t make it, please just shoot us a text within the next [ Date ] [ Time ] to avoid cancellation fees.
Text message meeting reminder
Hi {{ FirstName }}! It’s [My First Name]. I’m looking forward to our meeting today at [ Date ] [ Time ]. If you need directions to our office, you can find them here: [ Custom Field 1 ]
Event reminder text message sample
Hey {{ FirstName }}, [ Event ] is coming up on [ Date ] [ Time ]. Check this [ Link ] out for more information. Text STOP to opt out of future messaging.
Missed appointment text message sample
Hi {{ FirstName }}. We’re sorry to see you missed your appointment today and hope everything is well. If you’d like to reschedule, please reply to this message or call us at {{ OrganizationPhone }}.
Missed payment text message example
Hi {{ FirstName }}. This is {{ OrganizationName }}. We have not received your car payment this month. Please do so within the next [ Date ] [ Time ] to avoid late fees. Call or text us at this number if you have any questions.
Cleaning service reminder
Hi {{ FirstName }}. I’m [Name] from [Cleaning Service Name]. Thank you for booking our services. Please confirm that [Time] on [Date] works for you by responding CONFIRM. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.
Pest control service reminder
Hi {{ FirstName }}. I’m [ Person ] from {{ OrganizationName }}. Just reminding you about the pest control service. We have you booked for [ Date ] [ Time ]. We’ll need several hours to complete your service. Please make arrangements accordingly. Respond CONFIRM to confirm the time and date that works for you. Thank you.
Appointment cancelation text message sample
Hi {{ FirstName }}. Due to inclement weather, we are canceling all appointments until [ Date ] [ Time ]. We apologize for the inconvenience and will call you at a later date to reschedule. Text or call us if you have any questions.
Reschedule appointment text message sample
Hi {{ FirstName }}. Unfortunately, we need to reschedule your upcoming appointment at our clinic. Please call or text us at this number to reschedule for a better date. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Appointment survey follow-up text message template
Hi {{ Firstname }}. We wanted to follow up on your experience with us today. Please take the following survey and let us know your thoughts: [ survey link ]
Final thoughts and next steps
Ready to start texting? MessageDesk is here to help with smarter, simpler ways to send automated appointment reminders.
If you’re ready, consider trying MessageDesk. You're always free to schedule a demo and meet with one of our messaging experts.
We’re here to help you improve your messaging and find success.