Appointment reminder emails: when to send them, and 6 templates

Send an appointment reminder email early enough that the customer can still cancel or move inside your cancellation window: usually 24 to 48 hours before, or the evening before an early-morning slot. Keep it short: what, when, where, who, and one clear link to confirm, move or cancel.

Reminders cost next to nothing to send, and they turn "I completely forgot" into "thanks, can we move it to Thursday?"

When should you send an appointment reminder?

Work backwards from your cancellation window. If customers must cancel 24 hours ahead, a reminder sent two hours before is too late to help either of you; they can't cancel without breaking your rule, and you can't refill the slot. A reminder 48 hours before gives them a day to change plans.

Then adjust for the type of appointment:

Appointment	A sensible reminder time	Why
Short, local (haircut, nails, a lesson)	24 hours before	Close enough to remember, early enough to rebook
Long or high-value (colour, full detail, a shoot)	48 hours before	You need more time to fill a long slot
Early morning (before 10:00)	The evening before, or 24–48 hours before	Few people check email at 06:30 before an 08:00 appointment
You travel to the customer	24–48 hours before	They need to move the car, open the gate or be home
Booked weeks ahead	2 days before (plus the confirmation at booking)	Long gaps are where people forget

One well-timed reminder does most of the work. If you send two, make the second one short and close to the time, and make sure it doesn't contradict your cancellation rule.

What should a reminder email include?

Everything the customer needs to show up, or to change plans, without opening anything else:

• The service and the day and time, written out ("Tuesday 4 November at 14:30"), in the customer's time zone.
• Who they're seeing, if you have a team.
• Where: your address, or for mobile services, the address you're coming to and anything you need (parking, a water tap, access to the car).
• How to move or cancel, as one link or button, and until when.
• How to reach you if something's wrong.

Leave out promotions and newsletters. A reminder that looks like marketing is more likely to be skimmed or filtered.

Subject lines should make sense in a crowded inbox: "Reminder: haircut with Sam, Tue 14:30" works better than "Don't forget!", which says nothing.

Six appointment reminder templates

Replace the bracketed parts. Keep the tone you use with customers in person.

1. Standard reminder (any service)

Subject: Reminder: [service] on [day] at [time]

Hi [name],

A quick reminder of your [service] with [business] on [day, date] at [time].

Need to change it? You can move or cancel here until [deadline]: [link]

See you soon, [your name]

2. Salon or beauty appointment

Subject: See you [day] at [time]: [service]

Hi [name],

You're booked in for [service] with [stylist] on [day] at [time]. Please arrive a few minutes early so we can start on time.

If you can't make it, please let us know at least [24] hours before so we can offer the time to someone on our waiting list: [link]

Thanks, [business]

3. Mobile service (you travel to them)

Subject: We're coming to you [day] at [time]

Hi [name],

Reminder: we'll arrive for your [service] on [day] at [time] at [address].

To get started quickly, please [make sure the car is accessible / we can use a water tap / someone is home].

Plans changed? Move or cancel until [deadline]: [link]

[your name], [business]

4. Lesson, tutoring or coaching

Subject: [Lesson] tomorrow at [time]

Hi [name],

Looking forward to your [lesson] on [day] at [time] ([time zone]). [Bring … / Here's the video link: …]

If you need a different time, you can reschedule here until [deadline]: [link]

[your name]

5. First visit

Subject: Your first visit on [day]: what to expect

Hi [name],

Thanks for booking with [business]! Your [service] is on [day] at [time].

A few things that help on a first visit: [how to find us / parking / what to bring].

Need to change the time? [link]

See you then, [your name]

6. Short same-day nudge (optional second reminder)

Subject: Today at [time]: [service]

Hi [name], see you today at [time] for your [service]. Running late or can't make it? Please call or message us: [phone].

Common reminder mistakes

• Sending too late to act on. If the reminder arrives after the cancellation deadline, it only makes people feel stuck.
• No way to change the booking. If the only option is "call us during opening hours", some people will simply not turn up.
• The wrong time zone. If customers book from elsewhere, or you teach online, the time in the email must be the customer's local time.
• Reminding cancelled bookings. A reminder for an appointment the customer already cancelled makes them wonder whether the cancellation went through. Automated reminders avoid this; spreadsheets and phone alarms don't.
• Too many messages. One reminder, plus an optional short nudge, is plenty.

Sending reminders automatically with Okayset

If you'd rather not send reminders by hand, Okayset emails each customer a reminder automatically at the time you choose. Bookings made after that point, and requests you haven't approved yet, don't get one.

• You choose the timing, from 1 hour to 2 days before, under Settings → Notifications. See Reminders and thank-you emails.
• The email names the service, the person and the time, in English or Dutch, with a Reschedule or cancel button that respects your online cancellation deadline. See Booking rules and cancellation policy.
• Moved or cancelled bookings are handled for you, so customers aren't reminded about appointments that no longer exist.

Reminders go by email only; Okayset doesn't send SMS or WhatsApp messages. On paid plans you can also send a thank-you email after the visit with your review link, and the features page lists the rest.