6 Appointment Reminders Templates for Email, Call and SMS

Sending appointment reminders drives up attendance rates and reduces no-shows. Why? Because missed appointments are often the result of simple forgetfulness. But if you want to see the most impact from your reminder texts, calls, and emails, you need to be sending the right kind of message.

Our experts at ReminderCall have been working in the industry for years. We know exactly what kind of information to include and how to get the best results. Here are some appointment reminder examples to help you send effective messages.

Best Practices for Appointment Reminders

Before setting up an appointment reminder system, you must keep a few details in mind. Below, we outline best practices to follow as you create a reminder strategy.

When to Get Permission

A good rule of thumb is to avoid sending appointment reminders to people who are unwilling to receive them. More specifically, some regulations vary according to the technology used to send them:

Reminder Phone Calls

Before sending an automated call, always get permission whether or not you have a business relationship with your customer.  Do not send any calls to recipients who have opted not to receive your calls. ReminderCall makes this easy by including an opt-out mechanism and maintaining your do-not-call list. This ensures you don’t contact customers who do not want to receive messages.

Reminder Text Messages

For the most part, reminder text messages do not require prior permission. As long as the message does not contain any marketing, you can send text messages to confirm or remind recipients of an existing upcoming appointment, whether you have a current business relationship with them or not.

Reminder Emails

Reminder emails must have an opt-out mechanism. Although you can send appointment reminder emails to customers, whether or not you have an existing business relationship with them, the email must include an unsubscribe link. This permits the recipient to block emails from you.

Identify Yourself Clearly

Make sure that your call, text, or email message identifies who you are. If you use ReminderCall, you can get a customized caller ID, supporting easy identification. But mentioning the name of your business somewhere in the body of the message is usually sufficient.

Provide All Necessary Appointment Information

Providing clear information is essential. Any ambiguous appointment details can lead to confusion. Be sure to spell out all necessary information. Include the date, time, location, and any appointment details. You can even add directions to your office or document requirements.

Keep It Brief or Go Long

When possible, keep the information you provide to what’s necessary. This is very important for regular text messages. Carriers often cut off text messages at 160 characters. Or, if you’d like to include more information, look into ReminderCall’s Long Format Text Messages.

Repeat Your Message

When it comes to phone call reminders, information may be missed when listening on the first, or second, go around. ReminderCall includes settings that will automatically repeat the message in full so that they can hear all the information clearly.

Think about Time and Date

The law lets you send your reminders only between 9 am and 9 pm. Beyond that, you can time them to get the best results. First, to maximize attention, avoid sending them during work hours. Next, send them no earlier than 24 hours in advance to take advantage of short-term memory. This will give you the time to book other clients.

Don’t Make it Too Easy to Cancel

Making it too easy for an individual to cancel may mean you see a lot of last-minute no-shows. Allowing customers to press “2” to cancel or reply with the word “cancel” only encourages them to do so. Instead, give them the option to reschedule by directing them to contact your office directly. This discourages cancelations but allows for appointment adjustments if necessary. 

Get Confirmation

Finally, you need to know whether a customer has received the message and allow them to confirm their appointment. For phone calls, ReminderCall allows for you to assign a button for quick confirmation. When it comes to text messages, our two-way system means they can reply to the message they’ve received. Our email templates include an easy confirmation button.

How to Structure Your Message

Now that we’ve established how to create an effective reminder strategy let’s look at some appointment reminder examples that optimize communication. Here is how our experts recommend you include in your appointment reminders:

Introduction

Who you are and why you are contacting them. In a phone call, you can use your recorded voice to add some personalization.

Information

Include all necessary appointment details such as the nature of the appointment, the time, the date, and the name of the person providing the service.

Instructions

Add anything you would like the person to do, such as confirm the appointment, contact your office, reschedule if necessary, book a new meeting, bring documentation, wear comfortable clothing, etc.

Response

Indicate how customers can respond by calling a phone number, pressing a key, sending a text, or clicking a button.

Appointment Reminder Templates

We’ve covered what makes an effective appointment reminder — now, let’s create some actual messages. Here are some appointment reminder examples to help you get started.

Reminder Call Templates

Basic Appointment Reminder Call Example

Hello, this is Dr. Anthony Calling to remind (First Name) (Last Name) that you have an appointment on (Date) scheduled for (Time) at (Location). Press 1 to confirm or call (Phone Number) 24 hours in advance to change your appointment. 

Reminder Call to Book A New Appointment Example

Hello, this is Willow Women’s Clinic. We are calling to remind (First Name) that you are due for your annual mammogram. Please contact us at (Phone Number) or press 2 to be transferred to our office to schedule an appointment. Thank you!

Reminder Text Message Templates

Basic Appointment Reminder Text Message Example

You have an appt with (Provider) on (Date) at (Time). Reply C to confirm. See you there! Reply STOP to stop reminders.

Reminder Text Message to Book a New Appointment Example

You are due for your annual physical. Please call (Provider) at (Phone Number) to schedule an appointment. Reply STOP to stop reminders. Thank you!

Reminder Email Templates

Basic Appointment Reminder Email Example

Hello (Name), this is a friendly reminder that you have an appointment with (Provider) on (Date) at (Time). Please confirm your appointment by clicking the button below. Thank you!

Reminder Email to Book a New Appointment Example

Hello (Name), teeth cleanings are important because they remove plaque from your teeth and help prevent decay. So don’t forget to reply to this email to request an appointment. Thank you!

The Takeaway

We hope these appointment reminder samples will help you in your quest to reduce no-shows and improve communication. If you’d like to automate your appointment reminders try our instant demo, it’s free!