Short answer: send two reminders: one the afternoon before and one about an hour before the appointment. Keep it to a few lines with the day, time, service and address, and always include an easy way to cancel. A Cochrane review of healthcare appointments found that text reminders raise attendance compared with no reminder.
If you work on your own, you know the feeling: a no-show leaves a hole in your day that you can't fill. You held the slot, the client didn't come, and that half hour is gone. Most of the time it isn't rudeness. The client booked two weeks ago and simply forgot. That's exactly what a reminder is for.
Do reminders actually work?
There isn't much independent research on salons and barbershops, but there is on something very close: medical appointments. A 2013 Cochrane review pooled several studies and found that people who got a text reminder showed up 78.6% of the time, compared with 67.8% of those who got nothing. The same review found that a text works about as well as a phone call while taking far less of your time. The authors ask for more high-quality studies, so treat these numbers as a direction, not a promise. The direction is clear, though: reminding people helps.
When should you send a reminder?
Two moments cover almost every case:
- The afternoon before. The client still has time to plan, or to let you know they can't make it. If they cancel, you still have an evening and a morning to fill the slot.
- About an hour before. This one saves the client who got caught up in their day. It's early enough to leave on time and close enough not to be forgotten again.
Don't send more than that. Three or four messages for a haircut feels pushy. And if the appointment was booked the same morning, the one-hour reminder is enough.
What should the reminder say?
A good reminder answers four questions without the client having to look anything up: when, what, where, and how to cancel. Here's one for the day before:
Hi Luke, just a reminder about your appointment tomorrow, Thursday the 14th, at 5:00 PM for a cut and beard trim at Marco's Barbershop, 12 Main Street. If you can't make it, you can cancel here: [link]. See you tomorrow!
And one for an hour before:
Hi Luke, see you at 5:00 PM for your cut and beard trim. If something comes up, let me know here: [link].
Three practical rules:
- Use the client's name and yours. A message that sounds like it came from you gets read. One that looks like an anonymous system alert gets ignored.
- Always include a way to cancel. It sounds backwards, but it works: clients who can cancel in one tap actually tell you. Clients who have to call or text often don't, and then they don't show up.
- Keep promotions out of it. A reminder is about the appointment and nothing else. Offers and news go in a separate message, and only to people who agreed to receive them.
Email, push notification or text: which channel?
It depends on how you work and what your clients actually read. Email is free and leaves a tidy record, and it makes it easy to add the appointment to a calendar. A push notification shows up instantly, even on a locked screen, if the client turned it on. Texts are the most read, but they cost money or need a dedicated tool if you want them sent automatically. In the United States, automated texts also come with rules about consent; the FCC's consumer guide explains the basics. Many solo pros start with email plus push notifications, because both are free and they cover the two moments that matter.
The reminder that brings clients back
There's a third message that works for your calendar rather than for one appointment: a nudge a few days before a regular client is usually due. If someone comes in every three weeks, a friendly heads-up a few days ahead helps them book on time instead of hunting for a slot at the last minute and finding you fully booked. Same rule as before: one message per cycle, no more.
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See pricing and try it freeFrequently asked questions
How many reminders should I send?
Two is enough in most cases: one the afternoon before and one about an hour before. More than that can feel pushy.
What time should the day-before reminder go out?
In the afternoon, so the client has time to tell you if they can't come and you have time to fill the slot.
Should I include a cancel link?
Yes. Clients who can cancel in one tap let you know more often, so you can give the slot to someone else.
Are automated texts allowed?
Reminders about a booking the client made are part of the service, but automated texts in the US have consent rules. Check the FCC guidance before sending marketing texts.
Sources
- Cochrane, Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments (2013) (accessed October 28, 2026)
- FCC, Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts (accessed October 28, 2026)
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked.