Setting up automated SMS and email reminders and messages in Bookem
Automated messages help reduce no-shows and late cancellations by keeping clients informed at every stage of their booking. By default, Bookem sends them by both SMS and email, but you can set each message to go out by SMS only, email only, or SMS with email as a fallback.
What you can use automated messages for
Automated messages aren't limited to appointment reminders. You can use them to:
Send booking confirmations and reminders
Notify clients about reschedules or cancellations
Deliver forms, such as patient intake or consent forms
Share video call links
Send follow-up reminders or thank-you messages after an appointment
Setting these up once means most of your client communication runs on its own, with less manual follow-up.
Recommended message setups
For first-time clients
Booking confirmation, sent immediately when the appointment is confirmed
Initial consultation message, with an intake form link if you use Bookem forms
Reminder 1 day before the appointment
Reminder 2 hours before the appointment
For repeat clients
Booking confirmation, sent immediately
Reminder 1 day before the appointment
Reminder 2 hours before the appointment
Follow-up message, timed to your own preference
For video call bookings
Reminder with the video call link, sent 1 hour before the booking
Creating or editing an automated message
Step 1: Create a message template
Go to Settings > Message templates.
In the top right corner, click '+New template'
Select a template from the library or start with a blank one
Name the message and write the copy
For the full walkthrough of message templates, click here
Step 2: Set up automation
Next you need to link the message template with a trigger to create an automation
For the full walkthrough of automations, click here.
Pro-tip:
You don't need to include your business address. The booking link in the message already includes it.
Keep SMS messages short and check the character count before saving, since going over the limit can cause the message to be split or cut off. SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, or 70 characters if they include Unicode content such as emoji or Chinese characters.
Using variables
Variables are placeholders that pull in details like a client's name, appointment time, or booking link automatically, so you don't have to enter them by hand.
Type # followed by the variable name, for example #Start time or #Time zone.
Bookem replaces the variable with the correct information when the message sends.
Note: Variables appear highlighted in purple in the message editor, so you can check at a glance which ones you've added.