CallataGuides

Business Text Message Templates for Daily Use

Forty copy-ready business text templates for greetings, scheduling, updates, payments, follow-ups and service recovery, short and compliant.

Below are forty short business text templates grouped by purpose: first contact, scheduling, day-of updates, quotes and sales, payments, service recovery, and closing the loop. Each one names the business, gets to the point within about 160 characters, and offers a clear next step. Replace the bracketed details with your own and save the ones you use as team templates.

Before you use them

  • Consent. Only text people who agreed to receive texts from your business. These templates are service and conversational messages; marketing messages need prior express written consent.
  • Registration. US carriers require businesses texting from local numbers to register their brand and campaign through The Campaign Registry (10DLC). See what 10DLC registration is.
  • Opt-out. Include "Reply STOP to opt out" in the first message to a new contact, consistent with the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices.
  • Personalize. Fill every blank. A message reading "Hi [NAME]" is worse than no message.

First contact (5)

  1. Hi [Name], it's [Your name] from [Business]. Thanks for your inquiry about [service]. Is now a good time for a quick call? Reply STOP to opt out.

  2. Hi [Name], [Business] here. Sorry we missed your call. How can we help? Reply here or we'll call you back within the hour. Reply STOP to opt out.

  3. Hi [Name], it's [Your name] at [Business]. Got your form about [service]. What's the best time today for a 5-minute call? Reply STOP to opt out.

  4. Thanks for texting [Business]! This is [Your name]. I can help with that. Can you tell me [one specific question]?

  5. Hi [Name], [Referrer] said you might need help with [service]. I'm [Your name] from [Business]. Happy to answer questions anytime. Reply STOP to opt out.

Only use the referral template when the referral is real and the referrer agreed.

Scheduling (7)

  1. You're booked with [Business] on [Day, Date] at [Time]. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule.

  2. Reminder: [Business] tomorrow, [Day] [Time] at [Address]. Reply R if you need to change it.

  3. I have [Option 1] or [Option 2] open. Which works better?

  4. No problem, you're moved to [Day, Date] at [Time]. See you then!

  5. Your [service] is today between [Window]. We'll text when we're on the way.

  6. We have a cancellation on [Day] at [Time]. Want it? First to reply gets the slot.

  7. Please [preparation step] before your appointment on [Day]. Questions? Just reply.

Template 11 should only go to customers on a waitlist who asked to hear about openings. More reminder wording in appointment reminder scripts.

Day-of updates (6)

  1. Hi [Name], [Tech name] is on the way and should arrive around [Time].

  2. [Tech name] is running about [X] min behind and will arrive around [Time]. Sorry for the wait!

  3. We're running [X] min behind today. Feel free to arrive at [Time] instead.

  4. [Tech name] is here. He's at the front door now.

  5. All done! [Tech name] finished [job]. Any questions, just reply here.

  6. We found [issue] during the visit. Can I call you to go over options? Takes 5 min.

Longer delay scripts are in how to tell customers about a delay.

Quotes and sales follow-up (6)

  1. Hi [Name], your quote for [job] is in your email. Happy to answer questions or adjust anything.

  2. Any questions on the [job] quote? I have openings [Day] and [Day] if you'd like to get it scheduled.

  3. Hi [Name], still interested in [job]? A quick yes/no is perfect.

  4. I'll close out your [job] quote for now. If you want to pick it back up, just text this number. Thanks!

  5. Good news: the [item] you asked about is in stock. Want us to hold one?

  6. Thanks for choosing [Business], [Name]! We're looking forward to [job].

See sales follow-up call script for pairing these with calls.

Payments (5)

  1. Friendly reminder from [Business]: invoice [#] for $[amount] is due [Date]. Pay here: [link].

  2. Invoice [#] ($[amount]) is due today. Pay at [link] or reply with any questions.

  3. Invoice [#] for $[amount] was due [Date]. If it's already sent, thank you! If not, you can pay at [link].

  4. Payment received for invoice [#]. Thank you, [Name]!

  5. Your payment on [Date] didn't go through. You can update your card here: [link].

More in payment reminder texts.

Service recovery (6)

  1. Hi [Name], I'm sorry about [issue]. Can I call you in the next 10 minutes to fix it?

  2. Thanks for letting us know. [Tech name] can come back [Day] at [Time] at no charge. Does that work?

  3. Just checking that [issue] is fixed after today's visit. Everything working?

  4. I've passed this to [Manager name], who will call you by [Time].

  5. You're right, and I'm sorry. Here's what we'll do: [fix] by [time].

  6. Got it. I'm looking into this now and will update you by [Time].

For anything beyond a quick fix, call. See complaint call script.

Closing the loop (5)

  1. Thanks for choosing [Business] today, [Name]! If you have a minute, we'd appreciate an honest review: [link]

  2. It's been a year since your [service]. Want us to get you on the schedule? Reply STOP to opt out.

  3. Thanks, you're all set! Have a great day.

  4. Got it, thanks for the update.

  5. Happy to help anytime, [Name]. Save this number for [Business].

Template 36 must not offer anything in exchange for the review; the FTC's rule on consumer reviews prohibits incentives conditioned on review sentiment. See review request scripts. Template 37 is a marketing message if it promotes a new sale, so it needs the right consent.

How to adapt templates

  • Keep your brand's voice: some businesses say "Hi!", others "Good morning."
  • Replace "[Tech name]" with real names; it builds trust.
  • Shorten wherever you can. Test by reading it aloud.
  • Avoid shortened links that hide the destination; use your own domain.

Organizing templates for a team

Save templates under clear names ("Running late", "Quote follow-up 1") so anyone can find them quickly. Review them twice a year and remove ones nobody uses. More in running a shared team inbox for texts.

Using templates in Callata

Callata's shared texting inbox includes templates, so your team can save these messages once and send them from your business number in a couple of clicks, then personalize before sending. Delivery receipts show whether each message arrived, AI reply suggestions help with replies that do not fit a template, and Callata automatically blocks texts to anyone who replies STOP. Business texting starts after carrier 10DLC registration, a $49 one-time fee.

The base plan is $99 a month and includes five users. Sign up for Callata.

Frequently asked questions

What should a business text message include?

Your business name, the key fact or question, a clear next step, and opt-out language in the first message to a new contact. Keep it around 160 characters where possible.

Can I use these templates for marketing texts?

These templates are for service and conversational messages. Marketing texts need prior express written consent, and carriers require them to be registered as a marketing use case.

How do I personalize text templates?

Use the customer's first name, the specific date, time or job, and the name of the person they will deal with. Avoid sending a template that obviously has blanks unfilled.

Should every text include 'Reply STOP to opt out'?

Include it in the first text to a new contact and in marketing messages. In an ongoing conversation the customer started, you don't need to repeat it in every reply.