SMS reminders
SMS appointment reminders patients actually see
Patients who want a text reminder tick a box when they book. The day before, they get a short SMS with the time and a link to manage their booking.
Demo Clinic
Text message
Fri 11:30 AM
The reminder that sits unread
Email reminders work for many patients. For others, a text is the only message they'll open before tomorrow morning.
Buried in a promotions tab
Your reminder email lands next to ten sales. The patient doesn't see it, and doesn't come.
Reminders for appointments that moved
Manual reminder lists fall out of date the moment someone reschedules. Patients get texts for times that no longer exist.
Texting from someone's own phone
Reminders sent from a front-desk phone depend on one person remembering, and put your patients' numbers on a personal device.
How it works
Opt in, confirm, remind
SMS reminders use Twilio, a widely used messaging provider, connected to your clinic during setup.
You switch SMS on
SMS reminders are off until your clinic turns them on in settings. You choose how many hours before an appointment reminders go out.
The patient asks for a text
On the booking form, patients choose whether they also want a text message reminder. Nobody gets texts they didn't ask for.
The appointment is confirmed
Reminders only go to confirmed appointments. A request still waiting for your team doesn't trigger one.
The reminder goes out on time
At the time you set, the patient receives a short text with the appointment time and a link to their private manage page.
Demo Clinic
Text message
Fri 11:30 AM
Reminders that are never wrong
A reminder is only useful if it's right. When an appointment is canceled, moved or has already started, the old reminder is dropped automatically, so a patient never gets a text for a time that no longer exists.
If a patient reschedules, the reminder follows the new time. Your team doesn't maintain a separate reminder list.
The link does the work
Every text includes a link to the patient's private manage page. From there they can add the appointment to their calendar, get directions, pay a deposit that's still due, or cancel within your cancellation window.
A patient who can't come and cancels through the link frees the slot for someone else. That's better for everyone than a patient who simply doesn't show up.
Numbers that can actually receive a text
A reminder can only arrive if the number is right. When patients book, their mobile number is checked against your clinic's country format, such as a US number like (212) 555-0123, before the booking goes through.
The reminder time is worked out from the appointment in your clinic's own time zone, including daylight saving time changes in the USA, so a text that says 11:30 AM means 11:30 AM at your clinic.
Text, email and WhatsApp together
SMS is one of three reminder channels. Every confirmed booking can get an email reminder, patients who opt in to WhatsApp get WhatsApp messages, and patients who ask for texts get an SMS reminder too.
See how the channels fit together on the appointment reminders page, or read about WhatsApp reminders and email notifications.
Built to fail safe
Failed sends are retried automatically. If something keeps failing, or the SMS channel isn't connected properly, the Velvet Lead team is alerted, often before your clinic notices.
Your clinic can also pause all automatic messages with one switch. Messages queue up and go out when you switch them back on.
What it costs
Text messages are sent through Twilio, which charges per message. Those costs are paid by your clinic, directly to Twilio. Because only patients who ask for texts receive them, you only pay for reminders people wanted.
Honest limits
What SMS doesn't do
SMS in Velvet Lead is intentionally limited to one job.
- SMS is used for the appointment reminder only. Booking confirmations go by email and WhatsApp, not text.
- No two-way texting. Patients can't reply to book, cancel or ask questions by SMS.
- No SMS marketing campaigns or promotional texts.
- Twilio's per-message costs are paid by your clinic.
Built for clinics like yours
- Med spas Facials, laser and injectables with US time zones and campaign tracking
- Dental clinics Check-ups, whitening and aligner consultations booked online
- Chiropractors Short appointments, repeat visits and a diary that stays full
- Physiotherapy clinics Assessments, follow-ups and therapist schedules in one diary
- Massage therapy Treatment lengths, therapist choice and clean-up time handled
FAQ
Questions clinics ask
Do all patients get text reminders?
No. Patients choose on the booking form whether they want a text message reminder, and your clinic has to switch SMS on in settings.
When is the text sent?
Your clinic sets how many hours before the appointment reminders go out. Reminders only go to confirmed appointments.
What if the appointment is moved or canceled?
The old reminder is dropped automatically. If the appointment moves, the reminder follows the new time.
Can patients reply to the text?
No. SMS is reminders only, with no two-way texting. The text includes a link to the patient's manage page, where they can cancel within your window.
Can we send promotions by SMS?
No. Velvet Lead doesn't send SMS marketing campaigns. Text messages are used for appointment reminders only.
Who pays for the texts?
Your clinic pays Twilio's per-message costs directly. Only patients who asked for texts receive them.
Remind patients where they look
Book a 15-minute demo and see how email, WhatsApp and text reminders work together on our demo clinic.