Ever get tired of chasing clients to confirm appointments? Or worse, showed up to a meeting only for the client to forget? If you’re using a scheduling tool like Appointlet and want to automate those confirmation emails, you’re in the right place. This guide is for anyone who wants to spend less time on admin and more time actually working—with fewer no-shows.
Below, I’ll walk you through the real-world steps to set up automated client appointment confirmations in Appointlet. No fluff, no buzzwords. Just the steps that matter, what you need to watch out for, and how to keep things simple.
Why bother automating confirmations?
Before we get into the how-to, let’s get one thing straight: automation isn’t magic. But it does save you a lot of hassle. Here’s what works in the real world:
- You’ll save time. No more copy/pasting emails or typing reminders.
- No-shows drop. People forget. Confirmations (and reminders) help.
- You look professional. Clients see you’ve got your act together.
What doesn’t work? Hoping clients remember on their own, or relying on a ‘sent’ email you never set up. Automation is only as good as your setup, so let’s get it right.
Step 1: Get your Appointlet basics in place
If you’re already using Appointlet, you can skip this step (unless you want to double-check your setup).
What you need: - An active Appointlet account (free or paid is fine for basic confirmations) - At least one meeting type set up - Your calendar connected (Google, Outlook, etc.)
To set up: 1. Sign up or log in at Appointlet. 2. Add your team members (if you’re not a solo act). 3. Create your meeting types—think “Intro Call,” “Consultation,” or whatever fits. 4. Connect your work calendar so Appointlet knows when you’re available.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink your meeting types. Start simple, you can tweak as you go.
Step 2: Understand how Appointlet handles confirmations
Appointlet automatically sends a confirmation email to your client as soon as they book. But, here’s the thing: the default email works, but it’s pretty generic and easy to miss.
What’s included out of the box: - Basic confirmation details (date, time, meeting link) - Calendar file for adding to Google/Outlook/iCal
What’s missing: - Personalization (your voice, branding, or extra info) - Attachments, prep instructions, or custom fields
If “set it and forget it” is your style, you could stop here. But if you want to actually reduce no-shows and sound more like a human, keep going.
Step 3: Customize your confirmation email
Here’s where most people mess up—they either don’t customize these emails, or they go overboard and make them a wall of text nobody reads. Aim for clear, concise, and helpful.
To customize: 1. In Appointlet, go to your “Meeting Types.” 2. Click the meeting you want to edit. 3. Scroll down to “Notifications,” then “Confirmation Email.” 4. Edit the subject line and body. Use variables like {{invitee.first_name}}, {{meeting.start_time}}, etc. (Appointlet lists these for you.)
What to include: - Clear subject line (“Your appointment with [Your Name/Business] is confirmed”) - Date and time (with time zone!) - Meeting location or link - What to prepare or bring - How to reschedule/cancel (with the link) - Your contact info
What to skip: - Long bios - Sales pitches - Unnecessary fine print
Pro tip: Send yourself a test confirmation to see how it actually looks. Typos and weird formatting are more common than you think.
Step 4: Set up automated reminders (optional, but worth it)
Technically, this isn’t part of the initial confirmation, but reminders are the real no-show killers.
To set up reminders: 1. In the same “Notifications” section, find “Reminders.” 2. Choose how many reminders to send (e.g., 24 hours and 1 hour before). 3. Customize the message, just like the confirmation email.
Honest take: Don’t overdo it. One or two reminders per appointment is enough. Any more and you’re spamming people.
Real-world advice: For virtual meetings, include the link in every single reminder. You’d be shocked how many “lost the link” excuses you’ll avoid.
Step 5: Add your branding (if you care about appearances)
If you want your confirmations to look less cookie-cutter, Appointlet lets you add a logo and tweak some colors.
- Go to “Organization Settings” or “Branding.”
- Upload your logo.
- Pick your brand color (keep it simple; avoid neon green unless that’s really your thing).
Reality check: This won’t make or break your confirmations, but it does help you look a bit more polished if that matters to your clients.
Step 6: Test the whole flow before you go live
Don’t assume it works. Test every step like you’re a client.
- Book a test meeting using a personal (not work) email.
- Check the confirmation email—does it make sense? Is the time zone right? Links working?
- Wait for reminder emails—do they arrive when they should?
- Try rescheduling or canceling from the email—does it work?
Pro tip: If you spot anything weird, fix it before your clients see it. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
Step 7: Keep it simple and iterate
You don’t need to automate every possible message. Start with the basics: confirmation and one reminder. Watch what your clients actually do—if they still no-show, tweak your messages. If you get feedback that something’s confusing, fix it.
What to ignore: - Fancy integrations or automations you “might” need later. Stick to the basics until you’re sure you need more. - Overly detailed “prep sheets” for simple meetings. Keep it relevant.
Pitfalls to watch out for
A few honest warnings from experience:
- Time zones: Always use variables that automatically show the client’s time zone. Otherwise, you’ll end up with missed meetings and angry emails.
- Spam filters: Sometimes these emails go to spam. Ask your first few clients if they got the confirmation, just to be sure.
- Too much info: If your confirmation email is longer than a page, nobody’s reading it. Trim the fat.
Wrapping up: Don’t let automation get in your way
Automating appointment confirmations in Appointlet is pretty straightforward—if you keep it simple. Get your basics working, personalize your messages, and don’t be afraid to test and tweak. The real payoff isn’t the fancy tech—it’s spending less time chasing clients and more time actually doing your job. Start small, see what works, and only add more bells and whistles if you really need them.