30 SMS templates for NZ salons (copy, paste, send)

Thirty SMS templates for NZ salons, beauty studios and barbers. Copy them into Mahi Time (or whichever booking platform you use), set the trigger, and ship. Each template is under 160 characters where possible so it counts as one SMS segment in the carrier billing.

NZ tone: friendly, plain English, no exclamation marks unless they\'re genuinely earned, no "Hi babe!" energy unless that\'s already how your brand talks. Use first names from the client record. Sign off with your salon name, not "the team".

1. Booking confirmations

1. {name}, you\'re booked in for {service} on {date} at {time}. See you at {salon}., {salonName}
2. Hi {name}, confirming {service} with {staff} on {date} at {time}. Need to change it? Just reply., {salonName}
3. {name}, your deposit is paid. {service} on {date} at {time}. Address: {address}. Reply if anything changes., {salonName}

2. Reminders (T-48, T-24, T-2)

4. {name}, your {service} is on {date} at {time}. Reply C to cancel or R to reschedule., {salonName}
5. Tomorrow at {time}, {name}. {service} with {staff}. Reply C if you can\'t make it., {salonName}
6. See you in 2 hours, {name}. {address}. Running late? Reply L., {salonName}

3. Rebooking nudges

7. {name}, it\'s been 8 weeks since your last cut. Want me to find you a slot? Reply YES., {staff} at {salonName}
8. Hi {name}, your colour is due. Same Saturday slot work for you? Reply YES to lock it in., {salonName}
9. {name}, brows due. I have an opening on {date} at {time}. Reply YES to book., {salonName}

4. Win-back (lapsed clients)

10. {name}, it\'s been a while. We have new openings this month, want me to find you a time?, {salonName}
11. {name}, 15% off your next colour if you book this month. Reply YES and I\'ll send options., {salonName}
12. Hi {name}, just checking in, we miss you. Anything we can do to get you back?, {salonName}

5. No-show + late-cancel notices

13. {name}, sorry we missed you today. Your deposit covers the slot. Want to rebook?, {salonName}
14. {name}, your appointment was cancelled inside our 24-hour window so the deposit is retained. Happy to rebook when you\'re ready., {salonName}

6. Waitlist promotions

15. {name}, a {service} spot just opened with {staff} at {time} on {date}. First to reply YES grabs it., {salonName}
16. {name}, your waitlist spot came up: {service} on {date} at {time}. Reply YES to confirm by {expiry}., {salonName}

7. Birthday + anniversary

17. Happy birthday {name}. Enjoy a complimentary head massage with your next service this month., {salonName}
18. {name}, it\'s your first anniversary with us. Thank you, that means a lot., {salonName}

8. Aftercare

19. {name}, how\'s the colour treating you? Reply with a pic if you want, we love seeing how it lives., {salonName}
20. {name}, lash aftercare reminder: avoid steam for 24 hours, no oil cleansers for the first week. Any questions, just text., {salonName}

9. Review requests

21. {name}, would you mind leaving us a Google review? Takes 30 seconds and helps a small NZ business a lot: {link}., {salonName}
22. Thanks for coming in, {name}. If you have a moment to leave a review it would genuinely make our week: {link}., {salonName}

10. Seasonal promotions

23. Spring tidy-up, {name}? We have midweek openings all September. Reply BOOK and I\'ll send options., {salonName}
24. {name}, Christmas is in 6 weeks. Our December diary is filling. Reply YES to grab a pre-holiday slot., {salonName}
25. EOFY tip, {name}: book your March appointments now while the calendar still has weekends. Reply YES., {salonName}

11. Closure + holiday notices

26. Quick heads up {name}, we\'re closed for Auckland Anniversary on {date}. Your {date2} appointment is unaffected., {salonName}
27. {name}, we\'re shut from {start} to {end} for the Christmas break. Booking is open online any time., {salonName}

12. New service launches

28. {name}, we just added {service}. Early-bird pricing for the first 20 bookings. Reply INFO for details., {salonName}
29. New service alert {name}: {service} now available, starting {date}. Reply YES if you\'d like the first slot., {salonName}
30. {name}, {staff} is now offering {service}. NZ$X for the first 10 clients. Reply BOOK., {salonName}

How to actually use these

Drop them into Mahi Time\'s SMS template library (one tap per template). Set the trigger, reminder, rebooking nudge, birthday, and they fire automatically against the matching client cohort. You stop spending evenings copy-pasting reminders.

The 100/month SMS allowance in the Mahi Time plan covers most 3-chair salons. Heavy senders top up at carrier cost (NZ$0.07 per SMS at time of writing).

One last note: don\'t over-text. Even useful SMS becomes spam if the cadence is too high. The system above (3 reminders, 1 rebooking nudge, 1 win-back) is the upper limit; most salons should run lighter.