A good business text can be answered with one word. Everything below is built on that: a short message that says who you are, what it is about, and asks one question. There are twenty of them, grouped by the moment you would send them, and every one is under 40 words.

They are written for a service business, and the example is a plumber named Andre at Kestrel Plumbing. Swap in your name, your job and your times. Brackets mark the parts you fill in. Most guides stop at appointment reminders. These also cover the awkward ones: running late, a quote that has gone quiet, a review request, and a payment that is overdue.

Five rules before you send anything

Say who you are in the first line, because the customer may not have your number saved. Put one purpose in each text. End with a question they can answer in a word or a time. Send between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in their time zone. And keep it plain: no emoji, no slang, no all caps.

Consent matters too. A text about a job the customer asked for, to the number they gave you, is a normal business message. Marketing texts need the customer's written permission first under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, automated texts need consent of some kind, and marketing messages should always offer a way to opt out. If you send through a texting platform from a business number, carriers also require that you register it. When unsure, ask your provider, and see the guide to texting a lead.

Booking and confirming

1. Reply to a new inquiry. Use it within minutes of a web form or a missed call.

Hi [Name], this is Andre at Kestrel Plumbing. Thanks for reaching out about the leaking water heater. Are you free tomorrow between 9 and 11, or between 1 and 3?

2. Confirm the appointment.

Hi [Name], Kestrel Plumbing confirming your visit on [day] between 9 and 11. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule. Reply STOP to opt out.

3. Day-before reminder with prep.

Reminder: Andre arrives tomorrow between 9 and 11 for the water heater. Please clear the path to the unit and the water shutoff. Reply if anything changes.

4. Ten minutes out.

Andre from Kestrel Plumbing is about 10 minutes away, in a white van. See you shortly.

Our guides on confirming appointments by text and reducing no-shows go further on these four.

Running late and rescheduling

5. You are running late. Send it before the customer notices, not after.

Hi [Name], Andre at Kestrel. I am about 30 minutes behind from the last job. New arrival is around 10:30. Is that still okay, or would you rather reschedule?

6. You have to move the appointment. Offer two options, so the customer picks instead of replying "when?"

Hi [Name], Kestrel Plumbing. I am sorry, I have to move tomorrow's visit. Could I offer Thursday at 9 or Friday at 1? Tell me which and I will hold it.

7. The customer asks to reschedule.

No problem, [Name]. I have Wednesday at 1 or Thursday at 9. Which works better?

8. They were not home. No blame, just a way forward.

Hi [Name], I stopped by at 9:15 for the water heater visit and could not reach you. Want me to rebook? Reply with a day that works.

Quote ready, and the nudges after it

9. The quote is ready.

Hi [Name], your quote for the water heater is ready: $1,850 installed. I emailed it to you. Questions? Reply here and I will call you.

10. First nudge, two or three days later.

Hi [Name], checking that the quote reached you. Happy to answer anything about the options. No pressure either way.

11. Second nudge, with a real reason to act. Only use a deadline you will honor.

Hi [Name], the $1,850 price holds through Friday, then my supplier's pricing resets. Want me to put you on the schedule?

12. Close it politely.

Hi [Name], I will close out your quote for now. If plans change, reply here and I will reopen it at the same price for 30 days.

The longer version of this sequence is in how to follow up on a quote.

Job done and review request

13. The job is finished.

All done, [Name]. The new heater is running and I tested for leaks. Your invoice and warranty details are in your email. Text me if anything seems off.

14. Review request, a day or two later. Ask every customer, not only the ones who seemed happy. Google's policies discourage asking selectively, and offering a discount for a review is a bad idea.

Thanks again, [Name]. Would you leave us a short Google review? It helps a small shop a lot: [link]. And if anything was not right, reply here and I will fix it.

15. A 30-day check.

Hi [Name], a 30-day check on the new water heater. Everything running okay? Reply here if you notice anything.

Payment link and reminders

16. Send the payment link.

Invoice 2041 for $1,850 is ready. You can pay by card here: [link]. Due [date]. Thanks, Kestrel Plumbing.

17. On the due date.

Friendly reminder: invoice 2041 ($1,850) is due today. Card link: [link]. If it is already paid, thank you.

18. When it is late.

Hi [Name], invoice 2041 was due [date]. Can you tell me when to expect payment? Card link: [link].

The full set of payment scripts, including calls and emails, is in how to ask for payment politely.

Two more worth having

19. After a missed call. Send it within a minute or two. Our piece on missed call text back covers how it works.

Hi, this is Kestrel Plumbing. Sorry we missed your call. How can we help? Reply here and we will get right back to you. Reply STOP to opt out.

20. A yearly check-in for someone who has done business with you. If you are sending these in bulk, get permission first.

Hi [Name], it is Andre at Kestrel. It has been a year since your water heater flush. Want me to book another? Reply STOP to stop messages.

What never to put in a text

Never a full card number, a password or an ID number. Never medical, legal or financial details if you serve those customers, because texts are stored on phones and sit in carrier systems. Never a long dispute: if a customer is angry, call. Never an offer or a mass blast to people who have not agreed to hear from you. And never send from a number that cannot receive replies, because the customer will answer, and nobody will be there.

If you send texts from a second business number, the four ways to get one explain what each can and cannot do for texting. A text is only as good as what happens when the customer replies. Rocketship finds the buyers, emails them from your own Gmail, follows up, and books the meeting on its own, so the replies you get are from people who were looking. Plans that get you customers start at $24.99 a month (Launch), and every monthly plan starts with a 7-day free trial, card required. See what the AI workers handle.