Business text message templates for leads and customers
Business text message templates for the texts a small company sends outside appointment reminders: the first reply to a new lead, a quote follow-up, re-engagement and cart texts, order and delivery updates, a review request, payment reminders and closed notices. Each fits in 160 characters, with the consent and STOP rule for its type, one line per industry, a Word file and an Excel text library with a sent log.
Made by Anatolii Ulitovskyi 
Fact-checked by RH Fardin Updated 1. New lead text message: reply within 5 minutes
Speed mattersThe most useful of all business text message templates is the first reply to someone who just asked for something on your website, in your chat or by phone. They gave you the number and asked to be contacted: CTIA's carrier guidelines call this informational messaging, with express permission1, and FCC rules require prior express consent before any automated text to a mobile number2. Keep the consent with the number; STOP line in the first text.
First reply to a web lead, within 5 minutes in your hoursBusiness: Hi first name, your name here, about their request. I can visit or call day time or day time. Which works? Reply STOP to opt out.
One question before you quoteThanks, first name. One question so I quote the right thing: your one question? A photo helps too.
No reply after 1 business day: onceBusiness: Hi first name, your name again about their request. Still need it? Reply with a good day and I will book you in. If not, no reply needed.
Send when
- Within 5 minutes of the form, chat or voicemail, in your business hours. A lead that arrives at 7:48 pm gets the text at 8 am.
- Business name first, from the number your website named: in a 2020 Pew survey, 80% of US adults said they generally do not answer calls from unknown numbers3. Two texts at most, then a call.
160 characters, after you fill in the bracketsOne SMS holds 160 characters in plain Latin letters, digits and basic punctuation; one emoji or curly quote cuts that to 70, and longer texts arrive in parts4. Every template here fits with ordinary names filled in; the Excel text library counts yours.
2. Quote follow-up text: a reason, a day, then stop
Each text has a reason: the quote is out, a question is open, a day is free. 'Just checking in' is not a reason. Agree on the follow-up day when you send the quote; without one, follow up 2 business days later.
Quote sentBusiness: first name, your quote for job is in your email: total, valid until date. Questions? Reply here or call phone.
Follow-up, on the day agreed or 2 business days laterHi first name, your name from business. Did the quote for job cover what you need? If yes, I have day open to do it. Questions, reply here.
If they say it is too muchThanks for telling me, first name. Which part is above your plan? I can show what changes if we remove or change one item.
Last text, business day 5Hi first name, your name from business. Last note on the job quote so I do not keep texting. Want it? Reply with a day. If not, no reply needed.
Rules
- Three texts per quote: sent, follow-up, last text. Then the call from the sales call script templates, and log why.
- A price change goes into a new quote, never into a text. An end date: once, as written in the quote.
- 8 am to 9 pm at the customer's location: the FCC bars telephone solicitations outside those hours2.
3. Re-engagement and abandoned cart texts: written consent
Marketing textsThe only marketing texts on this page. CTIA calls a text with a sales or marketing promotion promotional messaging and expects express written permission1; FCC rules require prior express written consent before an automated text with an advertisement or telemarketing2, and texts count as calls under the TCPA5. So: only numbers with a ticked box or a signed form, a STOP line in every text, 8 am to 9 pm, two texts at most.
Quiet lead, 30 days after the quoteBusiness: Hi first name, your job quote from month is valid until date. Want it done before season? Reply YES. Reply STOP to opt out.
Past customer, a seasonal reasonBusiness: Hi first name, season is near. We have service slots the week of date, same price as last time. Want one? Reply YES. Reply STOP to opt out.
Abandoned cart: one text, within 24 hoursStore: Hi first name, your cart with product is saved: link. A question on size or shipping? Reply here. Reply STOP to opt out.
Last text, 7 days laterBusiness: first name, last note from us about offer. We will not text again unless you reply. Want it? Reply YES. Reply STOP to opt out.
Rules
- Written consent is a form or checkbox that says texts from your business may come to this number, not ticked by default and not a condition of buying2. Keep the date and the wording.
- A real reason in every text: a valid quote, a season, a saved cart. No discount in the first text.
- Two texts, 7 days apart, then stop. After a STOP, nothing more.
Longer win-back and cart sequences are emailsThe 3-email cart sequence and the win-back email sequence have their own pages; a text is the one short nudge in between.
4. Order and delivery update texts: one per status
The customer gave the number with the order, so these texts are informational1: one per status change, no offers, and a way to reply when something is wrong.
Order confirmedBusiness: Thanks, first name. Order number is confirmed and ships by date. We will text the tracking link. Changes? Reply within 1 hour.
ShippedBusiness: Order number has shipped. Arrives about date. Track it: link. Short or damaged on arrival? Reply here.
On the way: delivery or service visitBusiness: first name, technician or driver is on the way, arriving by time. Questions? Call phone.
Delay noticeBusiness: first name, order number is delayed. New date: date. Sorry about that. You can wait, change or cancel: reply or call phone.
DeliveredBusiness: Order number was delivered at time. Please check it against your order. Anything missing? Reply within 48 hours.
No offers in an updateA coupon or an upsell turns an informational text into a promotional one, which needs written consent1. A delay notice goes out the hour you know, with a real new date.
5. Review request text: once, 1 to 3 days after the job
Once, 1 to 3 days after the job or the delivery, with one link, and a way for unhappy customers to tell you first.
Review requestBusiness: Thanks for choosing us, first name. If the result works well, a short review helps us a lot: link. Any issue? Reply here first.
If they reply with a problemThanks for telling me, first name. I will fix it or call you by time today. your name
Rules
- One text per job, no reminder. Ask everyone, not only the customers you expect to be happy.
- No reward for a good review: the FTC's 2024 rule on consumer reviews bars compensation or other incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment6. A thank-you after any review is fine.
6. Payment reminder texts: 3 days before, due day, day 7
Three texts around the due date, each with the invoice number and a payment link, then a call. Amounts are fine for trades, shops and B2B; clinics, advisors and law firms leave the amount out and link to a secure portal.
Due in 3 daysBusiness: Hi first name, invoice number for amount is due date. Pay here: link. Already paid? Thank you, please ignore this.
Due todayBusiness: first name, invoice number (amount) is due today. Pay here: link, or reply if you need a few more days.
7 days overdueBusiness: first name, invoice number is 7 days overdue. Please pay today: link, or call phone to agree on a date. Thank you.
Payment receivedBusiness: Payment received, thank you, first name. Your receipt is in your email.
Rules
- Three reminders, then a call. A fourth text changes nothing.
- Late fees only as written in your terms, and only in the day-7 text. When they reply with a date, log it and stop texting until then.
7. Closed and back on: notices for affected customers
Only to the customers it affects: a booking, a delivery or a visit in that period. Sent to the whole contact list, the same text is marketing and needs written consent.
Closed on a dateBusiness: We are closed day, date for reason. Back day at time. Urgent? Call phone and leave a message.
Weather or emergency: visits movedBusiness: first name, because of the storm, your service on date moves to new date, time. Reply if that does not work. Sorry for the change.
We are backBusiness: We are open again from day. Service visits resume on date. Need something sooner? Reply here.
Opening hours changeBusiness: From date our hours are new hours, days. Nothing else changes. Questions? Reply here.
8. Text message templates by industry: what changes
The rules stay the same; what changes is the one text that matters most and what never goes into a text, because anyone who picks up the phone reads the preview. Consulting, ecommerce and home services use the quote, order and new lead tabs; five other industries get a ready line below.
What changes by industry
| Industry | The text that matters most | Never in a text |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting and agencies | Proposal follow-up with a decision date; meeting link the day before | Client case details, fees not in the proposal |
| Ecommerce and retail | Shipped, with the tracking link; cart text only with written consent | Card details, a coupon inside an order update |
| Financial advisors | Meeting confirmation; document ready in the secure portal | Account numbers, balances, returns, advice, loan terms |
| Healthcare | Appointment reminder; results ready in the portal | Diagnosis, results, medication, reason for the visit, amounts owed |
| Manufacturing and suppliers | RFQ received with a quote date; delay notice with a new date | Prices before the written quote, drawings or specs |
| Real estate | New lead reply within minutes; showing follow-up the same day | Offer amounts, financing details, who lives in an area |
| Recruiting | Interview invite with a time and a link | Salary before the offer letter, reasons for a rejection, other candidates |
| Home services | On the way, with an arrival window; quote follow-up | Gate or alarm codes, a firm price before you see the job |
Real estate: new lead replyAgency: Hi first name, agent here, about address or area. Buying, selling or both, and what timing? I can show you address day at time.
Recruiting: interview inviteCompany: Hi first name, good news: we would like to interview you for role. Pick a time here: link, or reply with two times. recruiter
Healthcare: results readyClinic: Hi first name, your results are ready in the patient portal: link. Questions? Call phone and ask for staff name.
Manufacturing: RFQ receivedCompany: Hi first name, we received your request for a quote on part. You get the quote by date. Questions? Reply here. your name
Financial advisor: document readyFirm: Hi first name, a document is waiting for your signature in the secure portal: link. Never send account details by text. advisor
Regulated industriesClinics, advisors, insurers and recruiters follow their own privacy and record-keeping rules on top of the texting rules; many must archive texts. When in doubt, the text says only that something is ready, and the content stays in the portal or the call.
For small sales and support teams
Texts from your phone. The lead, the consent and the log in the CRM.
CRMsoftware.pro does not send SMS. The AI agent on your website collects the lead's phone number and whether texts are OK; you text from your own phone or texting tool, paste the text into Notes, and the next text is a task with a Deadline.
- AI chat 24/7 that collects name, phone and a good time to reach them
- Leads, Notes, Tasks with a Deadline, Custom Fields for text consent
- Free for 3 users. Quotes, invoices and payment links on Launch, $19 a month billed yearly
Free plan: 3 users, no credit card.
Filled example
Sample text messages to customers: one pool company, ten days
Kingfisher Pool Services, a fictional pool cleaning and repair company in Mesa, Arizona, uses these business text message templates from the owner's phone. Carla Whitmore wrote in the website chat on Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 7:48 pm. Every text is under 160 characters, and every number comes from Carla or from the written quote.
Carla's texts, step by step
| When | Text | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 7 Oct, 8:05 am | New lead reply, 156 characters | Visit booked Thu 9 to 11 am |
| Thu 8 Oct, 12:40 pm | Quote sent, 150 characters | Delivered |
| Mon 12 Oct, 10:00 am | Quote follow-up, 156 characters | Yes: job Wed 14 Oct |
| Thu 15 Oct, 10:15 am | Review request, 149 characters | Review posted |
| Fri 16 Oct, 9:00 am | Payment reminder, 156 characters | Paid Fri 16 Oct, 11:20 am |
In CRMsoftware.pro on 16 October
| Lead | From website chat; custom field Text consent: Yes; converted to a deal |
| Deal | Pump motor replacement · Carla Whitmore, $640, Closed Won |
| Quote and invoices | Quote Sent Thu 8 Oct, Accepted Mon 12 Oct · deposit Paid 12 Oct · invoice 1042, $440, Paid 16 Oct by payment link |
| Notes | Each text pasted with its time; 'side gate, no code' |
| Tasks | Follow-up text Mon 12 Oct · Review text Thu 15 Oct · Invoice text Fri 16 Oct, all marked done |
Why it works
Why text message templates for business need a name, consent and 160 characters
Nearly everyone can read a text. In Pew Research Center's 2025 survey, 98% of US adults owned a cellphone of some kind and 91% a smartphone7. That reach is why a short text gets an answer in minutes while an email waits until the evening. The same phone, though, is full of texts nobody asked for: the FCC's estimate is 225.7 billion spam texts a year in the US5, and the FTC tells people to forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report them8. A text without a business name, a reason and a way out looks like one of them.
So every template starts the same way: business name, your name, what they asked for, one next step. In a 2020 Pew survey of 10,211 US adults, 80% said they generally do not answer cellphone calls from unknown numbers3; a text has to earn its reply in the first line of the preview. Consent is the other half: a lead who gave you a number for a quote expects a text about the quote, not an offer in March. CTIA's guidelines draw that line between informational and promotional texts1, FCC rules put written consent behind the promotional ones2, and one plain-text SMS holds 160 characters, so every template fits after the brackets are filled4.
98%
of US adults own a cellphone; 91% own a smartphone (Pew, 2025)
225.7 billion
spam texts a year in the US, by the FCC's estimate
160
characters in one plain-text SMS; 70 once it holds an emoji or another script
Which text when
SMS templates for business: which text, when, with what consent
One row per text type: when to send it, the consent it needs, where the STOP line goes and what to log.
| Text | When | Consent and opt-out | Log in the CRM |
|---|---|---|---|
| New lead reply | Within 5 minutes in your hours; after hours at 8 am. One nudge after a business day | They asked to be contacted. STOP line in the first text | Consent, the text in Notes, next text as a task |
| Quote follow-up | Day agreed, or 2 business days after the quote; last text on day 5 | They asked for the quote. 3 texts, then a call | Their questions, decision date |
| Re-engagement and cart | 30 days after a quiet quote; the season; cart: once within 24 hours | Marketing: written consent, STOP line in every text, 2 texts | Consent date and wording, opt-outs |
| Order and delivery | When the status changes; delays the hour you know | Given with the order. No offers | Order number, status, new date |
| Review request | 1 to 3 days after the job, once | A customer. No reward for a good review | Reply, review posted |
| Payment reminder | 3 days before, due day, day 7; then a call | An open invoice. Stop when they give a date | Promised date, paid date |
| Closed and back on | The hour you know; only customers it affects | A booking or an order. Whole-list version is marketing | Who was told, moved bookings |
Booking confirmations, 48-hour reminders, same-day and no-show texts: see the appointment reminder text templates. The voicemail and text after a missed sales call: see the sales call script templates. Detailed follow-ups go by email: follow-up email templates, abandoned cart email templates, win-back email sequence, out-of-office message examples.
Rules
Rules for texting customers: consent, STOP, hours, length, privacy
Agree on them once for the whole team and check every new text against them.
Consent matches the text type
CTIA sorts texts into conversational (they wrote first: no permission needed), informational (they gave the number and asked to be contacted: express permission) and promotional (a sales or marketing promotion: express written permission)1. FCC rules require prior express consent for automated texts to a mobile number, and prior express written consent when the text includes an advertisement or is telemarketing2. Texts are calls under the TCPA5.
A STOP line, and stop at once
FCC rules let a customer revoke consent in any reasonable way, with words such as stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel or unsubscribe, honored within at most 10 business days2. CTIA asks senders to use the word STOP in opt-out instructions, send one confirmation and nothing after it, and keep opt-in and opt-out records1.
8 am to 9 pm, their time
The FCC bars telephone solicitations before 8 am and after 9 pm at the called party's location2. Replies, order updates and reminders are not solicitations, but the same window is the safe default for every text.
Business name first
Start with the business name and your name, then what they asked for. CTIA expects the first message to identify the organization1, and 80% of US adults generally do not answer calls from unknown numbers3: a text with no name gets the same treatment. No link shorteners that hide who you are.
Never in a text
Health details, card or account numbers, balances and loan terms, prices not in a written quote, gate or alarm codes, anything about a third person: a locked phone shows the first lines to anyone who holds it. If it is sensitive, the text says only that something is ready. And 160 plain characters: one emoji makes it 704.
UK customers: PECR
In the UK, PECR treats a text as electronic mail: no marketing texts to individuals without consent, except the soft opt-in for existing customers who bought or negotiated to buy a similar product and could opt out when their details were collected and in every message since. Identify yourself and give a valid contact for opt-outs; sole traders count as individuals9.
This page is not legal advice. It describes US federal rules (FCC), US carrier guidelines (CTIA) and the UK rule (PECR); US states and other countries have their own texting laws, so check the official rules where your customers live.
Excel log
The Excel text library and sent log
Four sheets: Text library with every template and its Kingfisher Pool Services version, counted and checked; Sent log with 15 sample texts; Summary; Lists. Auto columns fill in by themselves.
| Column | What it does |
|---|---|
| Text library: Template, Your text | Each template from tabs 1 to 7 with its placeholders, and a filled version to overwrite with your own words. |
| Characters, Encoding, Segments, Check Auto | Counts your text, says GSM-7 or UCS-2 and how many parts it takes: 1 segment: OK or Shorten to 1 segment. |
| Date and time, Contact, Company, Text type, Sent by | One row per text, right after you send it. Text types and senders are on the Lists sheet. |
| Consent on file | Yes, No or Stopped. Without Yes, the status says to check before the next text. |
| Text sent, Reply, Next step, Next step date, Done | Paste the text, the reply in their words, and one next step with its date. |
| Status Auto | Waiting for reply, No reply after 1 day, Reply: answer and log the next step, Next step scheduled or overdue, Consent missing, No consent, Opted out, Done. |
| Summary Auto | Texts, consent on file, opt-outs, replies and reply rate, next steps due; the same by text type and by sender. |
In the sample, 15 texts went to 9 contacts between 6 and 16 October 2026: 9 got a reply (60%), 1 customer replied STOP and is marked opted out, and 1 text went out with no consent on file, which the status flags. Carla's 5 texts count 149 to 156 characters, all 1 segment. Works in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets.
How to use
How to use these business text message templates
- 1
Pick the text type
One tab per situation: new lead, quote, marketing, order, review, payment, closed notice. Marketing texts (re-engagement, cart) are only in tab 3.
- 2
Fill in the brackets and count
Business name, your name, their request, dates. Paste the filled text into the Text library sheet: 1 segment, GSM-7.
- 3
Check consent and the clock
Consent on file for this text type, and 8 am to 9 pm where the customer is. No consent, no text.
- 4
Send from your own phone
From the number your website named. Business name first, one action, a STOP line where the tab says so.
- 5
Log it and set the next step
Paste the text into the CRM, log the reply in their words, make the next text a task with a date. After a STOP, stop the same minute.
Set it up in CRMsoftware.pro
- Website chats and web forms land in Leads. For a lead who called, click Add Lead with the Lead Title, Phone, Source (Phone) and Assigned To.
- Keep consent next to the number: in Custom Fields, click Add field with the Field label 'Text consent', the Field type Select and the options Yes, No and Stopped (Add option), for Leads and Contacts. Set Stopped the minute someone replies STOP.
- Text from your own phone or texting tool, then paste the text, with the time, into Notes on the lead or the deal, and add the reply in their words.
- Make the next text a task: Tasks > New Task with a Task title such as 'Quote follow-up text: Carla Whitmore', the Assignee, a Deadline and the Priority. My Tasks shows Due today and Overdue.
- On Launch, send the quote from Quotes > New Quote with a Valid Until date; for a payment reminder, open the invoice, click Create Payment Link and paste the link into the text.
- In My Bots > your bot > Behavior tab, switch on Collect User Data with Collect Phone Number. On the Basics tab, in Instructions, tell the AI agent to ask whether texts to that number are OK. Save Bot, then Try Bot.
The templates work with any phone or texting tool; the app does not send SMS. Leads, 1 pipeline, Notes and basic tasks are free for 3 users. Quotes, invoices and payment links come with Launch, $19 a month billed yearly. WhatsApp is a different channel: on Launch the AI agent answers WhatsApp messages (see the WhatsApp Business setup checklist).
Weekly text review, 10 minutes
- Every text in the log has Consent on file Yes; every STOP is marked Stopped in the CRM.
- New leads texted within 5 minutes in your hours: which ones waited, and why?
- Texts with a reply and no next step logged.
- Any text over 1 segment in the Text library: shorten it.
FAQ
Customer text message templates: common questions
What are business text message templates?
Short, fill-in texts a business sends to leads and customers, one per situation: the first reply to a new lead, a quote follow-up, an order update, a review request, a payment reminder. This page has 8 types under 160 characters, each with its consent rule and sending time, and lines for 8 industries.
What should a text message to a customer include?
Your business name first, your name, what the text is about, one action with a day or a link, and a STOP line in the first text and in every marketing text. Nothing you would not want on a locked-phone preview.
Do I need consent to text customers?
Yes, and the level depends on the text. In the US, FCC rules require prior express consent for automated texts to a mobile number and prior express written consent for texts with an advertisement or telemarketing2. CTIA's guidelines treat a reply to someone who wrote first as conversational, a text they asked for as informational, and a sales promotion as promotional, which needs written permission1. Not legal advice.
How long should a business text message be?
Under 160 characters with plain Latin letters, digits and basic punctuation, so it arrives as one SMS. One emoji or curly quote switches it to a 70-character limit, and longer texts split into parts of 153 or 674. Count after you fill in the brackets.
When can a business send text messages?
Between 8 am and 9 pm where the customer is: the FCC bars telephone solicitations outside those hours2, and the same window is the safe default for every text. Inside it: a new lead reply within 5 minutes (a night lead at 8 am), a quote follow-up on the day agreed, an order update when the status changes, a review request 1 to 3 days after the job.
What should you never put in a text message to a customer?
Health details, card or account numbers, balances and loan terms, prices not in a written quote, gate or alarm codes, salary before the offer letter, anything about a third person. If it is sensitive, the text says only that something is ready; the content stays in the portal, the email or the call.
Can I send sales texts to past customers?
Only with written consent and a real reason: a quote that is still valid, a season, a saved cart. In the US, a text with a sales offer is telemarketing and needs prior express written consent2; CTIA calls it promotional messaging1. Two texts at most, 7 days apart, each with a STOP line, 8 am to 9 pm. In the UK, PECR allows texts to existing customers under the soft opt-in only with an opt-out in every message9.
Do you have text message templates for my industry?
Tab 8 covers consulting and agencies, ecommerce and retail, financial advisors, healthcare, manufacturing and suppliers, real estate, recruiting and home services: the text that matters most, what never goes into a text, and ready lines. Car sales, insurance, marketing agency, welcome and event reminder texts have their own pages.
Can CRMsoftware.pro send text messages?
No. CRMsoftware.pro does not send SMS or bulk texts; you text from your own phone or texting tool. The CRM keeps the lead, the consent in a custom field, each text in Notes and the next text as a task with a Deadline. On Launch, $19 a month billed yearly, the AI agent answers WhatsApp messages, a separate channel with its own rules10.
Related templates
Free tools
Sources
- US wireless carriers' guidelines for business texting, May 2023: CTIA, Messaging Principles and Best Practices
- FCC rules under the TCPA, official current text on eCFR, read 18 October 2026: 47 CFR 64.1200, Delivery restrictions
- Survey of 10,211 US adults, July 2020: Pew Research Center, Most Americans don't answer cellphone calls from unknown numbers
- SMS length and segments, SMS vendor documentation, read 18 October 2026: Twilio, How long can a message be?
- FCC final rule on text messages, Federal Register, 26 January 2024: Targeting and Eliminating Unlawful Text Messages (FCC 23-107)
- FTC press release, 14 August 2024: Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials
- Survey of US adults, February to June 2025, published 20 November 2025: Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet
- FTC consumer advice on unwanted texts, read 18 October 2026: FTC, How To Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages
- UK rules on marketing texts, Information Commissioner's Office, read 18 October 2026: ICO, Guide to PECR: Electronic mail marketing
- Plans and prices: CRMsoftware.pro pricing
Short texts, the right consent, one log.
Start free with 3 users, AI chat, leads, 1 pipeline, Notes and basic tasks. Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users, adds WhatsApp, human handover, bookings, quotes, invoices and payment links. Growth, $49 a month billed yearly for 20 users, adds Saved Replies.