How do I send follow-up and reminder emails for bookings?
You can send follow-up and reminder emails by setting up automated email notifications that trigger at specific moments: right after a booking is created, a few days before check-in, on the day of arrival, after check-out, and when payment is due. In WP Booking System, this is done by creating separate email notifications for each trigger and keeping the content short and action-focused. Always test the emails with a real booking and use SMTP for reliable delivery.
On this page
- What follow-up and reminder emails are
- What you’ll need
- A simple email plan (recommended)
- Step 1: Decide your booking workflow and triggers
- Step 2: Create your reminder emails (before the booking)
- Step 3: Create your follow-up emails (after the booking)
- Step 4: Add payment reminders (if you take deposits)
- Step 5: Test scheduling, delivery, and content
- Improve deliverability (recommended)
- Common issues (and quick fixes)
- Best practices
- Mini FAQ
What follow-up and reminder emails are
- Reminder emails: emails sent before the booking start date (check-in/arrival) to reduce no-shows and answer common questions.
- Follow-up emails: emails sent after the booking ends (check-out) to ask for feedback, reviews, or repeat bookings.
- Payment reminders: emails sent before a balance due date (common if you take deposits).
What you’ll need
- WP Booking System installed and activated
- A booking form that collects the customer email address
- Email notifications enabled in WP Booking System
- (Recommended) SMTP configured for reliable email delivery
A simple email plan (recommended)
This plan covers most booking businesses without overwhelming customers. You can adjust timings later, but start simple so you can test and confirm everything works.
- Immediately after booking: “We received your request” or “Booking confirmed” (depending on your workflow).
- 3–7 days before check-in: “Your upcoming stay/booking” (key details and preparation).
- 1 day before check-in: “Tomorrow is your check-in” (instructions, address, contact info).
- 1 day after check-out: “Thank you” + feedback/review request.
Step 1: Decide your booking workflow and triggers
Follow-up timing depends on booking status and whether you manually approve. Decide which email is the “real confirmation” so customers do not misunderstand the status.
- Manual approval: send “request received” immediately, then “confirmed” when accepted.
- Automatic approval: send “confirmed” immediately on submission/payment.
- Deposit workflow: send “deposit received” + “balance due” reminders when relevant.
Tip: Your reminder emails should only send for bookings that are actually confirmed (accepted/paid), not for requests that might be rejected.
Step 2: Create your reminder emails (before the booking)
Create one reminder email at a time and keep it focused. Each email should have one purpose and a clear “next step” for the customer.
Reminder email 1 (3–7 days before check-in)
- Include dates, address/location, and what to prepare (documents, arrival time, parking).
- Include a short summary of key rules (check-in hours, pets, smoking, quiet hours).
- Include a contact method (reply-to email, phone/WhatsApp).
Suggested subject line: “Your upcoming booking: {dates}”
Reminder email 2 (1 day before check-in)
- Include check-in instructions and exact address.
- Include entry/access details (key box code, reception hours, call on arrival).
- Include what to do if they are late (late arrival instructions).
Suggested subject line: “Check-in tomorrow: important details”
Same-day reminder (optional)
- Use this only if you have many no-shows or important arrival steps.
- Keep it very short: address, check-in time, contact.
Step 3: Create your follow-up emails (after the booking)
Follow-up emails work best when they are polite, short, and sent soon after the booking ends, while the experience is fresh.
Thank-you email (1 day after check-out)
- Thank the customer and confirm anything important (deposit refund timeline, if relevant).
- Ask one simple question for feedback (for example: “Was everything OK?”).
Suggested subject line: “Thank you for staying with us”
Review request email (2–5 days after check-out)
- Ask for a review and provide one clear link or instruction (keep it simple).
- Offer support if something was not perfect (this can reduce negative reviews).
Suggested subject line: “Could you share your feedback?”
Repeat booking email (optional, 2–4 weeks later)
- Offer a returning customer discount or early access to new dates.
- Keep it optional; do not send too often.
Step 4: Add payment reminders (if you take deposits)
If you take deposits, customers often forget the balance due date. A simple reminder schedule reduces late payments and support messages.
- Reminder 1: 7 days before balance due date.
- Reminder 2: 2 days before balance due date.
- Final reminder: on the due date (short and direct).
Include what is due, when it is due, and how to pay. If you accept bank transfer, include instructions. If you accept online payments, include the payment link if your system supports it.
Step 5: Test scheduling, delivery, and content
Testing is mandatory because reminder emails often rely on scheduled tasks and timezone settings. Create a short booking that starts soon so you can validate reminder timing.
[wpbs id="1" form_id="1"]- Create a test booking starting in the next few days (on a staging site if possible).
- Confirm the booking status is “confirmed” (or the status that should trigger reminders).
- Wait for the reminder trigger time and confirm the email arrives.
- Check spam folder and confirm subject and content look correct.
- Confirm the follow-up email triggers after the booking ends (if enabled).
Improve deliverability (recommended)
Reminder emails are useless if they land in spam. Most WordPress sites need SMTP to send reliably.
- Configure SMTP and send from a real address on your domain (for example: bookings@yourdomain.com).
- Use a clear sender name (your business name) so customers recognize it.
- Avoid spam-like subject lines and too many links in the email body.
Common issues (and quick fixes)
Reminder emails are not sending at all
- Confirm reminders are enabled and connected to the correct booking status (confirmed/accepted/paid).
- Check WordPress timezone settings and confirm they match your business timezone.
- If reminders rely on scheduled tasks (cron), confirm your hosting runs scheduled events reliably.
Emails send, but at the wrong time
- Confirm your WordPress timezone is correct under Settings → General.
- Confirm the reminder is based on booking start date, not booking creation date.
- Test again with a fresh booking after changing timezone or schedule settings.
Customers complain about too many emails
- Remove the same-day email first; keep only one reminder and one follow-up.
- Make emails shorter and more practical (instructions, address, contact).
- Only send reminders for confirmed bookings, not for pending requests.
Emails go to spam
- Set up SMTP and use a consistent From address on your domain.
- Reduce heavy formatting and avoid spam keywords.
- Ask customers to check spam in the first confirmation email if deliverability is a known issue.
Best practices
- Start with 1 reminder and 1 follow-up, then add more only if you truly need them.
- Send reminders only for confirmed bookings to avoid confusing customers.
- Keep every email focused: one goal, one next step, clear dates.
- Use SMTP and test after updates, because email delivery can break silently.
Mini FAQ
What is the best reminder timing for accommodation bookings?
A common setup is one reminder 3–7 days before check-in and one reminder 1 day before check-in, plus one follow-up 1 day after check-out.
Should reminders send for pending bookings?
No. Reminders should usually send only for confirmed/accepted bookings, otherwise customers may prepare for a booking that is not actually confirmed.
Do reminder emails require SMTP?
SMTP is not strictly required, but it is strongly recommended because WordPress default mail often fails or lands in spam, and reminder emails are time-sensitive.
