Here's how to reply when a client asks "when are you free?": offer two or three specific times with the day and start time, say how long the appointment takes, and ask them to pick one. Skip "whenever works for you." Clear choices are quick to answer and turn a vague question into a booked slot.
Below is a simple four-part formula, a quick check to run before you answer, and copy-paste templates for hair salons, lash artists, nail techs, cleaners and tutors. There are also replies for when you're fully booked or the client says "anytime."
A good availability reply has the same four parts every time:
A quick, warm opener. One line is enough: "Hi Sam, thanks for reaching out!"
Two or three real options. Write the day and the start time, such as "Tuesday at 10am." Spread them out: a morning, an afternoon, and an evening or weekend slot if you work then.
The one detail they need to decide. Usually that's how long it takes. Sometimes it's the price, a deposit, the address or a prep step.
An easy next step. Ask them to reply with a number or a day, and say how long you'll hold the time.
Why not send your whole week? A long list hands the work of choosing back to the client. A short list is easier to answer in one line, and if none of them work, you offer the next two.
Know the service. "A cut" and "a cut and color" take very different amounts of time. If it's unclear, ask one short question first, or offer times for the most likely option and say so.
Add buffer time. Leave room for cleanup, setup or travel between clients so your next booking doesn't start late.
Check your calendar, not your memory. Open the actual day before you offer it.
Don't double-offer. If you send the same slot to two people at once, say "first to confirm gets it," or give each person different times.
Name the time zone for online sessions, so nobody turns up an hour early or late.
Swap the parts in [brackets] for your own details. Keep them short and friendly, and always end with a question.
"Hi [Name], thanks for reaching out! I have [Tuesday at 10am], [Wednesday at 2pm] or [Saturday at 11am]. [Service] takes about [60 minutes]. Which works best for you? I can hold it until [6pm today]."
Shorter version: "Hi [Name]! I can do [Thursday at 4pm] or [Friday at 10am]. Reply 1 or 2 and it's yours."
"Hi [Name], I'd love to see you! A [cut and color] takes about [2.5 hours], so I can offer [Tuesday at 9:30am] or [Thursday at 1pm]. If you only need a cut, I have a few more times. Which would you like?"
"Hi [Name]! Is this a full set or a fill? A full set takes about [2 hours] and I have [Monday at 11am] or [Wednesday at 5pm]. Fills are shorter, so I have more options for those. [Please come without eye makeup so we can start on time.]"
"Hi [Name]! Do you have any product on now that needs removing? That adds about [20 minutes]. For [a gel manicure with removal] I can do [Tuesday at 3pm] or [Saturday at 10am]. Which suits you?"
"Hi [Name], thanks for asking! So I can give you accurate times, could you send your [area or ZIP code], the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and whether you'd like a regular or deep clean? For a typical [two-bedroom regular clean] I have [Monday morning] or [Thursday afternoon] open."
"Hi [Name]! Happy to help with [grade 9 math]. I have [Monday at 4:30pm] or [Wednesday at 6pm] ([time zone]), [online or in person], [60 minutes] each. Which works? Once you pick, I'll send a confirmation with the [link or address]."
"Hi [Name], thank you! I'm fully booked this week. My next openings are [next Tuesday at 10am] and [next Wednesday at 3pm]. Would one of those work, or shall I add you to my cancellation list?"
"[Saturday morning] is taken, sorry! The closest I have is [Saturday at 2pm] or [Friday at 5:30pm]. Would either of those work?"
"Perfect, let's lock it in! How about [Wednesday at 11am]? If that's no good, [Thursday at 3pm] is also free."
"You're booked! [Service] on [Wednesday the 14th] at [11am], about [90 minutes], at [address or link]. [Your deposit or cancellation note.] See you then!"
Save your favorite templates once and reuse them.
iPhone text replacement: in any text field, touch and hold the Emoji button or the Switch Keyboard key, tap Keyboard Settings, then Text Replacement. Tap the Add button, paste your template into Phrase, and type a short code that isn't a real word, such as "xfree", into Shortcut. Typing that code then enters the whole message.
Instagram saved replies: on a business or creator account, press and hold a message you've sent, tap More, then Save, and give it a keyboard shortcut. In a chat, type the shortcut and tap the chat icon that appears to fill in your reply.
Add it to your calendar straight away. In Apple's Calendar app, go to Day view, tap the Add button, enter a title like "Lash fill: Sam," set the start and end times, then tap Done.
Add an alert. Tap the event, tap Edit, tap Alert and choose when you want to be reminded.
Send a confirmation with the day, time, length, address or link, and any deposit or cancellation policy.
Release any other holds. If you offered the same slot to someone else, tell them it's gone and offer the next option.
"I'm pretty open!" It sounds friendly, but it makes the client do the planning.
Too many options. Six times across two weeks is hard to scan on a phone. Two or three is plenty.
No length or price. People can't pick a time if they don't know how long they'll be with you.
Going quiet. If you can't answer properly yet, send a quick "Checking my book, back to you by 3pm!" so the client knows you've seen it.
Two or three is a good rule. That's enough choice to fit most schedules and short enough to answer in one word. If none work, offer the next two.
You can, but add two suggested times to the message as well. A link asks the client to go and look, while a couple of times lets them answer right there in the chat.
Pick a hold time that suits your schedule, such as the end of the day, and say it in the message. When it's up, let them know and offer the slot to someone else.
Be honest and specific. Give your next two real openings and offer a cancellation list. "My next openings are [day] and [day]" is far more useful than "I'm really busy right now."
If clients book you by text or DM, BookingSolved can turn a pasted request, a screenshot or a Share Sheet item into an Apple Calendar booking, and it flags missing or unclear details, such as a vague date, instead of guessing. It suggests open times within your business hours around your existing appointments, using your service lengths and buffer times, and drafts an editable reply in a Friendly, Professional or Concise tone. You copy and send the reply yourself: the app never contacts clients, and requests and screenshots are processed on your device.
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