How to Write an Email to Someone Who Missed a Meeting
…plus our fave no-show email templates
When a client or prospect doesn’t show up to a scheduled call, deciding how to handle it to keep the relationship moving forward can feel like navigating treacherous waters.
On one hand, you want to get your meeting back on the books to either move your project forward with a current client or close a sale with a new lead.
But, on the other hand, you HAVE to balance the follow-up attempts with a gentle hand so you don’t risk putting too much pressure on the client and alienating them altogether.
When should you send a follow-up email to a no-show client?
Within the first 5-10 minutes of a no-show meeting, it’s totally acceptable to send the attendees a quick reminder via email, text, or even a phone call (depending on how you typically communicate with the client). It’s not uncommon for a client to simply forget to add the meeting to their calendar or lose track of time, so a brief message like “Hello, {Client} — are we still on for our meeting today at 11:00 AM EST?” may jog their memory and either result in them joining the meeting or replying to your message to let you know they’ll need to reschedule.
If you haven’t received a reply within ten minutes of the meeting time, you can usually assume that the client will not be attending. At this stage (or at least before what would have been the end of the scheduled meeting), it’s important to send the client an email notifying them of the missed appointment.
A timely follow-up from your end will show the client that you are on top of your schedule and are looking forward to setting up a new time to meet with them.
Our top tips for writing emails after a missed meeting
Keep your tone light and professional. Consider your emotions when writing a no-show email to a client or prospect. It’s not a hot take to suggest waiting to write the email if you’re feeling frustrated or annoyed, but it IS a hotter take to remember that the no-show might have nothing to do with you.
We’re human, after all — mistakes happen, and we’re all bound to miss a meeting or two while juggling everything else we’ve got going on. Therefore, show some grace and keep the message professional. There’s no room for blaming or shaming here, friend.
DO NOT — I repeat — DO NOT nag or harass them. Listen, I totally get how you might feel when someone ghosts on a meeting. You might feel like your time was disrespected or take the no-show as a personal slight, but truthfully, the worst action you can take is to nag or harass the client or prospect into rescheduling the meeting.
If the no-show meeting was to review progress with a current client, then sure, send out weekly or even biweekly follow-ups to attempt to keep the project on track. However, if the meeting was a sales or discovery call with a prospect, don’t send more than two follow-up emails (as in one immediately after the meeting and another a few days later).
Humans are busy creatures, yes, but no response is a response. “Circling back” multiple times or on multiple channels will feel spammy (honestly, it gives me the ick just thinking about it), and it won’t reflect well on you or your business. Let it go, my dude, let it go.
Drop the guilt trip, Mom. Attempting to guilt-trip the client or prospect for no-showing a meeting is LITERALLY never the correct approach. Please take my word on this. Plus, embarrassing or shaming the client for what might be a completely honest mistake will likely deter them from wanting to work with you ever again.
Let’s get to the content — what should you include in a missed meeting follow-up email?
Rescheduling info. Give the prospect everything they need to reschedule with you, whether that be your booking link OR up to 3 of your available dates and times.
Purpose of the meeting. Remind them WHY the meeting was scheduled in the first place. If they filled out a form to schedule their initial discovery call, relay their answers back to them. Stating either what they hoped to achieve from working with you or the timeline they wanted to meet will motivate them to respond or reschedule the meeting for another time.
Steal our no-show email templates for following up with a prospect or client
Email templates are my MOST valuable resource — they not only save me time when I’m in a pinch and let me to respond to similar emails faster, but they also allow me to remove the emotion I’m currently feeling in a situation by sticking to an outline I wrote in a calmer state.
To make handling these follow-ups a bit easier (even when you’re feeling frustrated), I’ve dropped below a few of my go-to no-show email templates that I send to prospects who’ve missed a meeting:
brief follow-up email to be sent immediately after the missed meeting:
Hi {Client}!
Looks like we missed each other at our {meeting type} today. If you'd like to find another time to chat about {whatever the meeting is about}, please let me know.
I'll also go ahead and drop my calendar link if you'd like to have a peek at my availability this week.
Best,
{Your Name}
Missed Appointment Reminder Email Template With Agenda + Links (for current clients)
Hi {Client},
It looks like we weren’t able to connect today for our meeting, but I wanted to send you a few items I was hoping to review with you during the call. I’ll {attach them/link them} below so you can have a peek.
To stay on track with our project timeline, let’s plan to schedule another call for next week so we can go over these items together. Let me know what time works best for you, or go ahead and book a time on my calendar link here —> {drop or hyperlink your booking link}.
I look forward to speaking with you soon, {Client}!
Thanks!
{Your Name}
Value Prop no-show email template (For Sales Prospects)
Hi, {Client}!
Looks like we missed each other today! I’m sure you’ve got a jam-packed schedule right now, but I’d love the opportunity to show you how I can support your {goals, business, etc.} with {whatever services you offer}.
Is there a time next week or later this month that would work better for you? Let me know — I’ll also drop my calendar link here if you’d like to have a look at my availability {don’t forget to include your booking link here!}.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon, {Client}!
Best,
{Your Name}
Keep your cool in the face of no-shows and use your copywriter-approved email templates!
Figuring out how to deal with no-show prospects and clients can be frustrating, but when you’re armed with resources and tools, it makes writing those follow-up emails an absolute breeze.
By utilizing my top tips for writing no-show emails and keeping your copywriter-approved email templates handy, you’ll appear kind and understanding to your clients while still maintaining your professional boundaries as a service provider.
