DM templates · Instagram and Facebook

DM templates for a small business that answers its own messages

A small business usually has one person doing the work and the messaging. These 12 DMs cover the day-to-day: opening hours, a price, a booking, a complaint and a review request. Copy what fits, change the curly brackets and make the wording yours.

Updated 6 October 2026 · 12 templates

12 messages to copy

Tap a card to copy the message. Swap anything in braces, like {name}, for your own words before you send it.

  • First reply to a new enquiry

    Hi {name}, thanks for getting in touch with {link}. What can we help you with? If it's about prices or opening hours, tell me and I'll send them straight over.

    Replace {link} with your business name. Pointing to the two most-asked topics saves a round of questions.

  • Opening hours and address

    We're open {time}, and you'll find us at {link}. Parking is easiest on the side street. Would you like to book a time so there's no wait?

    Put the hours in the message, not just a link. Many people read the reply and never tap through.

  • Price list answer

    Thanks for asking! Our most popular service starts from {link}. The exact price depends on what you need, so tell me a bit about it and I'll give you a proper figure.

    Giving a starting point first beats “DM for price”, which many people find off-putting.

  • Booking confirmation

    You're booked in for {time}. We'll send a reminder the day before. If something comes up, let us know here so someone else can have your slot.

    Ask people to cancel in the chat. It's the quickest way to refill a slot you'd otherwise lose.

  • Request for a quote

    Happy to quote. To get it right the first time, could you tell me what you need done, where, and by when? A photo helps if there's something to see.

    Ask for all three details in one message so you don't spend the day going back and forth.

  • We can't do that

    Thanks for asking. That's not something we offer, but {link} does it well and I'm happy to point you their way. If you need anything else, we're here.

    A kind no, with a suggestion, is remembered. People who were turned away well often come back for what you do sell.

  • Order or job is ready

    Good news, {name}, yours is ready to collect from {time}. We're here until closing, so just pop in when it suits you.

    Say until when they can collect it, so it isn't sitting on your shelf for weeks.

  • When something went wrong

    I'm sorry that wasn't what you expected, {name}. Could you tell me what happened and send a photo if there is one? I'll look into it today and come back to you here.

    Apologise first and ask for details second. Starting with an explanation of why it happened feels like a defence.

  • Thank-you after a visit

    Thanks for coming in today, {name}! We really enjoyed having you. Any questions about how to look after what you bought, send them here.

    Send it the same day, and keep it free of a pitch. It's the message that gets answered most often.

  • Review request

    Glad you're happy, {name}! If you've got a minute, a short review helps other people find us: {link}. Either way, thank you.

    Ask people who've just said something kind. Asking someone who's unhappy invites a bad review.

  • Gentle nudge on a quote

    Hi {name}, just checking you got my quote. Any questions, I'm glad to help. If you've gone another way, no hard feelings at all.

    One nudge, a few days after the quote, and within 24 hours of their last message if it's automated.

  • Closed for the day

    Thanks for your message! We've closed for today and open again at {time}. This reply is automatic, and yours will be the first message we read.

    A real opening time beats “as soon as possible”. Say it is automatic so no one expects a person.

Set it up in DMFast

Comment PRICES, get the price list by DM

Someone comments on your post

PRICES

Public reply under their comment

Sent you a message with our prices.

First DM (plain text)

Hi! This is an automatic message because you commented PRICES. Our full price list is ready for you. Want it here? Reply YES and I'll send it over, and tell me what you're after so I can point you to the right option.Yes pleaseOur full price listSee prices

Small businesses get the same price question under many posts. A single keyword answers it for everyone, and the question at the end lets you learn what each person wants. The list goes out once they reply.

  1. Pick a post

    Connect your Instagram account or Facebook Page, then choose the post or Reel it runs on, or every post.

  2. Set the word: PRICES

    Anyone who comments PRICES gets a reply under their comment and a DM. Capitals don't matter.

  3. Paste the message

    Add the public reply and the first DM shown here. Once they answer, your link follows as a card.

Set it up free

Free plan, no card. Instagram professional accounts and Facebook Pages.

Rules to know

  1. A comment can get one private reply, within 7 days of the comment. Comments made during an Instagram Live can only be answered while the Live is still running.
  2. That first private reply is plain text with no link or button. The chat continues only if the person answers it.
  3. Automated messages sent through Meta's API must go out within 24 hours of the person's last message. A real person can reply by hand for up to 7 days using Meta's human agent tag.
  4. Instagram's messaging tools require a Business or Creator account. On Facebook they work with Pages, and a personal profile has no equivalent.
  5. There is no official way to DM everyone who follows you. Meta's tools only let you write to people who messaged or commented first.

Sources

Start with the three questions you're asked most

Before you write a single template, scroll back through your last month of messages and count. For nearly every small business the top three are the same kind: when are you open, how much is it and can I book. Write those answers first. They deal with most of your inbox, and everything else can wait.

  1. Write down the three questions and your best answer to each, in your own words.
  2. Cut each answer to the part someone would read on a phone in a few seconds.
  3. End each one with a small next step: a time, a link or a question.
  4. Check them once a month, because prices and hours change.

What should be automatic and what should be you

Anything where every customer gets the same answer can run on its own: hours, price list, address, the away message. Anything that depends on a person's situation should come from you: complaints, quotes, special requests and thank-yous to regulars. A good rule is to automate the question and hand over the conversation. Let the first reply be automatic, then take over once someone writes back.

Tip: Answer complaints yourself, even if it takes a day. A fast automatic reply to someone who's upset reads as not caring.

How quickly to follow up

For a quote, one reminder after two or three days is polite. For a booking that wasn't confirmed, a same-day message is fine. For an enquiry that went quiet, send one nudge and then leave it. If you use a tool to send it, it has to fit inside 24 hours of their last message, so a reminder sent a week later has to come from you by hand.

Keep a short note of who you've chased and when. Chasing the same person twice in a week feels pushy, and a basic spreadsheet is enough to avoid it.

Questions people ask

Do small businesses need a Business account to automate DMs?

Yes on Instagram: only Business and Creator accounts can use Meta's messaging tools. On Facebook, the tools work with a Page rather than a personal profile. Switching an Instagram account to a professional one is free and takes a few minutes in settings.

Which DM should a small business set up first?

The price or opening-hours answer, because it's the most repeated question for most businesses. After that, an away message for when you're closed, and then a booking reply if you take appointments.

Is it fine to use the same template for everyone?

For facts, yes: hours, addresses and price lists are the same for every customer. For anything personal, such as a complaint or a quote, change the message so that it reflects what the person actually wrote.

Can I message my past customers about a sale?

Not through Meta's official tools. They only let a business message people who messaged or commented first, within the 24-hour window. A past customer who writes to you again opens a new window.

Related templates

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