DM templates · Instagram
Fill your classes and workshops from Instagram DMs
A class sign-up DM gives the date, the level and the price, then sends one link to book a place. Before booking, most people want to know three things: is it for someone like me, what do I bring, and what if I can't make it. The 13 templates below answer those for craft, dance, art and fitness classes, and the set-up turns comments on a Reel of a class into bookings.
Updated 6 October 2026 · 13 templates
13 messages to copy
Tap a card to copy the message. Swap anything in braces, like {name}, for your own words before you send it.
Booking link, once they reply
Here's the booking page for {date}: {link} Your place is held once you've paid, and the confirmation email has the address and what to bring. There are {number} places left on that date.
Give the real number of places left, and only when it's low enough to matter. Never shave it down to rush people.
Yes, it's for complete beginners
Yes, this class is made for beginners. You don't need any experience or kit, and we start from the very first step. By the end you'll have {what they make} to take home.
“Am I good enough?” sits behind most hesitation. Saying what they'll leave with helps them picture finishing.
Which level is right for me?
The improvers' salsa class assumes you can already do the basic step in time and a simple turn. If you're not sure you can, start with the beginners' class on {date}. You can move up whenever you're ready, and I'll tell you when I think you are.
Name the skill that separates the levels. “Some experience” means something different to everyone who reads it.
What to wear and bring
Wear clothes you don't mind getting clay on, and tie back long hair. Aprons, tools and clay are all provided, so you only need to bring yourself. Short nails make the wheel much easier, if you can.
Written for pottery, so swap in your own details. A practical tip like the nails shows you've taught plenty of beginners.
This date is full
Sorry, {date} has filled up. The next one is on {date} and still has space: {link} Or, if that first date really suits you best, I can add you to the cancellation list for it.
Lead with the next date that has room. A cancellation list is the fallback, and only worth offering if you'll really contact people.
Trying a single class first
You can try a single class for {price} before signing up for anything. Pick any session on the timetable: {link} If you enjoy it, the {number}-class pass brings the price of each class down.
A low-risk first step suits people who aren't sure yet. Mention the pass once, after the trial, so it doesn't read as a sales push.
Private group bookings
We'd love to host your group! Private workshops are for {number} to {number} people, on a date you choose. How many of you are there, and which dates are you thinking of?
Hen parties, birthdays and team days book this way. Headcount and dates decide whether you can say yes, so ask for those first.
Gift vouchers
Yes, we have gift vouchers for any class: {link} They're valid for {time}, and whoever receives one books their own date. Would you like it emailed to you or straight to them?
Voucher buyers rarely know the other person's diary, so say that the recipient chooses the date.
Can't come: moving or cancelling
Thanks for letting me know. With more than {time} notice you can move to any other date for free. Inside that, I can't refund the place, but you're welcome to send a friend instead.
Use the same wording every time, so nobody gets a different deal. A friend in their place keeps the seat filled and feels fair to them.
Not enough sign-ups yet
A quick heads-up, {name}: Saturday's class needs {number} people to run and has {number} so far. If it hasn't filled by {date}, I'll move you to the next date or refund you in full, whichever you prefer.
Their last message is probably days old, so send this yourself in the app or by email. Offering the choice now saves a scramble later.
Kids' classes: writing to the parent
Thanks for asking! The Saturday class is for ages {age range}, and it's {price} for the term. Parents are welcome to stay for the first session. Is there anything I should know to help your child settle in?
Kids' classes are booked by parents, so write to them. The question at the end often brings out shyness or allergies you'll want to know about.
Injuries and health questions
Thanks for telling me. Mention it to {teacher} before the class starts, and they'll show you an alternative for any move that doesn't suit you. If you're not sure the class is safe for you, please check with your doctor or physio first.
Never promise that a class will help a condition. Point people to a professional, and make sure the teacher hears about it before the class.
After class: book the next one
Thanks for coming today, it was lovely to have you! Your pieces will be fired and ready to collect in about {time}. If you'd like to carry on, the next class is on {date}: {link}
Send it to people who message you after the class, while their 24 hours are open. For pottery, say when pieces will be ready, since firing takes time.
Set it up in DMFast
Comment CLASS on a Reel of a class in action
Someone comments on your post
CLASSPublic reply under their comment
The class details are in your DMs 🏺First DM (plain text)
Hi, thanks for your comment! This reply is automatic. The next beginners' class is this Saturday at 10am: two hours, with clay, tools and aprons included. Would you like the booking link? Reply YES.Yes pleaseBeginners' pottery: book your placeBook a placeA comment gets one plain-text DM, so it carries what people decide on (when, how long, what's included) and ends on one question. Their YES opens 24 hours for the booking card. Let the booking page take payment and send the reminder email, since an automated DM usually can't reach them the night before.
Pick a post
Connect your Instagram account, then choose the post or Reel it runs on, or every post.
Set the word: CLASS
Anyone who comments CLASS gets a reply under their comment and a DM. Capitals don't matter.
Paste the message
Add the public reply and the first DM shown here. Once they answer, your link follows as a card.
Free plan, no card. Instagram professional accounts and Facebook Pages.
Rules to know
- Someone who comments on a class post can get one private reply, in plain text and within 7 days of the comment. The booking link follows once they answer.
- Automated replies stop 24 hours after the person's latest message. A reminder the evening before a class needs email or a message you type in the app.
- Automated DMs must say they're automated, so a timetable sent by an auto-reply should say so near the start.
- There's no official way to DM all your past students about a new term. Announce it in posts and Stories, and let their replies start the conversation.
- Comments made during an Instagram Live, such as a live demo of a class, can only get their private reply while the Live is still running.
Sources
Answer the usual questions before they're asked
Most people decide whether to book from the first reply. If it answers these, the next message is usually a booking rather than another question.
| They want to know | Put this in the reply |
|---|---|
| Is it for beginners? | The level, and the skill that marks the step up |
| What's included? | Materials, tools, ingredients or mats, and what they take home |
| What should I wear or bring? | Clothes, shoes, hair and anything they mustn't forget |
| How long is it, and how many people? | The running time and the group size, since small groups are a selling point |
| What if I can't come? | Your notice period, moves to another date and refunds |
| Can my child come? | The age range, and whether a parent stays |
Tip: Put the same answers in a pinned post or on your link-in-bio page, and point the auto-reply there. One place to update beats ten saved replies drifting out of date.
Filling a class without messaging everyone
Instagram won't let you DM your followers to announce a new date, so the work is in getting the right people to write to you first. A few ways that suit classes:
- A Reel of a real class, mess and laughter included, ending with “comment CLASS for the next date”.
- A Story that says “reply SPACES for this month's timetable”. A Story reply counts as a message, so DMFast can send the timetable card straight back without a YES step.
- A photo of a student's first piece next to their fifth, which answers “could I do that?” better than any caption.
- A pinned post with the timetable, plus a DM keyword reply for people who ask in messages.
Full classes, empty classes and cancellations
A full class needs a different first DM. Edit the auto-reply to lead with the next date, rather than letting people find out on the booking page. Keep any cancellation list in your booking system, not across a dozen chats, so you know who's next when a place opens.
A class that might not run needs a decision date. Tell everyone booked what the minimum is and when you'll decide, then offer a move or a refund. By then their last message is likely to be days old, so send it by email or type it yourself in the app.
Mistakes that leave places empty
- Answering “link in bio” when they've asked you directly. Send the link.
- Writing “spaces filling fast” when they aren't.
- Asking for card details in a DM. Take payment on a proper booking page.
- Leaving last term's dates in the auto-reply.
- Hiding the price until the booking page.
What to measure
Follow each step: comments or Story replies, YES replies, taps on the booking card and paid bookings. A tracked link on the card shows the taps. Then compare bookings with attendance and with second bookings: a class that fills but rarely gets a second booking points to the class itself, not the DM.
Questions people ask
Can people pay for a class inside Instagram DMs?
Not through an auto-reply: the DM sends a link, and your booking page takes the payment. In India, DMFast's store takes payment through Razorpay for digital products and 1-on-1 sessions, so a private lesson can be booked from the DM. For a group class with many places, use a booking tool that tracks capacity.
How do I remind people the day before their class?
By email, from your booking tool, since an automated DM can only reach people who've messaged you in the last 24 hours. For a small class you can also type the reminders yourself in the Instagram app, or post a Story the day before asking people to reply for the details.
What keyword should a class post use?
CLASS works, or the name of your craft. DMFast matches whole words, so “this class looks fun” would also get the details, which is no bad thing here: that person is interested. Avoid words like YES or LOVE that turn up in every other comment.
Can I message everyone who came last term about the new timetable?
Not with an automation, unless they've written to you in the last 24 hours. Email your past students instead, and post the timetable with a comment keyword so anyone who wants it can ask.
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