# Reminders and follow-ups

Most teams want the same two things from [workflows](/help/workflows/overview): a
**reminder** so people show up, and a **follow-up** so the conversation continues.
Here's how to set both up.

## A reminder before the meeting

1. In [**Workflows → Create Workflow**](/360/workflows), add a step.
2. **Trigger:** *before the event* — set the lead time (24 hours / 1440 minutes is a
   common choice; many teams add a second step at 1 hour).
3. **Action:** *email the invitee* (or *SMS the invitee* if you collect phone numbers).
4. Write the **subject** and **body** — keep it short: who, when, where, and the
   meeting link. Use placeholders like the invitee's first name and the host's name so
   it reads personally.
5. Attach the workflow to the event types it should cover and turn it **on**.

A reminder a day before plus one an hour before is the single most effective no-show
fix.

## A follow-up after the meeting

1. Add another step to the same workflow (or a new one).
2. **Trigger:** *after the event* — set how long after it ends (e.g. 60 minutes, or the
   next morning).
3. **Action:** *email the invitee*.
4. Write the follow-up — a thank-you, the agreed next steps, a link to a recording or a
   proposal, a feedback form.

## Common pitfalls

- **Reminder lead time longer than the booking notice.** A 24-hour reminder can't fire
  for a meeting booked 3 hours in advance — the time has already passed. That's normal;
  consider a shorter second reminder for last-minute bookings.
- **Two reminder workflows on one event type → two reminders.** Consolidate into one
  workflow per event type.
- **SMS to people who didn't share a number.** SMS steps only reach invitees who
  provided a phone; everyone else simply doesn't get that step.
- **Follow-up fires after a no-show or cancellation.** "After event" is time-based — if
  you want different handling for cancellations, use the
  [on-cancellation trigger](/help/workflows/triggers-and-actions) in a separate step.