One of the most reliably frustrating parts of group scheduling is the chase-up. You have created the event, shared the link, and a few people have responded. But there are always a couple of stragglers who have not yet filled in their availability, and at some point you need to follow up.

The standard approach is a generic "just a reminder to fill in the poll" message sent to the whole group. It works sometimes, but it is easy to ignore, and it gives people no specific reason to act right now.

WhosFreeWhen's personalised nudge messages take a different approach.

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What Personalised Nudge Messages Look Like

The nudge message is generated automatically and updated each time availability changes. It uses the same What If logic as the Insights panel to check whether there is a date where all current responders are free. If there is, it names both the person and the date in the message.

For a single non-responder where a compelling date exists:

"Hey Sarah, everyone else is free on Saturday June 14 for 'Team offsite'! Could you fill in your availability so we can confirm the date?"

For multiple non-responders, each with their own potential date:

"Hey, still waiting on a few responses for 'Team offsite'! Sarah: if you respond, Saturday June 14 could be perfect for everyone. Tom: if you respond, Sunday June 15 could be perfect for everyone."

When no almost-perfect date can be found, the message falls back to a concise, generic format. So you always get something useful to send.

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Why Specific Messages Work Better

The difference between "please fill in the poll" and "if you respond, Saturday could be perfect for everyone" is significant. The first message is a request. The second message is a reason.

People are busy. Generic reminders get deprioritised. But a message that says "your response specifically could unlock the date" creates a clear link between action and outcome. It makes the effort feel worth it, and it names the person rather than addressing the whole group, which creates a sense of personal responsibility.

Organisers who use targeted follow-ups consistently get faster, higher response rates than those who send blanket reminders to everyone.

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How to Use the Nudge Message

Open your event on WhosFreeWhen and look for the response progress bar below the participant list. Next to it is a "Copy nudge message" button.

Clicking the button copies the generated message to your clipboard. You can then paste it directly into WhatsApp, iMessage, Slack, email, or wherever you are coordinating with the group.

For even faster delivery, use the WhatsApp and SMS share buttons (more on those in a separate post) to open the app with the message pre-filled.

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The Message Updates as People Respond

Because the nudge message is generated fresh each time you click the button, it always reflects the current state of responses. If Sarah fills in her availability after you sent the first message, the next time you copy a nudge it will no longer mention her. It will focus only on whoever is still outstanding.

This means you do not have to manually rewrite the chase-up message after each new response. The app keeps it accurate and targeted for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit the message before sending it? Yes. The message is copied to your clipboard and you can edit it freely before pasting or sending. It is a starting point, not a fixed template.

What if nobody is likely to unlock a perfect date? The message falls back to a straightforward format: "Hey [names], can you fill in your availability for '[event name]'?" It is less compelling than a date-specific nudge, but still better than nothing.

Does the message include the event link? Yes, the link to the event is included so recipients can go straight to filling in their availability without searching for it.

What if the group is very large and many people have not responded? The personalised format works best with a small number of non-responders. For larger gaps, the message defaults to a group-level nudge rather than naming individuals.

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Make Every Chase-Up Count

The copy nudge message button has been on WhosFreeWhen for a while. The personalisation layer makes it significantly more powerful. Instead of copying a generic reminder, you are copying a message with a specific, compelling reason for each person to act.

Next time you are waiting on a few responses, open the Insights tab on your event and use the nudge message button. The extra context it provides could be the difference between waiting another week and confirming the date tomorrow.