How to Write a Friendly Reminder Email

Email sending

When you're being productive in your small business, it can be disappointing or even frustrating if other people aren't similarly on top of things.

Whether you're waiting for someone's response, a payment you urgently need or other communication that's past the expected deadline, sending aggressive demands won't necessarily hasten matters and could harm your professional relationships.

If you want to prompt a reply, the best option is usually a polite and friendly but direct reminder email. Striking this fine balance can take some practice, but with time and experience it becomes second nature, especially if you save your templates.

This guide is for small business owners or anyone else who wants to improve their communication skills and motivate people into action.

Why might you need to send a reminder email?

The type of situation you're dealing with and your relationship to those involved will affect the messaging of your prompt email. These situations might include:

  • Late payments – chasing people or companies for money owed to you is regrettably common and necessary in most business. You should aim for a clear timeline of when payments will be made.
  • Missed deadlines – if someone agreed to do something for your business by a certain date, you may want to find out why they didn't manage it, but it's more important to arrange a new deadline.
  • Late deliveries – if you're expecting inventory, equipment or other shipments, not receiving these on time could stall your business plans. You need to know when you can expect to receive it or if you need to claim a refund.

A different type of reminder email is encouraging existing customers or other contacts on your email list to check out your latest products or promotions, such as:

  • Upcoming events or product launches they may be interested in
  • Promotional periods that are ending soon
  • Following up on incomplete actions, such as abandoned shopping cart reminders
  • Delivery reminders, which can also be a chance to promote other products they may be interested in
  • Impending expiration and renewal reminders

In these cases, no one owes you anything, but time-sensitive urgency still applies.

When is the right time to send a reminder?

Timing can be the trickiest part of sending a prompt email, as it depends on the nature of the agreement and varies from case to case. But as a general guideline:

  • Payments, shipments and urgent business with explicit deadlines can be reasonably followed up the next business day after they were due, unless you had advance notice of a possible delay or there are circumstances to consider.
  • For less urgent or informal agreements, a little extra time may be allowed. Think realistically about when you need them to get in touch at the latest and whether emailing them now might seem overly pushy.

If someone makes you wait up to a week without an update, following up is reasonable. Leaving it longer could show them that the request isn't so important.

Friendly reminder emails: best practices

Here are tips about what to include in your prompt emails for the best chance of persuading your contacts and getting the outcome you want, starting from the top.

1. Clear subject line

Whether you're creating a new email or replying to a chain, it's better to write a new email subject line than to reply with the existing RE: title.

Include the name or description of the request so they can see immediately what it's about.

Use an urgent phrase such as 'Important' or 'Response Required' if that matches the tone of the message.

2. Personal greeting

If you know the person well or the request is informal, you can start your email with the casual 'Hi [Name].'

'Hello [Name]' or 'Dear [Name]' are more suitable if your relationship is strictly business.

Either way, using the person's name makes the personal connection you want.

3. Friendly introduction

This is the 'friendly' part of the reminder – a brief, positive preamble enquiring about their wellbeing generally ("I hope you're doing well") or more specific if you know them and their family.

If you prefer to get straight to business, asking them "Have you had time to look at this?" shows that you understand they might be busy too.

4. Get to the point

This is the 'reminder' part. State in no uncertain terms why you are emailing and recap what they agreed to deliver, including the agreed due date.

Keep this as short and to the point as possible. See if you can rewrite the paragraph to remove all the unnecessary sentences and digressions.

5. Call to action

Now that you've given your friendly reminder, state what you expect. This may be an extended deadline or simply a request that they get in touch to update you.

Save time with templates

You don't want to waste too much of your valuable time chasing up emails and payments, especially if it's a frequent occurrence. If you can see yourself sending these emails again and again, you can save time and effort by saving your message as a template.

Templates are an option with many email clients, including Gmail's Canned Responses feature. You just have to adjust relevant details each time, which can be less draining than having to type out the whole email.

Reminder email sample's

To give you a head start, here is a selection of reminder email samples for common situations that can be adapted for your needs.

Subject line: Your invoice from Bevel Construction Pty Ltd is 1 week overdue

Hi Beth,

This is a reminder that invoice number 011 is 1 week overdue.

If you have already sent payment, please ignore this email reminder.

Please get in touch with our team if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Barbara Wright

Bevel Construction

Subject line: Hi Claire, we'd love to hear from you!

Hi Claire,

We recently sent you an email requesting feedback on your experiences at Joy Café in Houston.

As one of our best customers, your opinions mean a lot to us, and we'd be grateful if you could spare a few minutes.

Your personal information is confidential and will not be shared with third parties.

Complete Customer Feedback Survey

Thanks again,

Chris Finch

Joy Cafe

Subject line: Last Chance for 40% Off Spa Treatments!

Hi Dave,

We thought you'd want to know that our promotion of 40% of all treatments at Pinnacle Resort & Spa is about to end.

Just enter the promotional code CRYSTAL when you make a booking before May 31st to enjoy the automatic discount on your order.

We're contacting you because you've expressed interest in our spa resort. If you no longer want to receive emails of our latest offers, unsubscribe here.

Danna Dahl

Pinnacle Resort & Spa

Subject line: Notice of Building Insurance Policy Expiry

Dear Graham,

Our records show that your building insurance is nearing its expiry date on June 30. Without insurance in place, you will be liable for all the costs if your property is damaged or destroyed.

Please reply to this email to let us know if you want to renew your policy under the same terms or call us to discuss your options.

Thank you,

Graham Lister

Manager

Terra Group

Travel Trends Infographic

Hi Qadir,

I know you must be busy, I just wanted to follow up about the infographic I sent last week, showing current travel trends.

Content like this is a big hit with audiences and should drive traffic to your blog. Let me know your thoughts and any edits you think should be made.

Thanks,

Quinn Barker

Via Travel

Re: Homepage Update

Hi Nikki,

Following up on our last email, I'd love to arrange a convenient time to chat about updating your homepage to better reflect your brand values and appeal to your target audience.

Please let me know your availability and any ideas you have that our design and copywriting team can take on board.

Neil Smith

Head Copywriter

Scribe

Collaboration Opportunity

Hi Omar,

How are you doing? I just wanted to check if you're still interested in collaborating on a series of lifestyle posts for the Life blog.

I have some thoughts that I can send over or we can arrange a time for a chat when you're not too busy.

Love to talk soon!

Sincerely,

Olivia Hammond

Lifestyle Editor, Life

Re: Feedback for food blog

Hi Pam,

Have you had the chance to take a look at the draft blog post I sent last week? I'm eager to post it to our blog, but I need to make sure you're happy with the contents. I'm happy to make any edits you want.

I've attached the document again so you don't have to dig through old emails!

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

Petra Moriah

Foodie Blog

Reminder to Sign Up for Membership

Hi Ron,

We noticed that you haven't signed up for membership at Tenacity Fitness Studio after your consultation last week.

We understand that choosing a gym is a big decision and you want to consider your options, but you can be confident our personal trainers won't let you down.

We hope to see you around soon! Don't hesitate to contact us if we can answer any questions.

Sincerely,

Rashida Srinivasan

Tenacity Fitness Studio

How Was Your First Session, Sam?

Hey Sam,

Just a quick check in to see how your first session with our trainers went. We love to get honest feedback so we can make the experience as positive as possible and help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

We're looking forward to seeing you again on Wednesday.

Sophie Ko

Core Fitness

Yvonne, don't forget to claim your free session at Yogi Studio!

Hi Yvonne,

We wanted you to know that your free trial session is still open at Yogi Studio. We'd love to meet you and introduce you to our talented yogis who can work with you to achieve your health and wellness goals.

If you're still interested, contact me to schedule your session time or just show up at our center quoting the reference FREE TRIAL.

Regards,

Yan Tsao

Director, Yogi Studio

Thanks for attending the Travel & Tours Summit!

Hi Zoe,

Thanks for being part of last week's Travel & Tours Summit. We hope you got as much out of the experience as we did!

Check out our Facebook page if you haven't already to see videos, photos and other memories from the event.

Also don't forget to sign up to our newsletter and mark your calendar for the same time next year – provisionally Wednesday, October 19.

All the Best,

Zara Jameson

Euphony

Training reminder samples

Subject line: Certification Reminder

Dear Faye,

This is a reminder that you must complete your certification for the Medicus system in the next 7 days. If you fail to complete certification in time, you will not be authorized to access the system.

To access the certification form, click here and follow the steps. If you need assistance, don't hesitate to contact me.

Florian Müller

Medicus Manhattan

Reminder to update your blood pressure reading

Dear Leticia,

Thank you for your participation in the Live Well Healthy Heart study, we really appreciate your time. This is a reminder to please update your blood pressure reading on the app this week.

If you have any questions, please contact me directly. For general information about blood pressure readings, visit: www.heart.org/hbp

Sincerely,

Lauren Tradue

Health Mentor

Live Well

Friendly reminder: Pithy Copywriting Course begins July 30

Dear Kim,

This is just a reminder that the Pithy Copywriting Course begins on Friday, July 30 at 11:00am.

Please make sure you're on time and click here for the schedule and reading list.

Looking forward to seeing you there! If you can't attend, please let me know as soon as possible.

Kelly McTavish

Course Organizer

General business reminder samples

Our new spa menu is here!

Hi Una,

We thought you'd want to know that our updated treatment menu at Lenity Spa is now finalized and up and running!

Ask our spa therapists about our new treatments when you book your next session, including hot stone massage.

We hope to see you soon!

Usman Fathi

Manager

Lenity Spa

Verity, your next business coaching appointment is on September 30

Dear Verity,

This is just a quick reminder that your next appointment with your personal business coach is on Wednesday, September 30 from 09:30am to 11:00am.

Don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. If you need to reschedule, I'd appreciate if you could let me know as early as possible.

Warm regards,

Vishan Kapadia

Blanky

Ready to Get Started with Video Marketing?

Hi Wanda,

I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to touch base and see if you've given more thought to my team's proposal about how we could boost your brand with video production.

As I said, your profile is perfect for video marketing on YouTube, Facebook and other popular platforms, and we can handle as much of the task as you want us to.

Please let me know when you're available for chat.

Thanks,

Will Surrey

Director

Ilum Video Production

Response Required: Overdue Blog Research

Hi Tom,

Just checking in to ask whether you've had the chance to complete the travel trends research for the Nomad Blog. The blog was due to publish today, so I'd appreciate it as soon as possible.

Let me know if you're having any difficulties.

Thanks,

Tara Elenbaas

Nomad

Event Reminder samples

Subject line: Future of Architecture Summit – Saturday 8 May, 09:00-15:00

Hi Andrew,

This is a reminder that the Future of Architecture Summit is happening this weekend. Don't forget to mark your calendar.

Date: Saturday, May 8 2021
Time: 9:00pm – 3:00pm
Venue: Radisson Hotel New York Times Square

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Need to cancel? Let our team know as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Andy Lane

ARC Architecture

Subject line: There's Still Time to Make a Difference

Hi Edward,

We recently reached out to you as a former patron of Orchard Children's Hospital asking if you would consider making a tax-deductible donation.

The end of the tax year is almost here, and we know you have lots of options for end-of-year giving, but we'd really appreciate if you'd take a few minutes to read about the important work we're doing and how your donations make a difference.

Thank you for considering us. We'll email you a receipt for your records right away.

Many thanks,

Ellie Dickens

Orchard Children's Hospital

Meeting reminder samples

Subject line: Reminder about Social Media Strategy Meeting – 11am on June 30

Hi Hattie,

Just a friendly reminder about the meeting we have scheduled for Wednesday, June 30. Please let us know if you can't make this date.

I've included a copy of the details we plan to go over in case you have anything to add. Looking forward to talking soon!

All the best,

Harriet Pullman

Nova Social Media Agency

Reminder: Conference Call Tomorrow - July 30, 10.00am

Good morning Michael,

We would like to remind you about the conference call with our team scheduled for tomorrow, July 30, beginning from 10:00am.

Please check our Facebook page for details of the agenda. The passcode is: arietta

If you're not able to attend or have any issues, please contact me.

Thank you

Mimi Sanoy

Arietta Architects

Subject line: Tomorrow's Interview with Valor Law

Hi Isla,

We're looking forward to meeting your tomorrow for your interview at Valor Law. Our hiring manager Jan will welcome you in reception at 10am.

Please check our website if you need directions to our office or contact details. You can also contact me directly.

Thanks,

Ian Lewis

Valor Law

Subject line: Tomorrow's video interview for the barista position

Hi Jasmine,

Just a friendly reminder that our video interview is tomorrow at 10am.

To log in, click this link and enter the password: boffola

We recommend connecting to the platform a couple of minutes early to check that your camera and microphone are working properly.

Thanks, looking forward to speaking soon.

Joe Gould

Boffola Cafe

What happens next?

Hopefully, your optimized email will succeed in flattering and motivating the recipient and your work, cash or delivery will be on its way promptly. If you don't get a reply, or another deadline is missed, you should send follow-up emails at a similar rate to your first reminder.

If emails just aren't working, more direct contact is needed. Phone calls can be ignored too, but doing so is much ruder than ignoring an email and you're more likely to get through. If you're calling someone at a business premises, make sure you call during the business' opening hours.

If friendly reminders don't work, you may have to enter the legal realm as a last resort to claim what you're owed. Being friendly, professional and direct in your emails makes this outcome less likely than if you were passive.

For more marketing tips and insights into growing your business online, follow the Limecube blog.

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