You’re busy, with your head deep in the business. But guess what? Your clients are just as busy. They might occasionally forget to pay your invoice, miss a meeting you’ve scheduled, or need a little nudge to approve that budget you sent over.
Whatever the situation, you know what can save the day? A friendly reminder email!
I bet you’ve sent your fair share of these emails over the years. And I’m sure you’ve wondered at least once: How should I word this email? Personally, I think they can be a little awkward to write sometimes.
Do you feel the same way? If so, you’re in the right place!
In this blog post, we’ll show you exactly what to put in a reminder email to encourage action from your clients. Plus, we’ll share seven ready-to-use email examples for different scenarios that you can tweak and send out in no time.
Let’s get to it!
"Friendly reminder email"—sort of self-explanatory, sort of not. Because in practice, we’ve all sat there wondering: how exactly should a gentle reminder sound?
For this email to work, you need to nail the subject line, the main body, and the closing—and a few other small but important details.
Here are some pointers to guide you:
Take a look at the example below to see how these elements come together in a well-structured reminder email.
Next up, let’s explore some tips to make your reminder emails even more effective.
Ambiguity is the enemy of action. Be specific and direct about what you need your client to do.
Say something like:
A clear ask leaves no room for confusion and makes it easier for your client to take the next step.
If possible, reply to the original thread instead of starting a new one, and don’t forget to hit “Reply All” when relevant! This keeps all the context in one place and makes it easier for your client to understand what the email is about.
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💡 Tip: A good way to start an email when replying in the original thread is: “Just following up on the email below regarding [topic]. |
Start your email with a clear reminder of what you’re following up on. Be specific and get straight to the point—it saves both you and your client time.
Avoid long-winded intros that might bury your ask under unnecessary pleasantries or explanations. Instead, focus on clarity and action. The goal is to make it easy for your clients to understand why you’re emailing and what they need to do next.
And you know what works really well? Bullet points or bold text! Use them to highlight key details if your reminder has multiple parts, such as deadlines or links. This makes it even easier for busy clients to skim and respond.
Timing can make or break a reminder email.
Overall, to keep a solid email etiquette, don’t forget to send your reminders during business hours, when people are actively checking their inboxes. Sending emails outside regular hours, like late at night or early in the morning, may rub your clients the wrong way.
Reduce friction by including links, attachments, or buttons for quick action.
For example: “Click the button below to make your payment” or “Here’s the link to join our Zoom meeting: [link].”
Stick to these best practices, and your reminder emails will feel natural, effective, and easy to act on—for both you and your clients.
Next, we’ll walk you through examples of friendly reminder emails for common business scenarios.
Now that you know what to include and how to make your reminders clear and effective, let’s look at some real-world examples. Feel free to tweak the details to fit your situation.
As you know, it’s a good practice to remind your clients about their upcoming scheduled meetings with you. Sending reminders helps reduce the likelihood of no-shows or last-minute rescheduling, both of which can be costly for your business.
When drafting the meeting reminder email, always include the date, time, and location—or a link to the meeting—to make it as simple as possible for the client to attend.
Below is a simple meeting reminder example. However, if you need more ideas, we’ve got an entire blog post on meeting reminder email templates.
Have you got lots of meetings to manage and not enough time to send out meeting reminders one by one?
With an online scheduling tool like YouCanBookMe, you can schedule your business meetings and let the tool automatically send out meeting confirmations, reminders, and even follow-up emails and SMS notifications.
Our solution literally takes mundane email sending off your plate—because we believe your time could be better spent growing your business.
No one loves following up on late payments, but it’s part of running a business. For small business owners, timely payments are critical to maintaining cash flow, yet 87% of businesses report that their invoices are paid after the due date.
A friendly reminder email can help you jog your client’s memory without damaging the relationship—and get your invoice to the top of their to-do list. The key is to be clear, professional, and to the point.
Always include details like the invoice number, original due date, and a direct payment link to make it as easy as possible for your client to settle up.
Here’s how to word your overdue payment reminder email:
Before you reach the point of sending an email to follow up on an overdue invoice, try sending a gentle reminder about the upcoming payment.
As we mentioned earlier, when it comes to payments, it's best to send reminders at regular intervals. This gives your client enough time to take the necessary steps to process your payment.
Most companies use payment processors or accounting systems to manage invoices, which often involves uploading the invoice, securing internal approvals, and scheduling payments according to their payment cycle. This can take time, so regular reminders help ensure your invoice doesn't get delayed in their system.
Need a favor from a client, like a testimonial or feedback? This type of email is all about being polite and expressing gratitude. A friendly tone can make them more likely to respond positively.
Keep it brief and make it easy for them to act by including a link or instructions.
Sometimes, clients need a nudge to book a call, especially when they’ve expressed interest but haven’t taken the next step. Maybe you’ve sent them a proposal, and now it’s time to discuss feedback. Or perhaps you’re in the middle of a project and need to align on the next steps.
When sending this type of reminder, aim to reduce the friction for the clients. That means you should include a scheduling link so that your client can simply pick a slot in your calendar.
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🔍 Looking for ideas on how to write a meeting invite? Check out our guide on friendly meeting invitation emails, packed with tips and examples for different situations. |
Are you a medical practice, a fitness coach, or a marketing agency? Intake or booking forms are often a key part of your process, helping you collect important information about your clients before their appointment or project.
If you’ve already sent the form and your meeting/project is due to start in the next couple of days, that’s your cue to send a quick nudge.
Want to skip the manual processing of intake forms completely? Make them part of your meeting booking page.
With YouCanBookMe, you can integrate booking forms directly into your scheduling process. This way, all the key information you need is collected upfront—no extra follow-ups required.
Sometimes you need a client’s approval to move forward. Maybe you need them to review a proposal, approve social media content (if you’re an agency), or check tax declarations (if you’re an accountant).
Send them a gentle reminder message so they don’t forget! Be sure to include the deadline for when you need the approval.
Reminders may seem like small tasks, but they play a big role in keeping your business organized and professional. With these tips and templates, you’re ready to write emails that get results—without the awkwardness.
Remember: clear, polite, and to the point is the way to go. And if the bulk of your reminder emails are about meetings and intake forms, it's best to use a tool like YouCanBookMe to automate the entire scheduling process.