Tips to Write a Reminder Email for Payments
It can be difficult to receive payment reminder email. It is important to strike a balance between being polite enough for a good relationship and being firm enough that your client feels the need to pay you.
We can help you navigate that tightrope, no matter if your client is late a week or a whole month. This article will provide some helpful tips on politely asking clients for payment. Next, we’ll give email templates that can be used to remind clients at every stage of the reminder process. These templates have been proven to help you get paid quicker.
Let’s get started with some tips!
Tips to Write a Reminder Email for Payments
It’s better to be thoughtful than angry when you receive unpaid invoices. These are the best practices for sending payment reminder email to your clients.
1 – Use a clear subject
Your email subject line can make it easy for your client to get all the information they require.
Your email subject line should be:
- Use clear keywords like “Payment Reminder:”
- Inscribe the invoice number
- Include the date of payment
2 – Attach the invoice again
Do not make your client search through their email history for the invoice that you are reminding them to pay. If you are using online invoices, attach the invoice again to your email.
Attach the invoice to your reminder emails before you forget to.
3 – Begin with a polite introduction
Don’t be too formal. Your email should begin with a polite introduction. This will ensure that you are sending a friendly reminder to pay. This can be as simple as greeting a client by name, followed by a line of wishing them well.
Take, for example:
Hi, Client name,
Hello! I hope you are well.
Exclamation marks are acceptable, but they should be used sparingly.
4 – Be clear about the payment terms
Your email should remind your client of the amount due and the due date.
Be specific: Don’t make vague statements. Include the due date of your invoice. Avoid confusing statements such as “due on receipt”. If you send multiple reminders, keep updating the time period, regardless of whether it’s one day late, one week, or more. This will allow you to document late payments in case you need to go back to your reminders.
5 – Confirm receipt (optional)
This is a reminder to remind your client if they don’t have their first invoice. It not only gives you peace of mind but it also allows you to change the conversation from “Please pay me” to “Please pay me”.
Take, for example:
Please confirm receipt of the invoice. Please confirm that I have correct contact information for payment.
You can modify an invoice email you have already received from a client to ask when payment is due.
6 – Keep it short and simple
Payment reminder email should be friendly, professional, brief, and informative. Review your email before you send it. This will ensure that everything you write is polite. Avoid pronouns such as “you” because they can sound accusatory. Use passive, positive-framed language instead.
Take, for example:
Do not say: I need to be paid by October 1.
Say: The October 1st payment is required.
Don’t forget to sign off your reminder letter for payment!
7 – Send at a suitable time
Send your reminder email when your client is most likely to read it and to take action.
If your client works a 9-to-5 schedule, you shouldn’t send invoice reminders to them at 5 pm on Friday. Your emails should be sent first thing Monday morning or Tuesday morning.
8 – Make the most of automated email
You don’t want to come off as too assertive, so de-personalize your email process with any software. An automated system will take the responsibility for your finger-pointing and place it on a neutral “system message”.
However, you don’t need to completely de-personalize. These softwares allow you to send both personal and automated emails, so that each client can see which one works best. You can increase your chances of being paid on time and also save time writing emails.
