Tired of writing reminder emails that get ignored? Or are you unsure of how to write a reminder email that doesn’t come across as annoying? If so, it may be time to consider adjusting your efforts.

“Knowing how to write a friendly reminder email is one of the best tools for nudging people about upcoming meetings, missed payments, job applications, important events, and more,” writes Kristina Kirsch for HubSpot. “And when done right, a good one can be a relief to recipients if you land the right tone and timing.”

When to Send Reminder Emails

Sellers may be hesitant to reach out but there are many times a reminder email is appropriate. Reminders for a future meeting, missed deadlines, late payments, and lapsed communications are just a few times a seller should send an email.

Time-wise, when you send a reminder depends on the situation. Thankfully, Kirsch offers guidance for common times a seller may want to give a nudge.

Upcoming meeting: She recommends sending an email one to two days ahead of time.
Upcoming event: A reminder email should be sent between three and 14 days before the event. You can send multiple reminders leading up to the event to build enthusiasm and ensure everyone is clear about the timing and scheduling.
Past due payment or a missed deadline: For this sensitive topic, Kirsch suggests sending an email one day after the due date.

One note of caution: Do not send a reminder email less than 24 hours after another outreach. Lindsay Kramer, Grammarly, warns that this may be too pushy. As she notes, “Keep this in mind as the minimum length of time it’s appropriate to wait before sending a reminder email—in some cases, it may be appropriate to wait longer.”

Start Strong with a Clear Subject Line

We all know that subject lines have a big impact. Reminder emails are no different. It is important that these emails’ subject lines clearly state the reminder. “The recipient should know why you're sending a reminder and feel compelled to act,” Kramer suggests. And she also points out that adding urgency is helpful. This way, the recipient knows that the email is time-sensitive.

Be Professional and Friendly

In addition to timing, another element to successfully writing a sales reminder email is your tone. Like with other communications, friendly professionalism is key. This is especially true for reminder emails. “

Do not be accusatory or chiding in a reminder email; the goal is not to shame the recipient into compliance but to simply remind them about a meeting, call, or another topic that could be forgotten in the fray of day-to-day professional life,” Kramer writes.

Clearly state the reminder, as you did in the subject line. Provide any context that could be helpful but avoid getting too long-winded. You don’t want to lose their attention.

Offer a Solution or Call to Action

Once you’ve shared the reason for the reminder email, offer a solution and/or a call to action.

“Tell your recipient exactly what you want them to do; use call-to-action,” explains Skirmantas Venckus for Sender. “Let your recipient know what you want them to do. Whatever your goal is, it must be clearly defined so the person knows the next step. If the situation involves missed deadlines, you might want to specify the dates and consequences if someone doesn’t reply.”

And again, keep your tone friendly and professional. You don’t want to come across as pushy, aggressive or frustrated.

With this guidance, you’ll find that your sales reminder emails will have the impact needed to keep things moving along. And for email-writing tips, take a look at SalesFuel’s other tips.

Photo by Christina Morillo