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How to Send a Reminder Email: Best Practices and Templates

A useful reminder email names the earlier request or event, states one clear action and deadline, and uses timing and tone suited to the recipient.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Write a reminder email that names the earlier request or upcoming event, makes one next action obvious, and gives the relevant date or time. Keep it concise and considerate; the right timing and channel depend on the situation, not a universal follow-up schedule.

What to include in a reminder email

Put the important point near the top. A reader should be able to tell what the message concerns, what you need them to do, and when they need to do it.

  1. Subject: Name the action or event, such as “Reminder: project feedback due 20 May.”
  2. Greeting: Use a level of formality that suits your relationship.
  3. Context: Briefly identify the earlier request, invoice, meeting, or deadline.
  4. Action and timing: State exactly what the recipient should do and by when.
  5. Help or next step: Offer a contact for questions or explain what happens next, if relevant.
  6. Close: Use a suitable professional sign-off.

GOV.UK advises keeping service messages concise, putting the most important information first, and giving clear instructions and deadlines. Grammarly’s reminder-email guide likewise recommends a specific subject, brief context, a clear call to action, and a professional close. GOV.UK service email guidance and Grammarly’s reminder email guide provide further detail.

Templates for common reminders

Following up on an unanswered request

Subject: Follow-up: [specific request]

Hi [Name],

I’m following up on [request/context]. Could you [specific action] by [date]? If anything has changed, please let me know.

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Thanks,
[Name]

Reminding someone about a meeting

Subject: Reminder: [meeting] on [date]

Hi [Name],

A quick reminder that we’re meeting on [date] at [time] [time zone], [location or meeting link]. Please let me know if you need to adjust the time.

Best,
[Name]

Reminding someone about a deadline

Subject: [Project/item] due [date]

Hi [Name],

A reminder that [item/action] is due by [date]. Please [specific next step]. Let me know if you have a question or need anything to complete it.

Thank you,
[Name]

Sending a payment reminder

Subject: Payment due [date] — [invoice/reference]

Hello [Name],

This is a reminder that [invoice/reference] for [amount, if appropriate] is due on [date]. You can use [approved payment method/link]. If you have already paid or need help, please contact [contact details].

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Regards,
[Name]

For payment or service messages, do not include sensitive information in the email or ask the recipient to send personal information by email. GOV.UK specifically cautions against including bank details or requesting personal information this way. Use an approved payment route and a clearly identified, trustworthy link.

When to send a reminder

Work backward from the deadline or event, allowing the recipient enough time to act. An appointment reminder needs the date, time, time zone, and location or meeting link. A payment notice should arrive early enough for the recipient to arrange payment; an overdue notice should identify what remains outstanding and how to resolve it.

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There is no single interval that suits every reminder. Microsoft advises not sending a follow-up less than a day after the first message. GOV.UK recommends considering the recipient’s contact preferences and suggests sending non-urgent messages during business hours. These are useful constraints, not a guarantee that a particular send time will get a response. See Microsoft’s email-practices guidance and GOV.UK’s guidance.

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How to follow up without sounding pushy

  • Be courteous, but name the action instead of relying on a vague “just checking in.”
  • Adjust how direct you are to the relationship and the consequences of missing the deadline.
  • If there is no response, consider whether another channel is appropriate and whether the recipient has stated a preference. GOV.UK notes that a different channel may help if contact details could be out of date, and cautions against sending email and text at the same time without a good reason.
  • For critical, sensitive, financial, or regulated communications, follow your organization’s procedures and applicable rules.

Do not assume that a fixed number of reminders or a particular cadence reliably produces replies; the guidance cited here does not establish a universal effectiveness rule.

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Keep reminders clear and safe

Keep the message short, put its purpose first, avoid unexplained jargon, and state what the reader should do and by when. GOV.UK’s service manual puts it simply: “Keep email and text messages short and to the point.” The page lists its last update as 3 October 2017. For sensitive matters, leave private details out of the message and use links that the recipient can recognize and trust.

For recurring, routine reminders, automation may save effort; a one-off message that needs personal context may be better handled manually. Twilio describes both approaches as options, not as a universal rule. Twilio’s reminder email examples can help with situation-specific wording.

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