7 Templates to Remind Clients To Pay You + Our 6 Tips
Chasing after your clients to get paid is never fun. But unfortunately, it is also a natural part of running a business.
In this article, we’ll give you tips and examples on how to remind a client to pay you while maintaining a good client relationship, ensuring revenue growth and protecting your cash flow.
Sending an invoice reminder doesn’t have to be a source of stress, and some tips and tools are available for you to ease the process of collecting payments. Let’s take a closer look.
7 Polite Invoice Reminder Email Templates
Again, written communication can be very difficult to get right, especially when you feel frustrated chasing payments. To avoid adopting a cold tone and risking damaging your relationship with the customer, using pre-written invoice reminder email templates that set the right tone for your written communications can be very handy!
✅ Here are 7 useful examples you can use and adapt to your own business needs.
#1 Example for Upcoming Payment Reminder
This template could be sent one week before the due date as a kind reminder to prevent late payment. If this email concerns an invoice for repeat service or product, you can also use it as an opportunity to recommend your customer set up recurring payments.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: Payment Reminder: Invoice #2023-67 – Due May 4th
Hi Andrew,
I hope you’re doing well! This is a friendly reminder that invoice #2023-67 is due for payment on May 4th—one week from today. The payment is $2,100 and you can make it to the bank account written in the invoice. I have reattached it for your reference.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the invoice or if you’d like to arrange your payment. We accept the following payment methods: [PAYMENT METHODS].
Thank you,
Nick
#2 Example for Invoice Due On the Day
This is the type of email you’d send on the day the payment is due. Your client is not late with their payment yet so this is just a reminder. You can keep it brief and casual.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: Payment Reminder: Invoice #2023-67 – Due Today
Hi Andrew,
This is just a reminder that the invoice #2023-67 we sent you on April 2nd is due for payment today.
The payment is $2,100 and you can make it to the bank account written in the invoice. I have reattached it for your reference.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you’d like to arrange your payment. We accept the following payment methods: [PAYMENT METHODS].
Best regards,
Nick
#3 Example for One-Week-Late Payment Reminder
When payment is late, you can use a more firm tone while keeping it neutral and friendly, giving your client the benefit of the doubt. If applicable, you may want to remind payment terms and fees that may apply.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: Payment Reminder: Invoice #2023-67 – One Week Overdue
Hi Andrew,
As per my email reminders, payment for invoice #2023-67, totaling $2,100, is one week overdue. I have attached a copy of the invoice for your reference.
I would be really grateful if you could confirm that everything is on track for payment. Payment can be made by direct deposit, bank transfer, or check.
Please note that a 5% late fee will be applied if the payment is not made within the next 2 business days.
As always, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help!
Best wishes,
Nick
#4 Example for Two-Weeks-Late Payment Reminder
At this point, you're probably feeling frustrated that you've contacted your customer several times without receiving a response. Remember to keep your email reminders professional and to the point, even though you can adopt a firm tone.
At this stage, the main purpose of your written communication is to get the client to respond, either by reaching out to you to offer an explanation or by paying off the invoice.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: Overdue Payment Reminder: Invoice #2023-67 – Due immediately
Hi Andrew,
We’ve made several attempts to reach you regarding payment for the outstanding invoice #2023-67. The total amount is $2,100 and was due on May 4th. You are now two weeks past due and a 5% late fee applies.
We have attached a copy of the invoice for your reference.
Please get in touch with us to arrange payment by:
Calling our office at [PHONE NUMBER]
Emailing us at [EMAIL ADDRESS]
Visiting our office at [OFFICE ADDRESS]
You can also make payment in full via [ACCEPTED PAYMENT OPTION].
Best regards,
Nick
#5 Example: One Month After the Late Payment Was Due
A significant amount of time has passed now and you’ve reached out many times to remind your client of the overdue payment of the invoice. Since they still haven't paid or reached out to you to provide an explanation, you can be almost certain there’s some kind of problem on their end. This email is to request compensation for your work and to remind them again of their obligations.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: URGENT - Invoice #2023-67 is one month overdue
Hi Andrew,
This is a reminder that you are now one month overdue on your payment of $2,100 for invoice #2023-67.
As stated in the payment terms, we have now the right to charge a 10% additional fee as payment is 30 or more days after the due date.
All of the payment details are in the attached invoice. Please get in touch with us if there are any questions or problems.
Best regards,
Nick
#6 Example: Final Notice Before Sending to Collections
After a certain amount of time, you can decide to contact the collections agency to handle your client’s debt if you consider it highly unlikely your client will pay on their own.
This is an email template to send a final payment reminder and let your customer know of your decision.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: FINAL NOTICE - Invoice #2023-67 is critically overdue
Hi Andrew,
We’re contacting you for the last time about your payment of invoice #2023-67.
This is our final notice as we didn’t receive any response from you in more than 90 days regarding your payment of $2,100. If we don’t receive your payment in the next 15 days, we will begin legal proceedings to collect the payment as well as additional fees.
Please refer to the invoice attached for all payment details.
Best regards,
Nick
#7 Example: When an Invoice is Paid
Whether it was early, on time, or two weeks late, thanking your client for paying an invoice will undoubtedly have a positive effect on your relationship with them.
Sending this email can be a way of recognizing them paying in a timely manner, or, in the case of a late payment, a polite way of encouraging them to pay earlier in the future.
Here's the template to reuse ⤵️
Subject: Invoice #2023-67 paid in full
Hi Andrew,
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that we have received your recent payment in respect of invoice #2023-67.
Thank you very much. We really appreciate it.
Best regards,
Nick
6 Tips on How to Write a Payment Reminder Email
Because written communication can often seem abrupt and be easily misinterpreted, it can be difficult to get right. When writing a payment reminder email, you should always keep these tips in mind and include these key elements that will get you paid faster.
Include Key Information in the Email Subject Line
Including the invoice number and due date in the subject line of the email will quickly remind your customer when the invoice is due for payment and perhaps how long they have before late payment fees apply.
If the payment is already overdue, you can include how far overdue it is in the subject line to make sure your email is not overlooked.
Automate Invoice Reminders
Writing invoice reminder emails, following up on invoices and the whole process of chasing down invoice payments can be very time-consuming. This usually prevents you from focusing on more value-added activities and growing your business.
Programming automated invoice reminders can save you a lot of time and energy. Using invoice reminder software ensures your client immediately receives the invoice. Then, if needed, they’ll receive helpful reminders:
- on set dates,
- at a convenient time,
- and on their preferred device until the invoice is settled.
Automated invoice reminders really improve the way you get paid and free up more time you can direct to business operations.
Gain even more time with the right tools! Whether you go for automated invoice or sales management software, rest assured you'll say goodbye to time-consuming daily tasks.
👉 PandaDoc does everything you need in terms of reminders, but it goes beyond that - offering:
- customizable templates,
- real-time invoice tracking,
- and integrated payment options.
This comprehensive approach streamlines payment collections, enhances professionalism, and improves cash flow.
PandaDoc
Keep a Professional but Friendly Tone
In the first reminder email, keep the copy short and write in a professional but friendly tone. This will show empathy as your clients might have simply forgotten the due date of the payment. If this isn’t the first email you send or if the payment is already overdue, you can have a more firm tone as long as you keep it professional. Avoid being rude or cold as keeping a good client relationship is crucial.
Reattach The Original Invoice
Just like your client might have forgotten about the due date, they might also have misplaced or accidentally deleted the original invoice. In order to get paid faster, make sure you make it easy for your client to find all the needed information. Reattaching the original invoice is the most effective way to do so. It will also serve as a reminder for the services completed.
Include Payment Methods and Payment Terms
To make paying the invoice as simple and clear as possible for your customer, you should always remind them how they can pay you. Do not hesitate to give precise instructions if your payment method is not straightforward. Also, make potential late fees and payment terms very clear so they don’t come as a surprise for your client, and remember to offer multiple payment options if possible.
Try a phone call
If emails aren’t working, a phone call might help get a payment issue resolved. When calling your client, make sure to:
- Introduce yourself in a friendly and professional way;
- Clarify you’re calling about a due invoice or late payment;
- Give your client the benefit of the doubt;
- Remind them of payment terms and available payment methods;
- Get to an agreement and summarize it at the end of the call.
Conclusion: Why Should You Send an Invoice Reminder?
Invoice reminders let your customers know when an invoice's due date is approaching or if they’ve missed it. Chasing invoice payments can be very stressful and time-consuming, so using templates can really ease the process of collecting payments in order to ensure revenue growth and protection of your cash flow.
While invoice reminders are a proactive step, sometimes invoices still remain unpaid. Check out our guide on unpaid invoices for strategies to manage and collect these effectively.
You might also want to consider automating invoice reminders via a system that ensures your client immediately receives the invoice and helpful reminders on set dates and on their preferred device. Automating this process can really improve your customer experience and free up some time for you to focus on added-value business operations.