There’s nothing more annoying than waiting, especially for action from someone else in a work situation. The action or response you are waiting for could impact the work you are doing, and you could find yourself at an impasse until that person takes action or sends you the information you need. 

In these situations, it’s tempting to get angry and show it, hoping it will yield a quicker turnaround. However, being professional means showing respect in the workplace and politely reminding your colleague of your request for action or information. 

There are many types of email. But reminder emails are unique in that they can be both internal and external. Sending reminder emails to colleagues is not uncommon, as is sending them to sales prospects when asking them to review a contract, download a piece of content, or sign up for your webinar. 

No matter the situation, any reminder or nudge email should be friendly but firm while maintaining that professionalism and politeness we mentioned. So, how do you think you should craft a polite email that urges the person to respond? You can just read on to find out. 

Why Would You Need to Send a Reminder Email? 

There are many situations when a reminder email may be needed. However, we’ve never been more connected than we are now, and there are tons of ways to interact with others other than by sending an email. How do you know when a situation warrants an email touchpoint? The following are some examples in which you may want to send a reminder email:

• A customer is late on service payment, and you want to nudge them without damaging the relationship. 
• There is an upcoming event or meeting, and you need to know whether the person you invited is attending.
• You’re waiting for data or information from a colleague or partner, and can’t proceed with a particular piece of work without it. 
• You owe a supplier money or shipment tax, but can’t pay them until you receive a complete invoice.
• Someone has missed a deadline, or one is looming, and you need the person to be aware of it. 
• You have applied for a new job or a promotion and haven’t heard anything back. A well-crafted follow-up email can show your enthusiasm, but you don’t want to come across as too pushy.

Of course, there are many more reasons you might need to send a reminder email, but this list gives you some idea of potential situations where they will be needed. 

When to Send your Reminder Email

There is no definitive answer to this question. When you choose to send a reminder email depends very much on individual circumstances. For example, if it’s regarding a due payment, you would typically send the email on the first business day after the payment should have been made, and that rule could also apply to a missed deadline. Also, if you’re a small business owner, keeping track of appointments for several customers isn’t easy. That’s why business owner prefers using appointment reminder apps to automate this process.

If you are waiting for information or data to proceed with a task, you should be aware of any deadlines you have and how long it will take to complete the task. For job-related emails, you may choose to wait till a significant period has elapsed since any interview or any timeline mentioned by the potential employer. 

Less important than what you say is how you say it. This is true for both email outreach and reminder emails. So, how do you craft that perfect reminder email?

4 Elements for Writing a Polite Reminder Email

The first and most important rule is to ensure that your email never comes across as aggressive or threatening, even when chasing a payment. While you do want to include a firm element, do so in a polite and friendly way. 

Although you want the person to take action, you don’t want them to be annoyed at your tone. Each reminder email you send should be clear and kind. You want your recipient to take the desired action rather than ignore your email. The best email reminders have these four core elements:

1. Email Subject Line 

Remember that this is the first thing the receiver will see, and a well-thought-out email subject line is what makes people open it. Ideally, you want the subject line to be personalized, relevant to the content, and to give the sense of urgency you want. 

Think about the emails you receive every day, both from unknown senders and from people you know. What makes you open an email instantly or prioritize it? Identifying these characterizations can guide you in crafting your subject line. Here are some examples:

• Quick reminder about that data requested
• Still need an RSVP for the event on the 5th. Are you coming?
• Follow up on my interview on the 9th. 
• Reminder that the report is due on the 12th.

2. Greeting 

How you greet someone can set the tone for the rest of your email. I would also like you to please consider your relationship with the receiver and whether your greeting should be formal or informal. For example, “Dear Sir/Madam” is highly formal, and unless that is what your organization typically uses when dealing with customers, I’d recommend avoiding it. 

A simple hi and the person’s name should suffice. But whatever you do, always include a greeting. Getting right into the body of the email could come off as impolite and too eager.

3. Body and Request 

Now comes the critical part: providing the reason and context for your email. Again, it doesn’t matter how frustrated or annoyed you are by any delays; keep your email body friendly and polite. There could be numerous reasons why the person hasn’t responded, and a lack of response could have a reasonable explanation. 

You can either include your request in the body of the initial email or place it in a follow-up section. Here are some examples of how to word your mail:

• I’m still awaiting your invoice for May. Please send it over when you can; otherwise, I cannot issue payment. 
• Just following up on the information I sent over last week. Could you let me know if you are still interested? 
• Please send the requested data, ideally by Friday. I have to plan and write the report for the referral marketing program, due to the client next Tuesday.
• Just a reminder about our event on the 24th. Do you think you’ll be able to attend? We’d love to see you. Please RSVP if we’ll see you there!
• For the planned departmental meeting on the 2nd, please send over any items you want discussed by end of week. 

4. Signing Off 

Just like greetings, sign-offs are important to include, as neglecting them can make you come off as impolite or angry. 

With your sign-off, maintain the same friendly, polite tone you’ve used throughout your email. You can include a gentle, last reminder of what you need, and there can be two sections to your sign-off: a closing and an actual goodbye. Examples of the first section can include:

• Thanks in advance for the requested info.
• Hope to see you on the 31st!
• Thanks in advance for the prompt delivery of the products. 
• Looking forward to your reply.

Actual sign-offs can be short and sweet but still polite:

• Thanks again,
• Best,
• Talk soon,

The Takeaway 

Good business communication should be a foundation for how you work, including your email marketing and outreach.

Whether you’re emailing a colleague, client, or sales prospect, you should always be polite, no matter how frustrated you may feel at the lack of response. Use the tips above to keep your cool and follow up appropriately to get the response you’re after.