Gentle Reminder Email Examples: 12 Ways to Follow Up Politely

You send an invoice. Silence. 

You schedule a meeting. Someone forgets. 

You follow up on a deadline. No reply. 

Frustrating, right? It’s not that people don’t care—it’s just that they’re juggling countless priorities. That is exactly why you need a reminder email! 

A well-timed reminder email can turn radio silence into a confirmed payment, a scheduled call, or a completed task. 

The best part? You don’t have to write one from scratch. This blog post has 12 reminder email examples that can be easily edited and customized for your professional use. 

We will also introduce you to a tool that creates reminder emails and automates them for you. Let’s get started!

Why Reminder Emails Are Important

A well-timed reminder email reminds employees of pending tasks, upcoming events, and crucial deadlines, helping to prevent chaos and operational disruptions as much as possible.

Here’s why reminder emails are necessary:

• Keeps schedules structured: Meetings, events, and project timelines stay organized when people are reminded ahead of time
• Increases conversions: A well-timed reminder keeps potential deals from going cold
• Brings down last-minute cancellations: Timely reminder emails help people remember their meetings and give them the chance to reschedule in advance if needed, reducing no-shows
• Prevents operational disruptions: Internal tasks like timesheet submissions, approvals, and reports can stay on track with a prompt reminder email

How to Write a Reminder Email

Writing a reminder email isn’t just about following up—it’s about nailing the timing, tone, and structure to make it impossible to ignore.

1. Start with an on-point subject line

Skip the fluff—keep your subject line clear and direct, so the purpose of your email is immediately apparent.

Keep your subject line short (think six to eight words) and include an action verb (think: action required, reminder, or follow-up) to prompt immediate attention.

2. Personalize the greeting

It doesn’t matter if it’s your first or hundredth reminder email to the same client—always start with a personalized greeting. It makes all the difference!

Addressing the recipient by name makes the email engaging and more relevant. In fact, it creates a more professional and considerate tone, increasing the chances of a response.

3. Build an email body

Get straight to the point after the greeting.

Your first line should give enough context so the reader doesn’t have to dig through past emails. In three short paragraphs (two lines max each), clearly state the purpose, key details, and next steps.

4. Add a clear CTA

If your call to action (CTA) isn’t in the first three paragraphs, now’s the time to add it.

If you need a reply, ask for one. Drop a direct link to the payment portal, document upload, or scheduling tool if action is required.

5. End with polite closing remarks

End on a polite, professional note that invites a response—but skip the unnecessary apologies. Keep it confident and clear.

And there you have it—your key to building perfect reminder emails.

12 Reminder Email Examples for Different Situations

Different situations call for different types of reminders. Check out these 12 effective reminder email templates, ready to edit, customize, and tailor to your unique needs!

1. Friendly reminder email for an upcoming meeting

Got a big client meeting next week? Or a monthly cross-department meeting with 50 attendees? A reminder email, well ahead of time, will give everyone enough time to manage their schedule and show up promptly.

Here’s a gentle reminder template you can use: 

2. A polite reminder email for the upcoming due invoice

Even companies that pay regularly can miss an invoice amid overflowing inboxes and daily tasks. A quick, polite nudge will immediately draw their attention to your invoice and encourage timely payment.

Here’s a payment reminder email template you can use:

3. Overdue payment reminder email

Despite repeated reminders, sometimes invoices still go unpaid—even with the best clients. At this stage, the reminder email needs to be firm yet professional. Emphasize that they take prompt action and highlight possible legal consequences if the payment is not settled.

Here’s a final reminder email you can send:

4. Last-minute event reminder email templates

Hosting a conference or trade show? A last-minute reminder will help the attendees plan their day, arrive on time, and prepare for key sessions and networking opportunities.

Here’s a reminder email template you can use for your upcoming event: 

5. Appointment reminder for an upcoming meeting/event

Booking an appointment is one thing, but ensuring the client shows up is another. An appointment reminder (or a couple leading up to the date) helps them plan, avoids last-minute cancellations, and gives them time to reschedule if needed.

Here’s a quick reminder email you can use as soon as the client confirms the meeting:

6. Reminder email after a no-show

No-shows are pretty common for service businesses. A polite follow-up keeps the conversation open and allows the client to reschedule. It also serves as a polite reminder that the client needs to honor the booked appointments. 

Here’s a polite reminder email you can use for first-time no-shows. 

7. Reminder email for a follow-up on the proposal

Sent a proposal but haven’t heard back? It’s easy to assume the client isn’t interested, but that might not be the case. A quick follow-up email will remind them of your offer and bring it back to their attention without being intrusive.

Here’s a reminder email template you could use:

8. Reminder email to renew subscription

A subscription renewal reminder notifies customers that their access is ending soon and gives them an easy way to renew. Such emails are usually helpful for SaaS companies selling their services on monthly and annual subscriptions.

Here’s a quick reminder email you can follow:

9. Reminder email to complete customer survey

Customer feedback is valuable, but getting responses isn’t always easy. A reminder message acts as a polite follow-up, gently nudging customers to share their thoughts without feeling pressured.

10. Reminder email for a missed deadline

Managing a large team can be challenging, especially when tracking deadlines. Delays can occur for various reasons, but a clear, firm reminder can refocus attention and ensure the task is prioritized.

Here’s a sample reminder email you can use in such situations:

11. Email reminder to submit pending documents

Whether it’s for compliance, onboarding, or processing a request, missing paperwork can slow things down. A clear, polite follow-up can ensure the recipient prioritizes your request and takes action quickly.

Here’s a perfect gentle reminder email you can send in such situations:

12. Reminder email for a quick action

When a project is stalled because you’re waiting on a team member’s input, a polite yet firm reminder will help keep things moving.

Here’s how you do it: 

Despite these samples, writing reminder emails isn’t the most exciting task. Especially when you need to send hundreds of them every day. 

Automating emails through email productivity tools is the only way to save time while maintaining a polite and professional tone.

How Can Streamline Email Reminders

Your inbox isn’t a to-do list, but it sure feels like one. A follow-up email is still in drafts, a client’s deadline is approaching, and an overdue invoice is causing delays. Maintaining it all is just unrealistic.

You need a tool that automates and organizes your email workflow. Enter , the everything app for work, that offers a structured system to transform scattered emails into trackable tasks, eliminating the chaos of manual follow-ups and missed deadlines.

With , you can convert your to-do list into a ‘ta-da’ list! Let’s see how. 

Email Project Management Tool

And at the heart of this platform is the Email Project Management Tool. Instead of treating emails as separate from your workflow, it integrates them directly into your tasks and projects. 

Whether it’s client follow-ups, project updates, or approval requests, everything stays connected in one place, without the inbox overload.

Now, integrate your emails with and follow these steps to automate your email workflows:

Build a repository of reminder emails with Brain

Writing reminder emails from scratch every time is tedious and inefficient. Brain takes the guesswork out of email creation by instantly generating professional emails for any situation.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Generate emails instantly: In the Comment section of any task, simply enter the slash command “/Write email” to open Brain. You can compose a new email or reply to an existing one—without ever leaving your workflow

✅ Save and reuse email templates: Store frequently used emails in Docs to create a structured repository of email reminder templates

Follow Up Email Template

Even better, save time using the Follow Up Email template with 10+ common examples working across industries. 

In a nutshell,

• Centralize all follow-up email templates: Keep structured responses for different scenarios—payment reminders, meeting check-ins, or client outreach
• Track follow-ups with ease: Know exactly when and whom to follow up with, avoiding missed opportunities
• Set reminders for timely responses: Never lose track of pending replies or overdue messages
• Create a project for each follow-up email goal: Structure and organize follow-up tasks based on different business needs

Instead of rewriting the same emails repeatedly, simply pull up a relevant email template, tweak the details, and send it off. 

Set and customize automations to streamline email workflow

Automations allows you to set custom fields, triggers, and actions so you don’t have to track and send follow-ups manually. No matter what’s on your plate, automation keeps your emails going out on time effortlessly.

Here’s how to set up an email automation:

• Navigate to the desired location: Go to the Space, Folder, or List where you want the automation to apply
• Access ‘Automations’: In the upper-right corner, click on ‘Automations Manager’

• Browse ‘Email Automations’: Click ‘Browse’ at the top, then select ‘Email’ from the left sidebar

• Choose or create an automation: Select a pre-existing email automation or create a custom one by setting triggers and actions

• Configure email details: Choose the email account to send from and customize the subject and body. You can insert dynamic fields like task name, due date, or assignees to personalize each email

• Save and activate: Once configured, save the automation. It will now run automatically based on the defined triggers

Email Automation Template

The Email Automation Template makes automations even easier as you can integrate them easily into your workspace. This template includes pre-built triggers, actions, and checklists for seamless follow-ups and reminders.

Here’s how it helps:

• Create tasks for automated emails: Organize and manage follow-up emails by turning them into actionable Tasks
• Set up rules for email triggers: Define when emails should be sent based on task status, due dates, or custom conditions
• Collaborate on email content: Work with your team to draft, refine, and personalize automated emails before they go out
• Monitor and track performance: Stay updated on sent emails, follow-ups, and responses to ensure everything runs smoothly

Track and optimize the email performance 

Once you automate your email workflows, track their efficiency to ensure they drive results. Use Dashboards to monitor follow-ups, analyze engagement, and refine automation rules. If responses are low, consider adjusting timing, subject lines, or email content for better impact.

Best Practices for Reminder Emails

Before we wrap this blog, here are some best practices to ensure your email reminders drive maximum engagement:

• Personalize it with AI: Go beyond personalizing the recipient’s name. Use AI to write email reminders based on past behavior, preferences, and engagement history ✅
• Avoid spam triggers: Words like Urgent, Limited time offer, and excessive signs like !, $, or emojis can flag your mail as spam ✅
• Use email threads to maintain context: Instead of sending a new email each time, reply within the same thread to keep past interactions visible ✅
• Make your email skimmable: Break down the email into bullet points and use bold text where necessary ✅
• Time it right: Send reminders at optimal times, such as 24 hours before an event or a few days before a deadline ✅

Automate business reminder emails with

The right reminder email gets the recipient to act.

And while sending reminders may feel like just another never-ending chore, it doesn’t have to be. 

With , you can automate the entire process—integrate your email, set triggers for different scenarios, and let AI craft clear and professional reminders in seconds.

No more manual follow-ups. No more missed opportunities. Just effortless automation that keeps everything on track.

Sign up on for free today!

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