A reminder email is a message that is sent to a recipient to remind them of a deadline, event, or task that they need to complete. It is typically sent when the deadline is approaching or after a specified amount of time has passed since the task was assigned.
The purpose of a reminder email is to encourage the recipient to take action and complete the task or attend the event. It is also meant to keep the task or event at the forefront of the recipient’s mind, since forgetting to meet the deadline may have consequences.
What Are the Different Types of Reminder Emails?
Before you write and send your own reminder email, it’s important that you understand what kinds of reminder emails exist. The purpose of the email will determine the kind of information you provide, as well as the tone.
Here’s a list of popular types of reminder emails:
- Appointment reminders: Appointment reminder emails are sent to remind the recipient of an upcoming appointment, such as a doctor’s visit, job interview, or meeting.
- Deadline reminders: Deadline reminder emails are sent to remind the recipient of a deadline for a task, such as a project submission, payment due date, or application deadline.
- Event reminders: Event reminder emails are sent to remind the recipient of an upcoming event, such as a conference, concert, or party.
- Subscription reminders: Subscription reminder emails are sent to remind the recipient to renew or extend a subscription or membership, like for a magazine or gym membership.
- Abandoned cart reminders: Abandoned cart emails are sent to remind customers who have added items to their online shopping cart, but have not completed the purchase.
- Follow-up reminders: Follow-up reminder emails are sent as a follow-up to a previous email or conversation, to remind the recipient of the next steps or actions to take.
How to Write a Reminder Email
Like all emails, reminder emails have a structure and tone to them that, when followed, conveys information in a clear, concise way.
Here are the steps you need to take to write a good reminder email:
Use an eye-catching subject line
Unless you’re the recipient’s boss and you know they will open every email you send them, you need an eye-catching subject line. A good subject line increases the probability of the recipient opening the letter and reading the reminder. Depending on the urgency of the task, you can use some of these subject lines:
- Last chance to…
- A quick follow-up on…
- Final reminder for…
- [Company Name] Reminder: [Task/Event/Deadline]
- Action Required: [Task/Event/Deadline] Reminder
- Urgent: [Task/Event/Deadline] Reminder
Start with a friendly greeting
Begin the email with a polite greeting, as you always want to be courteous when emailing someone. Use standard greetings such as “Dear [Name]” or “Hello [Name]”. These greetings are polite, professional, and unlikely to confuse anyone.
Remind the recipient of the task or event
Be specific and clear about what needs to be done or what event is coming up. Include any relevant details, such as the date, time, and location.
Explain why the task or event is important
If necessary, remind the recipient of the consequences of not completing the task or missing the event.
Be polite and professional
Use a polite and professional tone throughout the email. Avoid using accusatory language or being rude.
Provide necessary instructions or information
If there are specific instructions that the recipient needs to know about completing the task or deadline, include them in the email.
Include a clear call to action
End the email with a clear call to action, such as “Please let me know if you have any questions” or “Please confirm that you will attend the event”.
Sign off with a polite closing
End the email with a polite closing, such as “Thank you” or “Best regards”, followed by your name and any relevant contact information.
Reminder Email Examples
Here are some example reminder emails, so you can better understand how to structure such an email:
Deadline Reminder Email
Subject: Reminder: Submission Deadline Approaching
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to remind you that the submission deadline for the [Project Name] is approaching, and we have not yet received your submission.
As you know, the project is due on [Deadline Date], and it is important that we receive all submissions by this date to ensure that we can move forward with the project as planned.
If you have any questions or concerns about the submission process or the project in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to receiving your submission soon.
Best regards,
[Name]
Appointment Reminder Email
Subject: Reminder: Upcoming Appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name]
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
This is a friendly reminder that you have an upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] on [Appointment Date] at [Appointment Time]. The appointment will take place at our office located at [Office Address].
Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to check-in and complete any necessary paperwork. If you need to reschedule or cancel the appointment, please let us know as soon as possible, so that we can accommodate other patients.
If you have any questions or concerns about the appointment, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
[Name/Doctor’s Office]
Subscription Renewal Reminder Email
Subject: Reminder: Renewal for [Subscription/Membership Name]
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
This is a friendly reminder that your subscription/membership for [Subscription/Membership Name] will expire soon, and we wanted to remind you to renew in order to continue receiving the benefits of your membership.
Your subscription/membership will expire on [Expiration Date], so please renew before this date to ensure uninterrupted service.
Renewing is easy: simply visit our website at [Website URL] and follow the instructions to renew your subscription/membership. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to serving you for another year.
Best regards,
[Name/Company Name]
