Subject: Invoice [#1234] for $[amount], due [date]
Hi [First name], Quick note that invoice [#1234] for $[amount] was due on [date]. I have attached it again in case it got buried. If it is already on its way, thank you, and ignore this. If not, here is the easiest way to pay: [link or remittance details]. Thanks, [Your name]
The day-one reminder is the most important email in the sequence and the one most businesses skip, because it feels pushy to write the day after the due date. It is not. A short note that assumes the invoice simply slipped reads as organized, and it catches the invoice while it is still on the client's radar. Waiting two or three weeks for the first nudge is the most common collections mistake.
In Reeve's data across 1,580 recovered invoices, most were paid after a single friendly or direct reminder. This is that reminder.
What to change
- The tone, slightly. Match how you actually write to this client. The template is warm and short; it should not become formal.
- The sign-off. Your first name. Not 'Accounts Receivable.' People pay people.
- Payment details. Link or ACH details in the body, plus the invoice attached.
What to avoid
- Opening with 'I hope you are doing well.' Open with the invoice.
- Apologizing for following up.
- More than one ask. This one asks for nothing but a payment or a glance.
Common questions
When should you send the first payment reminder?
The first business day after the due date. A short, friendly note at day one reads as organized rather than pushy, and it catches the invoice while it is still on the client's mind.
How do you remind a client to pay without being rude?
Assume good faith, name the invoice and amount, attach it, make paying easy, and sign with your name. Rudeness is vagueness and repetition; a specific, short note from a person is not rude.
Should the first reminder mention late fees?
No. Late fees, if your terms include them, belong at the escalation step, not the first note.