Payment reminder generator
The hardest part of chasing an invoice is the blank email. Pick the tone, fill four fields, copy, send. Escalate one tone per week and stay professional at every step.
Your email
SubjectQuick reminder: invoice [invoice #]
Hi [name], Hope things are going well. Just a quick note that invoice [invoice #] for [amount] was due 7 days ago; it may have slipped through, these things happen. I have attached it again for convenience. If payment is already on its way, please ignore this and thank you! Best, [your name]
How to use it
Week one overdue: friendly. Week two: firm. Week three: final notice, and pause ongoing work when you send it. One reminder per tone; repetition weakens each level.
What this ignores
Jurisdiction-specific demand-letter requirements and anything a lawyer should write. A final notice is still a business email, not a legal document; if it gets that far, the next step is a collections professional or small-claims filing.
Field notes
- When should I send the first reminder?
- The first business day after the due date. Waiting a week teaches clients that your due date has a grace period. Day one, friendly tone, zero drama: it reads as organized, not aggressive.
- Should I CC anyone or escalate contacts?
- At the firm stage, CC the person who signed the contract if different from your day-to-day contact. At final notice, address it to accounts payable AND your contact. Escalating the audience is often more effective than escalating the words.
- What if even the final notice gets ignored?
- Stop emailing and change channels: a phone call, then a paper letter, then small claims or a collections agency depending on the amount. Also stop working. Continuing to deliver while unpaid resets your leverage to zero.