{"id":162907,"date":"2024-08-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/?p=162907"},"modified":"2024-08-21T12:51:29","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T16:51:29","slug":"how-to-send-reminder-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/how-to-send-reminder-email\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Send a Reminder Email: Best Practices & Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you ever feel like you’re forgetting something? Like it’s on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t remember? It happens to everyone. And when it does, a reminder would save the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reminders are important in business, too — more important than many marketers realize. A well-timed reminder can prompt customers to take action, like taking advantage of a special offer or participating in a promotion you’re running. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have a few options for sending reminders, but the best way is by email. In this comprehensive guide, learn how to send a reminder email as part of your communication strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a reminder email? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A reminder email is a message that nudges the recipient to take action or revisit something they overlooked. These emails help make sure the recipients don’t miss anything important, like promotions or offer deadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can send reminder emails internally or to customers as part of your email marketing<\/a> strategy. People are busy and may receive dozens of messages each day, so sending reminder emails is a good way to prevent anything from falling through the cracks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of reminder emails based on context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Send reminder emails about anything you want the recipients to remember. Certain types of reminder emails pop up time and time again, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deliveries <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Customers like to know about their orders every step of the way before they arrive at their doors. After confirming their orders, send each customer a reminder email about the delivery date. That way, customers will remember when their deliveries are coming and make plans to receive them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abandoned cart<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Customers add products to their carts and then leave them there all the time. On average, more than 70%<\/a> of all online carts are abandoned. However, you still have a chance to convince customers to buy the products in their abandoned carts. That’s what an abandoned cart reminder email is for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abandoned cart emails<\/a> show customers the products they selected and prompt them to finish their purchases. This little nudge puts your brand on their radar again. You may even include a discount to persuade them to buy the items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upcoming events<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have an upcoming event, you’ll probably share the details with a big announcement email<\/a> or maybe even a whole campaign. However, some customers will have forgotten that first message by the time the event rolls around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of missing out on those potential attendees, send a follow-up email reminding them about your event closer to the date. Your reminder may sway some more people to attend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inaction from recipients<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, all of your email recipients would always be active and responsive. Sometimes, though, your customers aren’t as interactive with your marketing emails as you would like. If you’re dealing with inaction from your email recipients, try a reminder email to boost engagement<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message will prompt the recipients to take a closer look at what you need and provide some response. They may simply have forgotten about your earlier message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expiration and automatic renewals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The average American pays for more than four subscription services<\/a> and many other accounts. It’s normal to forget when they all renew or expire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remind your customers over email about upcoming service expirations or automatic renewals before they happen. By sending these reminder emails, you’re giving your customers a heads-up and a chance to make adjustments before the transactions go through. Reminders like these make your business appear more professional and trustworthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can also work to your direct advantage financially. For example, suppose a customer’s account is approaching automatic renewal and they forgot to update to new payment details. In that case, the reminder email prompts them to make that change before the transaction fails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countdowns<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you’re approaching an important milestone like a new product launch or special promotion, consider sending countdown reminder emails. These emails periodically update your audience on how many days and hours remain, building excitement and enthusiasm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best practices for sending reminder emails<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to strike the right balance between informative and persuasive in reminder emails without being pushy. Use these tips on how to send a friendly reminder email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use a friendly and direct tone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The tone of your message should be upbeat and friendly. You’re not scolding recipients for forgetting something — you’re helpfully offering a reminder about something that’s relevant to them. Use gentle phrasing, especially if the reminder is about something sensitive, like a missed payment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Include an effective call-to-action (CTA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Reminder emails prompt the recipient to do something. Make sure you’re very clear on the action you want them to take. Should they sign up for an event? Respond to the message? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever you want the recipients to do, tell them with a clear CTA. Then, make it impossible for customers to overlook that CTA with your email design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a CTA button that stands out from the rest of the message with bright colors or bold text. If your email allows it, you can even include more than one CTA button. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose your sending time strategically<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Send your reminder email when your customers are most likely to see it. The best time to send an email<\/a> varies depending on your target audience. If you get the highest engagement rates on your emails in the morning on weekdays, send your reminders then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a great subject line<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first hurdle to clear with any email is getting the recipient to open the message. A strong subject line goes a long way toward ensuring they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to write a subject line that’s intriguing and catchy. Avoid overly lengthy sentences, misleading content, or phrases that will set off a spam filter, like “Do you have 10 minutes?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\/B test your subject lines to find the ones with the best open rates. It’s worth spending time fine-tuning your subject lines since they significantly impact your campaigns’ results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use appropriate email greetings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your greeting sets the tone for the rest of your email. Personalize your greeting with the recipient’s name or title whenever possible to make the message seem more relevant to them. Some tried-and-true greeting options for reminder emails include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n