Second Reminder Email Template
When the friendly nudge goes unanswered, a firmer second reminder restates the facts and asks for a payment date.
What's included
- Copy a ready-to-send second reminder email
- Shift tone from friendly to firm without being aggressive
- Reference the earlier reminder to show a pattern
- Ask for a specific payment date, not a vague promise
- Set up the final notice that may follow
5 min read
The template
Send this around seven to ten days after the due date, once the first reminder has gone unanswered. The tone is professional and direct — you are now asking for a commitment, not just jogging a memory.
Subject: Second reminder — invoice [Invoice Number] overdue [Days] days Hi [Customer Name], I am following up on invoice [Invoice Number] for [Amount], which fell due on [Due Date] and remains unpaid. My reminder of [First Reminder Date] does not appear to have been actioned. Could you please let me know by [Response Date] when payment will be made? If there is a reason for the delay — a query on the invoice, an approval hold, or a cash-flow issue — tell me and we can work out the right next step together. Payment details: EFT: [Account Name] / BSB [BSB] / Account [Account Number] Reference: [Invoice Number] I would like to keep this straightforward, so a quick reply confirming a payment date would be appreciated. Regards, [Your Name] [Your Business] | [Phone] | [Email]
How to use it
Name the first reminder explicitly — referencing the earlier date shows the customer this is a tracked sequence, not a one-off. Put the days overdue in the subject line so the ageing is visible at a glance. The most important sentence asks for a payment date by a stated response date; that single request converts a drifting account into something you can hold a customer to. Notice the open invitation to raise a dispute or hardship: surfacing those early routes the account to the right path rather than wasting weeks chasing a debt the customer is contesting.
Firm, not hostile
A firmer tone is not an angry one. Keep the language neutral and businesslike — the facts do the work.
- Do state the amount, the due date, and the days overdue plainly.
- Do ask for a specific date by a specific deadline.
- Do not threaten, accuse, or use capitals and exclamation marks.
- Do leave a clear door open for a query or hardship.
What happens next
If the response date passes with no payment and no contact, the next step is a final notice that makes the consequence of continued non-payment explicit. Keep a copy of this reminder and the response deadline — the record matters if the matter later escalates to a demand or referral.
Tips
- Send the second reminder around 7 to 10 days overdue.
- Reference the first reminder to show a tracked sequence.
- Ask for a specific payment date by a stated deadline.
- Stay firm but never hostile — let the facts carry the weight.
FAQ
How is the second reminder different from the first?
It is firmer, references the earlier reminder, and asks for a specific payment date by a stated deadline.
Should I phone as well as email?
A call near this stage often helps — pair it with the written reminder so you have both a conversation and a record.
What if they raise a dispute now?
Acknowledge it, note the specifics, and pause the dunning clock on the disputed portion while you resolve it.
Templates are a head start — not legal advice
Customise to your business and have important documents reviewed. Need to recover a debt? We can help.