Writing an invoice email is an essential task for any small business owner and manager. Whether you’re reaching out to clients with details and payment policies or reminding them of overdue rates, it’s important to be clear, concise, and efficient.
However, not all those responsible for writing these emails know the best way to write them. In this article, we’ll go through everything you need to make sure people understand what you need and you get paid. Here are our best tips on invoice emails!
When writing an invoice email, you need to make sure your subject line, body of text and files are all ready to go. To make the process easier, here’s a quick guide:
Before you send an invoice email
The first couple of steps start way before you actually open your email client. In fact, the Finance team should have a defined workflow, with clear steps and responsibilities. For example:
Have your files ready
Your invoice emails should contain the actual invoice files, of course. Those vary depending on industry, location and best practices, but usually, they are either printable files or data sheets.
Printable files are usually PDFs and they include product or service details, price, any additional charges or discounts and your company’s branding. Then, any payment information, such as transfer number and due date. Your client can save it or print it to save for later.
As for datasheets, you can send out .XML or .CSV files with any relevant information. These are applicable mainly for multiple item orders, so that the client can cross-reference as well.
The important thing is that the files are ready to be sent when needed. That way, as soon as you’re notified an invoice email is due, all you have to do is open the company server and get the invoice itself.
Organize your payment schedule
Speaking of, your team’s workflow needs to be organized. Instead of waiting until last minute to close any documentation for invoice emails, you should have a set date to do it. Then, the team can move on to the next steps, while guaranteeing all files are duly saved.
When you write an invoice email
The writing process itself requires some attention as well. It’s important to have clear emails that your customers can understand and follow through with.
Address the right person
First of all, make sure you’re emailing the correct person. Some customers, especially B2B customers, have multiple people dealing with accounts payable tools. Which is why your invoice emails should be correctly addressed.
A great way to make this happen is by establishing a clear CRM system, including professional data for your contacts. Add their place of employment, position, location, department and any relevant custom tags you need. That way, your invoices are customized as well.
Use professional language
Your tone is key for business email. Write quick, clear messages with everything your customer needs to fulfill their payment. Don’t overextend your body of text and don’t add irrelevant information. Write specific subject lines that help the recipient catch your message in their inbox.
Extra tip: beware of language such as “payment needed” and “urgent payment”, among others. These can trigger spam filters.
Attach any relevant documentation
One item people often forget when writing invoice emails is the attachments. Then, they have to send out a correction to minimize confusion. However, this signals a lack of organization on your company’s part, which is bad for customer satisfaction.
So don’t forget to attach any documents, receipts and payment instructions mentioned.
Identify yourself
Finally, you should identify yourself. Add your custom professional signature to your invoice emails, especially if it’s a new contact. That’s because an invoice won’t be fulfilled if the message seems suspicious.
Make your name, company, position and contact information visible and clear.
After you send an invoice email
As with most business communication, the invoice email doesn’t end when you send it. Some customers might reach out and some payments might be unfulfilled, to this workflow requires additional attention.
Offer support whenever needed
If your customers inquire about payment options or otherwise, you should make sure you check their emails. Even if there isn’t any extra offer or flexibility, you shouldn’t leave their messages unread. Instead, reply within reasonable professional email response times.
Send auto reminders
Another scenario is your customer doesn’t read your messages. Either their due date is approaching or the invoice is already overdue and they haven’t made any payments.
Auto reminders are great to avoid missing payments. If your client has simply not seen your original invoice, another email reaching their inbox will send you to the top priority list. If, on the other hand, their payment is overdue, you can use auto reminders to notify them of additional charges.
⚠️ Double check before you send
Finished writing your invoice email? Now, before you click Send, take a moment and proofread your message. Typos and missed information can happen. So to avoid confusion on both ends, make sure you’re good to go.
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10 invoice email templates you need
Of course, writing individual invoice emails is time-consuming. Which is why businesses benefit from a library of pre-written invoice email templates to pick from. Here are some suggestions:
1) Basic invoice email
This standard message can be customized to any industry, product or service.
“Hello, [Client Name]
Thank you for choosing [Company Name]. Please find attached your invoice files.
-
- [Product/service]
- [Amount due]
As a reminder, your payment is due on [Date] and can be done through [Payment Options].
If you need any further assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
[Signature]”
2) Overdue payment invoice email
However, if your customer is overdue on their payment, you need to send them a clear message, reminding them of the terms and conditions, along with potential extra charges. Here’s a template to build from:
“Hello, [Customer Name],
The invoice [Invoice Number] was sent to you on [Date]. Unfortunately, the invoice is now overdue.
As per our policy, late payments incur a charge of [X]. Please refer to the new invoice attached to this message.
Let us know when we can expect payment. If there are any problems with the invoice that have caused payment delays, reach out so we can work on a solution.
Thank you,
[Signature]”
3) Recurring/subscription invoice
Some companies offer subscription services and products to their clients. If that’s your case, you need a template for those invoices as well. Here’s an example:
“Hello, [Customer Name]
As a reminder, your active subscription of [Product/Service] is due on [Date]. You can find payment information on the document attached, along with your subscription details.
As a reminder, your subscription will be discontinued upon lack of payment.
If there’s any question or concern, please reach out to our customer service team.
Best wishes,
[Signature]”
4) Autopay invoice email
On the other hand, some of these subscription model services offer auto payment. In this case, your invoice should be sent simply as documentation for you and your client.
“Hi, [Customer Name]
Thank you for your continued business.
This is a reminder that your payment is scheduled for [Date]. You can find payment details in the document attached for your reference.
If there’s any need to switch payment forms, please contact our Finance team at [Contact Information].
Have a good day,
[Signature]”
5) Multiple-items invoice email
In case your customer is ordering multiple products and services, you should offer individual details on each of them, so that they can file their payments accordingly.
“Hello, [Client Name]
Thank you for ordering from [Company Name]. Here’s your order summary:
-
- [Product/service] – [Cost]
- [Product/service] – [Cost]
- [Product/service] – [Cost]
- Total due: [$X]
Your payment is due on [Date] and can be done through [Payment Options]. You can find all the details on the file attached.
Once again, thank you for choosing [Company Name].
Sincerely,
[Signature]”
6) Early payment discount email
Considering late payments can cause additional charges, some companies offer discounts on early payments. In that case, the invoice itself should detail the discount. Such as:
“Hello, [Customer name]
As previously discussed, early payment completion has a %5 discount rate. Your updated invoice attached below reflects the new amount due.
As a reminder, your updated due date is [date].
Best wishes,
[Signature]”
7) Installations invoice email
If your company offers payment in installments, the invoice email should detail what step of payment you’re talking about, along with any standard information. For instance:
“Hello, [Customer name]
The third installment of your payment plan is due on [Date]. This is the 3rd out of 8 installments established in this plan. The file below includes our payment options and order details.
Thank you for continuing to work with us.
Sincerely,
[Signature]”
8) Follow-up invoice reminder
Often, emails are left unread if the recipient has a cluttered inbox. However, when dealing with invoice emails, it’s essential to remind your recipients periodically, so that they comply with due dates. Make sure to send them after a few days, closer to the due date.
This is beneficial for overall company cash flow on your end, but it also helps build trusting customer relationships and avoids miscommunication.
Here’s how to deal with invoice follow-ups:
“Hello, [Customer Name]
As a reminder, your Invoice [Invoice number] is due on [Date]. We’re sending you the documents again, with our payment options and information.
If you have any further questions, you can contact us through this email or [phone number] to discuss your options.
[Company Name] appreciates your business.
Thank you,
[Signature]”
9) Payment received message
After your client fulfills the invoice, it’s customary to send them a payment done message. Not only it serves for documentation on their end, but it also helps you end the interaction on a positive note. A quick message will do, such as:
“Hello, [Customer Name]
Thank you for your payment. We’re happy you chose to order from us at [Company Name]. Hopefully you enjoy [Product/Service].
You can find your receipt attached below.
Best wishes,
[Signature]”
10) Freelance services invoice email
Freelancers and entrepreneurs should make sure they’re paid on time. That is, more than any other company, a late payment can affect your entire workflow. In that case, sending our a clear invoice email to your business clients is key. Here’s a template:
“Hello, [Contact Name]
Thank you again for the opportunity to work on [Project] for [Company Name]. As discussed, my payment rate is [$X], due on [Date]. I’ve attached the details in the file below.
Kind regards,
[Signature]”
Why Drag can help you send invoice emails
One of the main problems with invoice email templates is that they’re restricted to your email account. So if you’re working as a team, each collaborator has to copy and paste the templates to their Gmail to build a library.
However, there’s a solution: a shared inbox. A shared inbox, like DragApp, is a collective workspace in which your entire team can see, manage, and respond to emails simultaneously. And that includes writing shared templates.
With Drag, you can write invoice email templates and add them to a shared library. That way, when your collaborators need to use the same basis, all they have to do is select the right one.
The biggest benefit from this method is that you can set up a cohesive communication system across the team. No matter which person is messaging the customer, they’ll receive a clear, detailed and efficient invoice email.
Another benefit of using a shared inbox like Drag is that you can create automation rules to optimize your workflow. Often, invoice emails are sent repeatedly, for example, for active subscriptions and due payments.
With Drag, you can create a system in which your invoice is sent on a certain day. Then, if the message is left unread, the shared inbox automatically sends the client a follow-up email based on your follow-up template. You can adapt this to any stage, such as overdue payments, for example. This works with a Delay function, that allows teams to build specific conditions for their email automations.
Why invoice emails matter
Invoice emails are crucial. They help remind your clients of pending payments and, in turn, you get paid in a timely manner. This is, of course, useful for your Accounting team, considering that fewer late payments lead to overall financial health, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
However, writing good ones takes time and so does organizing them and sending reminders. Which is why a tool like DragApp can be helpful. You can set up an automated workflow with specific dates and build an efficient communication system that ensures your invoices are sent (and fulfilled) in time.
Turn Gmail into your Team’s Workspace.
- 2.5x faster email responses.
- 20 hours less spent per month, per team member.
- 40% more deadlines achieved and happier teams.
