Level 2 · follow-up or refusal
Chase a contract signature: an annotated email example
Get the signature in time to start.
The situation
Helen DuffyClient — CEO
The maintenance contract (quote Q-2025-07) was sent to Helen a week ago. It isn't signed. Work must start on April 1 and you need 5 days to schedule the team.
She delegates a lot and forgets anything without a deadline. A precise reminder does her a favour.
Goal
Get the signature in time to start.
The winning structure
A good email for this situation includes these elements, in this order:
- A greeting with the recipient's first name.
- The reference (Q-2025-07)
- The start date (April 1)
- A signing deadline
- A clear ask at the end: a question or an action with a deadline.
- A short sign-off, then your name.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the reference (Q-2025-07) : « Which contract? I have three on my desk. »
- Leaving out the start date (April 1) : « Why the rush? »
- Leaving out a signing deadline : « When do I need to sign it? »
- A refusal or follow-up so polite it becomes vague: the reader doesn't know how to answer.
- Over-explaining instead of proposing a next step.
Write your own version: the recipient reacts and you get a score out of 100.
The annotated example
Try it yourself first: you'll remember more. Click to show the example.
Subject : Maintenance contract Q-2025-07 – signature
Hi Helen,
- Greeting by first name: the reader knows it's for them.
The maintenance contract (quote Q-2025-07) was sent to you last week. To start on April 1, we need 5 days to schedule the team.
- Includes: the reference (Q-2025-07).
- Includes: the start date (April 1).
Could you return it signed by March 25?
- Includes: a signing deadline.
- Clear ask: the reader knows what to do.
Best regards,
Alex
- Short sign-off, then the name.
Why it works : 37 words against a target of 80, 6 words per sentence on average, no filler phrases.