Level 2 · follow-up or refusal
Chase an unpaid invoice: an annotated email example
Follow up politely but firmly, and get a payment date.
The situation
Julia BrownClient — Accounts Payable, Nexa
Invoice INV-118 for $3,200 sent to Nexa was due 15 days ago. No payment, no reply.
She handles dozens of invoices a day. She answers precise requests fast and ignores vague reminders.
Goal
Follow up politely but firmly, and get a payment date.
The winning structure
A good email for this situation includes these elements, in this order:
- A greeting with the recipient's first name.
- The invoice number
- The amount
- A request for a payment date
- 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 invoice number : « Which invoice? I handle fifty a day. »
- Leaving out the amount : « What amount are we talking about? »
- Leaving out a request for a payment date : « When exactly do they expect to be paid? »
- 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 : Overdue: invoice INV-118 ($3,200)
Hi Julia,
- Greeting by first name: the reader knows it's for them.
Invoice INV-118 for $3,200 was due 15 days ago and we haven't received payment yet.
- Includes: the invoice number.
- Includes: the amount.
Could you confirm when we can expect it? Happy to resend the invoice if needed.
- Includes: a request for a payment date.
- Clear ask: the reader knows what to do.
Best regards,
Alex
- Short sign-off, then the name.
Why it works : 35 words against a target of 80, 6 words per sentence on average, no filler phrases.