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Past-due invoice nudge — polite, firm, not desperate

A short payment reminder that doesn't apologize, doesn't grovel, and doesn't sound like a collections letter. Customers actually pay these.

Updated May 2, 2026 · Works with any ·
invoicingcollectionscustomer

The prompt

Write a polite, firm payment reminder email to [CUSTOMER NAME] for invoice #[INVOICE NUMBER], [N] days past due, balance $[AMOUNT].

Job we did: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION — e.g. "panel upgrade on April 12"]
Original due date: [DATE]
How many reminders we've sent already: [NONE / 1 / 2]

Rules:
- Do NOT apologize for asking. We did the work. They owe us.
- Do NOT use phrases like "just checking in" or "sorry to bother."
- Do offer two payment options (e.g. "click here to pay online, or call us with a card").
- Do give a specific deadline ("by Friday the [DATE]").
- Keep it under 4 sentences.

Sign off as [YOUR NAME], [SHOP NAME].

Output: just the email body and signature. No subject line, no preamble.

What this is for

Most shops lose money not because customers won’t pay — but because nobody asks twice. The first reminder is the most uncomfortable one to write. This prompt makes it a 30-second job, and the tone lands right: not angry, not begging, just professional.

How to use it

  1. Pull the unpaid invoice from your accounting tool.
  2. Fill the brackets. The “how many reminders already” field matters — the second nudge has a different tone than the first.
  3. Read the output once. If it sounds soft, ask the AI to “make it 20% firmer.” It will.
  4. Send it. Then put a calendar reminder for 7 days out.

Pro move

Save three versions: nudge #1 (friendly), nudge #2 (firm), nudge #3 (final notice + collections warning). Run the same prompt with different “reminders already sent” values and save the outputs. Now you’ve got a template ladder for every overdue invoice forever.

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