The collection email is a very important tool for anyone dealing with recurring payments and credit recovery.

And sending an effective dunning email can make the difference between receiving a late payment or not receiving the amount due, whether for a small business or a large corporation.

After all, punctual payments are fundamental to the financial system of any company, freelancer or even the individual who manages their own personal finances.

A well-crafted collection email not only reminds the customer of their responsibility, but can also reinforce the importance of meeting deadlines.

In this vein, thoughtful communication helps preserve valuable business relationships and encourages quick resolution of outstanding issues.

Collection email communication is tailored to the profile of the delinquent customer. In other words, everything is done so that conversion occurs at the beginning of the attempts.

However, if conversion doesn’t occur, the language remains respectful but firmer, as we’ll see in the course of this article.

Let’s start at the beginning. How do you communicate such a delicate subject without making the customer feel unpleasant?

Pay attention to the language used

The choice of words is essential to avoid embarrassing the customer.

Appropriate and, above all, respectful communication can contribute to the open rate and receptiveness of the target audience, resulting in the sender’s objective: conversion (in this case, payment of the debt).

Use clear, polite and professional language. Avoid insinuations that might irritate the customer.

And remember this: the first thing the customer sees is the subject line. It’s through this that they realize it’s a commercial email containing a billing notification. So make the subject line light. Here are some examples:

• [customer’s first name], there seems to be a problem with your account.
• [customer’s 1st name], your invoice is unpaid. Can we help you?
• [customer’s first name], help us identify the invoice payment

A good first impression goes a long way towards opening an email, doesn’t it?

Imagine a person who is in default receiving a first contact email containing a tense and/or threatening subject line, such as “Pay off your debt and avoid being denied credit”.

In this way, the sender increases the chance of not receiving a payment that could have been made on the first attempt, if the approach hadn’t been so harsh.

Next, let’s see how communication develops in the content of the first contact email.

Basic structure of a first billing email

No billing email is the same as another. Not least because each company or professional has a way of treating their audience (this is what we call the tone of voice of the communication).

But every dunning email has one thing in common: the dunning needs to be done. Let’s look at how this can be done.

Start your email with a personalized greeting, preferably using only the customer’s first name. This helps to create a more intimate connection.

In the text, mention the outstanding debt. Include the document number and the original due date for reference.

Remember to offer contact channels and ways for the recipient to confirm the authenticity of your message.

Important

There are countless reasons why someone might default. So remember to include humanization in the language of your first collection email.

This can be done not only through personalization (calling the customer by their first name), but also through communication that expresses the moment the customer is going through.

The intention is that the reader of the email identifies with what is being said. In this way, they feel more confident in the company.

Try to understand your customer’s difficulty and offer solutions, as far as possible. Below is an example of a first billing email.

Example of the first billing email

Hello, [customer’s first name].

We hope you are well.

We have noticed that your invoice [invoice number], due on [due date], has not yet been paid.

We know that unforeseen events happen and that situations can change quickly, affecting your ability to meet your financial commitments.

We want you to know that we’re here to help, so we’d like to offer you 3 options to make it easier for you to pay your bill:

• Payment installments: we can divide the total amount into smaller installments, so that the impact on your budget is lighter.
• Extension of the deadline: if you need a little more time to make the payment, we are willing to extend the deadline.
• Early payment discount: we can offer you a discount on the total amount if you can pay in full within a new agreed period.

Please contact us to discuss these options or to find another solution that better suits your needs.

Our priority is to support you during this period, maintaining a relationship of total trust.

Thank you for your attention and understanding. We are confident that together we will find the best solution.

Sincerely,

Additional tips to increase effectiveness

Effective collection emails are not just about the content, but also about the sending strategy and subsequent follow-up.

The moment you send the billing email can determine whether the customer will see the message. So avoid weekends and public holidays.

Emails sent during these periods can easily be ignored. Send during the week, preferably between Tuesday and Thursday.

The time you choose also increases the likelihood of your emails being seen. The morning, between 9am and 11am, is usually ideal, as people tend to check their emails early in the day.

Another thing that helps a lot with the visualization of charges is to always deliver your emails to the inbox, so keep an eye on the deliverability of your messages and always keep your lists clean. Check your emails regularly.

From the first to the last billing email

What happens if, even after all the attempts, the customer doesn’t sign up for any payment solution? So far, we’ve seen that humanized communication is key to attracting conversion.

However, within an email flow plan, there comes a time when one last option is sent and all attempts are exhausted. And what do you do if there is no conversion?

Let’s look at the following example:

1st email: humanized communication so that the customer identifies themselves and builds trust to solve their problem.

2nd email: at this point, the content should remain humanized, but expressing that the customer’s problem will increase if there is no agreement to settle the debt.

3rd email: serious communication, encouraging the customer to act quickly before it’s too late (using the urgency trigger is recommended).

4th email: at this point, the content should be more severe, but without being embarrassing or aggressive. Just state the facts: if there is no agreement, the credit protection agencies will be called in.

It is important to consider that the last attempt at an agreement must contain promises that will actually be fulfilled.

For example: if the content of the email says that the customer’s name will be sent to the credit protection agencies, the sender must do so. Failure to keep the promise creates discredit in the company’s word.

Another important thing is to consider communication through channels other than email. Telephone, WhatsApp and Telegram are welcome as support networks.

Conclusion

Often, companies or professionals who send collection emails don’t achieve results because they don’t value humanized communication.

Inserting an emotional appeal in messages leads the customer to identify with what is being said, generating connection and trust.

Sending a “cold” email on first contact mitigates the chances of conversion, as the person will feel pressured and, consequently, embarrassed.

The effective collection email is part of a flow of emails with more than one attempt if there is no conversion. And the communication becomes more severe as the attempts to reach an agreement are launched.

FAQ