These things happen, but not because your clients have bad intentions. The truth is that your clients probably have a lot going on, and they’re forgetting to do these important tasks.

This is where reminder emails come in. They are a friendly way to keep your coaching clients on their toes and make sure they take action.

So let’s explore how to send a reminder email for appointments, payments, and more!

What is a Reminder Email?

A reminder email is a simple email sent to remind clients to take action in one way or another.

They don’t have to be particularly creative. In fact, reminder emails should be simple, short, and focused. Anything else could distract coaching clients from what they need to do. Using email design strategically—like clean layouts, clear headings, and visible CTA buttons—can make all these reminders more effective

The simpler they are, the more you can reuse the same emails repeatedly for different clients.

Why You Might Need to Send Reminder Emails

In our experience, setting up reminder emails can improve your coaching business in many ways. If you automate them, you don’t even have to do them manually each time. You just schedule them once, and they will be sent at the exact time you need them (more on this later).

Here’s why it’s worth sending reminder emails to your clients:

• They help your clients stay accountable.
• They make you look more professional.
• They help busy clients incorporate their coaching sessions into their jam-packed schedules.
• They remind clients about the consequences of not paying on time or filling out an intake form (which we found to be the greatest motivation).
• They make sure you can maintain momentum and build a long-term client relationship.
• They minimize session cancellations and no-shows.
• They improve overall communication between you and your client.

When Should You Send Reminder Emails?

Follow-ups are useful in many scenarios. If you take payments online, reminder emails are a great way to let clients know when their invoice is due. This can be as simple as a Google Sheets invoice if you don’t want to complicate things.

You can also send reminder emails before an appointment. It’s up to you to decide what frequency is best, but here are some common appointment reminder settings coaches like to use:

• 24 hours before the appointment
• One hour before the appointment
• 15 minutes before the appointment
• 5 minutes before the appointment

You don’t have to set up all of these for your sessions; one or two is more than enough.

Reminder emails can also be used if clients haven’t filled out important documents. For instance, if they need to send files over before their first discovery session.

How to Write Reminder Emails for Coaching Clients

Some coaches may worry about offending their clients, while others may be tempted to vent their frustrations at them in a reminder email.

Here’s how to find the sweet spot and send a professional reminder email when your client’s MIA.

1. Don’t Apologize

Reminder emails are completely normal in any business so you shouldn’t apologize for sending one.

That means you should avoid writing things like:

I’m sorry to bother you, but I still haven’t received the payment for this invoice.

It’s easy to think that clients will get annoyed by reminder emails. But the truth is that people are busy, and it can be incredibly liberating for a business to take ownership of those reminders.

When you’re reminding your clients, whether it’s about an appointment or a DMARC for MSPs platform comparison, you’re taking one more weight off their shoulders. So why apologize for doing that?  

I was guilty of doing this at first, but I’ve learned that apologizing doesn’t solve anything. 

2. Stay Polite

On the flip side, reminder emails shouldn’t be used to argue with your client. 

We get it–it can be really frustrating when you don’t receive a payment for a job well done. You should be firm in your emails, but stay polite.

Put the focus on the invoice that didn’t get paid instead of the fact that the client hasn’t paid.

Here’s what we mean. Instead of writing:

“You still haven’t paid this invoice.”

Try this instead:

“This invoice hasn’t been paid yet.”

Both sentences communicate the same fact. But as a client, which one would you rather receive?

3. Keep It Focused

You should only include the necessary information in a reminder email. These emails aren’t the right time to ask your client how their family is doing or how they enjoyed their latest vacation.

Write only as much information as you need to get your point across, but no more than necessary.

4. Make It Easy to Take Action

Reminder emails are designed to remind clients to do something.

You should make their lives as easy as possible so that they will take action. For instance, if you’re reminding them to fill out a form, include a link to that form.

Otherwise, they’ll have to dig around trying to find the original email you sent.

Remember that many people receive dozens of emails a day in their inboxes. The easier it is for them to access what they need, the more likely they are to get the job done.

6 Reminder Email Templates to Send to Coaching Clients

Stuck on how to write your reminder note? Here are six templates you can use in the most common scenarios.

Payment Reminder Emails

You can send this email a week or a day before a payment is due from your client.

You can also set up a late payment reminder for a week later in case your client forgets. I use PayPal to send invoices and keep track of invoice activity. I get a notification email when an invoice hasn’t been viewed yet and I can set up a reminder with that condition.

Finally, it’s important to clearly state the consequences of not paying the invoice. In the second example below, you’ll see what it looks like if you take appointments only once a payment is made.

Early Payment Reminder

Subject line: Payment reminder for [invoice number] – Due on [date]

Hi [client name],

This is a friendly reminder that you have a [amount] payment on [invoice number] that’s due for payment tomorrow, on [date].

You can view this invoice and make your payment here:

[link]

Don’t hesitate to hit reply or send me an email at [your email address] if you have any questions.

[Signoff]

Same-Day Payment Reminder

Subject line: Payment reminder for [invoice number] – Due today

Good morning [client name],

I just wanted to remind you of the [amount] payment on [invoice number] that’s due for payment today.

You can access and pay your invoice here:

[link]

Payment can be made via [payment options].

Don’t hesitate to hit reply or send me an email at [your email address] if you have any questions.

[Signoff]

Late Payment Reminder

Subject line: Your payment for [invoice number] is one day overdue

Hi [client name],

Hope everything is going well.

I’m reaching out because I still haven’t received a payment for [invoice number] for [amount due]. This invoice was due on [date].

You can access the invoice via this link:

[link]

Payment can be made via [payment options].

I’d like to remind you that this payment needs to be completed before our next appointment. 

If you’re having technical difficulties with the invoice or if you have any questions, please hit reply or email me at [your email address]

[Signoff]

Appointment Reminder Emails

Your reminder email for appointments should include the information about where and when they will happen. 

For instance, include the call link if you’re meeting via Zoom. If you’re having a phone call, remind them to have their phone charged and ready at the time of the appointment.

If you set up multiple appointment reminders, they can look very similar. Here are two variations for your next session with a client.

Appointment Reminder Email 24 Hours Before

Subject line: Appointment Reminder: Your Next Appointment is on [date] [time]

Hi [client name],

This is a reminder that your next session appointment is on [date] at [time].

You’ve scheduled [time frame] and you can join the call via Zoom at:

[Zoom link]

Make sure to have Zoom installed on your device before our appointment time.

[Signoff]

Appointment Reminder Email to Send One Hour Before

Subject line: You have a [Name of Session] in one hour

Hi [client name],

This is a reminder that your appointment for [name of session] starts in one hour, at [time].

Your appointment will be via Zoom and will last [time]. Use this link to join the call:

[Zoom link]

Make sure to have Zoom installed on your device before our appointment time.

[Signoff]

Intake Form Reminder Email

Many life coaches like to use intake forms to make client onboarding smooth. But what happens if your client doesn’t fill out their form before your first coaching session?

To avoid that situation, you can send them a reminder like this one:

Subject line: Reminder about your intake form

Hi [client name],

I noticed the intake form I sent you hasn’t been filled out yet.

This questionnaire is essential so I can keep the session focused on your needs and make the most of our time together.

You can access your intake form here:

[link to intake form]

Please have this form filled out at least [number of hours] before our first session so that I can prepare adequately to help you get to where you want to be.

If you have any questions or if you get stuck with this form, don’t hesitate to email me back.

[signoff]

Reminder Emails FAQs

When Should You Send out a Reminder Email?

Ideally, you should send a reminder email 1-3 days before an appointment or deadline. Optionally, you can also remind clients about meetings on the day.

What Should a Reminder Email Include?

Your email should include:

• A clear and attention-grabbing subject line
• A friendly greeting
• A brief explanation of the purpose of the email
• A direct and specific reminder or request with key details like date and time or due date
• A professional sign-off and contact details

What Are the Different Kinds of Reminder Emails Coaches Need to Send?

Coaches often send session reminders, payment reminders, deadline reminders, and event follow-ups.

When is It Time to Let a Client Go?

Firing a coaching client can be a challenging decision but is sometimes necessary to maintain professional boundaries and uphold your integrity.

Signs that it might be time to consider parting ways with a client include:

• Consistent non-payment
• Failure to submit intake forms
• Frequent session cancellations (especially last-minute or without good reason)
• Not showing up for sessions without cancellation
• Lack of progress or commitment
• Violation of boundaries
• Misalignment of expectations

It’s essential to have an open and honest conversation with your client about any concerns before making a decision. Make sure that your expectations toward them are clearly communicated, and if they still fail to complete them, bring it up in an email or the next time you talk to them.

If the issues persist and negatively impact the coaching process, it may be time to part ways professionally and ethically. Always communicate your decision respectfully and with the client’s best interests in mind.

Luckily, automating your reminder emails can prevent many of these issues. Plus, they make follow-up an easy, set-up-and-forget process. 

Here’s the simplest way to automate your reminder emails.

How to Automate Your Reminder Emails Using Paperbell

There’s one more mistake that life coaches make with reminder emails—sending them manually!

If you’re still sending manual reminder emails, you’re setting yourself up to forget or let stuff fall through the cracks. You’ll likely need reminders… to send out reminders.

Paperbell is a tool that runs your entire coaching or consulting business, including your reminders! In fact, they’re baked right into it, so you’ll never have to send one manually again.

It allows you to fine-tune your reminders triggered by different types of appointments or purchases. You can put whatever text you like in these emails, so borrow liberally from the examples above!

Paperbell also allows you to eliminate payment reminder emails, as clients always pay at the time of their booking. Plus, payment plans and subscriptions are charged to your client’s card automatically. This means you don’t have to remind them to pay you; it’s all handled automatically!

Paperbell also makes it easy to manage payments, contracts, and scheduling. It’s free with your first client—sign up now to try out all features.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2021 and has since been updated for accuracy.

However, when you’re sharing content or advice online related to coaching, you don’t know who’s the receiver. You don’t know their story and what they might be dealing with.

The people who read your website or app, blog, freebies, and handouts are typically not your clients (yet), so you’re not there to facilitate their transformation after reading your materials.

That’s when a legal disclaimer becomes key, protecting your client (as well as yourself) and letting them know how your advice is meant to be used. Let’s dive into how they are made and break down three coaching disclaimer templates you can use on all your platforms and materials.

So Why Do You Need a Coaching Disclaimer?

Imagine you’re giving general advice on healthy nutrition or exercise to someone who’s been dealing with chronic health issues their whole life. Even though the strategies you share with the best intentions can be miraculous to a healthy person, they could worsen this person’s issues.

This is why it’s important to share a disclaimer where you let them know that you’re not a medical expert and that they should apply the tools you offer at their own risk. This doesn’t make you a bad coach or make your clients lose your trust — quite the opposite! It just makes you a professional who looks out for the people you serve. People with special needs will simply know that they need to turn to a medical, legal, etc., expert to have their problems solved.

And since we’re talking about disclaimers, here’s something to note for you.

The information we gathered in this article should not be considered legal advice. We are coaches who’ve been in the trenches, but we’re not lawyers. If you need personalized guidance, please seek legal advice from a lawyer.

See what we did there? We gave you a heads-up so you’ll know what to expect in this free guide — no surprises. Placing a disclaimer on your coaching guides or even your contract will protect you from any legal troubles in the future.

[ Read: How To Create A Legally Binding Coaching Contract From Scratch ]

So, let’s look at how it’s done.

5 Legal Disclaimer Types for Coaches

1. Legal and Medical Disclaimer

Getting clear on your background gives your audience perspective on what you’re qualified to share advice on. We’re not talking about a coaching certification here. That’s completely optional. A certified coach can be just as equipped to help their clients as someone who has never had formal coaching training but brings other experiences to the table.

[ Read: Do You Have To Be Licensed To Be A Life Coach? ]

We’re primarily talking about the fields that require a license to be practiced, such as therapy, medicine, and law. These fields might be closely related to the area you’re coaching your clients on.

If you’re a health and well-being coach, tell them you’re not a medical advisor. If you’re coaching someone on their business structure and client agreements, let them know you’re not a legal professional.

If you happen to be licensed in one of these fields, you should still give a heads-up that you may be a lawyer, but you’re not their lawyer. Therefore, they should not take the information in your materials as legal advice.

2. Liability or Responsibility Disclaimer

To disclaim liability means that you’re not taking responsibility for what happens if people try the strategies you offer on your pages or materials. 

So, if they try your recipe, the supplement you endorse, or the workout you recommend, you won’t be liable for any health concerns your audience might face.

They should be practicing your methods at their own risk and consult with their doctors about how compatible these regimens are with their present health concerns.

3. Guarantee or Past Performance Disclaimer

We’re all different; methods related to mental health and well-being may bring different results for everyone. Even medically approved treatments that work for the average person might have exceptions, so how could we guarantee that the life coaching methods will change someone’s life when we don’t even know them personally?

A no-guarantee disclaimer should be included in all your coaching contracts. It’s also a good practice to have it on your freebies and non-client materials.

Some coaches also use past performance disclaimers that state that the previous performance of the methods shared does not guarantee future results.

4. Accuracy Disclaimer

When you create a presentation or write content, you do your best to provide accurate information. However, it might become out-of-date at some point.

Once your materials are sent or handed out, you won’t be able to update this information for them. This disclaimer informs readers that in case regulations or the latest research changes on some of the facts shared by you, they won’t necessarily reflect what’s accurate today.

If you’re sharing content online, you can also forego any misunderstanding by simply stating when your content was last edited.

5. Confidentiality Disclaimer

Confidentiality disclaimers should always be a part of your coaching agreements. They should state that all information discussed in your sessions stays between you and the client.

It’s also worth mentioning that any personal information about the client, including your session notes, will solely be used to keep in touch and efficiently conduct your coaching calls; they won’t be shared with a third party.

3 Ready-Made Coaching Disclaimer Templates

Here are three sample disclaimers you can use in your website content, agreements, and coaching materials.

1. Disclaimer Examples for Health and Well-being Coaches

If you share information on health, well-being, nutrition, fitness, and so on, you should share a health disclaimer. The first part of this statement outlines your qualifications.

I am not a medical professional. As a [health/fitness/well-being] coach, I am not providing healthcare, medical, or nutritional therapy services or attempting to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any physical, mental, or emotional issues.

Next, you’ll clarify that what you offer isn’t medical advice.

The information provided on [this website/material] is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. Always seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before undertaking a new health regimen.

Last but not least, you’ll make sure that the health tips you offer don’t interfere with any current medical treatment.

Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking one because of information you read [in/on this material/website]. Do not start or stop any medications without speaking to your medical or mental health provider first.

If you are working in the medical field or as a licensed therapist, you might want to let your clients know that you’re not their doctor or therapist. Therefore, you’re not taking responsibility for finding a cure for their condition, as you would in the case of a patient of yours.

Although I am a [nurse/dietitian/therapist/etc.] I am not YOUR [nurse/dietitian/therapist/etc.]. All information [on/during this website/training/etc.] is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and does not establish any kind of patient-client relationship. If you require immediate assistance or have questions regarding your health, contacting a healthcare call center can provide timely support and guidance.

2. Sample Disclaimer Template for Life Coaches

Coaching is often mistaken for therapy or other types of mental health treatments. As a life coach, you’re almost certainly going to touch upon areas related to emotional and mental well-being, so it’s important to clarify that you’re not providing therapy.

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional. My services do not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals.

To disclaim your liability of use, i.e., not take responsibility for how your advice is used, you can use this disclaimer statement.

Please note that I can’t take any responsibility for the results of your actions and any harm or damage you suffer as a result of the use, or non-use of the information available [on this website/material]. Please use your discernment and conduct due diligence before taking any action or implementing any plan or practice suggested or recommended [on this website/material].

We’ve also talked about making no guarantees previously. This disclaimer states that you shouldn’t be held liable for the results your methods generate.

Please note that I don’t make any guarantees about the results of the information applied [on this website/material]. I share educational and informational resources that are intended to help you succeed in [coaching area]. You nevertheless need to know that your ultimate success or failure will be the result of your own efforts, your particular situation, and innumerable other circumstances beyond my knowledge and control.

3. Disclaimer Template for Business Coaches

As a business coach, you might touch upon areas that have legal and financial regulations, such as setting up a business, managing taxation, legal compliance, and so on. This disclaimer clarifies that what you offer isn’t legal or investment advice.

I am not a lawyer or certified public accountant, and this should not be considered legal or financial advice. You should seek appropriate counsel for your own situation. 

Regulations around business and entrepreneurship may also differ in each country or state. Highlight the fact that you’re someone with experience in a certain region and not others.

Please note, this information is directed towards readers of [the United States/United Kingdom/Australia/etc.] If you are conducting business outside of [the United States/United Kingdom/Australia/etc.], please seek information and professional advice regarding your local regulations.

Where Should I Display My Coaching Disclaimer?

To put it simply, anywhere where you share information or advice as a coach. This could be your:

• Website footer or disclaimer page,
• Blog,
• Printed handouts,
• Downloadable PDFs,
• In-person training, or
• Online courses.

It’s best to include them in your client contracts and your terms and conditions or website disclaimer as well. If you need a cheat sheet to set up your website and packages, you can try our free coaching template pack 

Implement these coaching disclaimer statements anywhere where you feel additional context is important in your communication. They will remind your clients to look after themselves and provide legal protection for your business.

For an easy way to manage all your disclaimers, you can try Paperbell. It’s an all-in-one client management platform that handles all your client information, coaching materials, contracts, and landing pages on one simple platform.

Try Paperbell with your first client for free.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2021 and has since been updated for accuracy./