Businesspeople may already be using the term “remind.” “Remind” is a business term derived from the English verb “remind,” which means “to remind.” In Japanese, it can be translated as “reassurance” or “reconfirmation.”
The purpose of reminders is to reconfirm necessary matters with customers and employees, and can be considered as interactive marketing, a type of
marketing
activity.
This time, I will first explain the meaning of reminder from a marketing perspective. Next, we will explain how to use reminders, example sentences for reminder emails, and points to note when using them.
After reading this article, you will get some suggestions for developing your business.
What is a reminder? Connect with marketing
A reminder refers to reconfirming the schedule of a meeting or business negotiation with a business partner, or requesting submission or communication. The medium is telephone or email.
What you should be careful about when giving reminders is that if you give priority to your company’s circumstances and respond with the image of “reminding” or “reminding” the customer, the reminder will have a negative impact. You must avoid attitudes and words that put pressure on the other person.
If reminders damage relationships with customers or misunderstandings occur within the company, it will have a negative impact on business performance and operations.
Therefore, what is needed is an interactive marketing perspective. Rather than viewing reminders as just administrative procedures, we recognize that “a single interaction can impact your entire
marketing
.”
We place emphasis on various to-dos for each business negotiation, such as schedule adjustment, document preparation, business negotiations, and follow-up negotiations. An attitude of valuing small interactions throughout the process leads to high-quality communication.
Reminders are one of your to-dos. Interactive marketing becomes possible by carefully communicating from the other party’s point of view. If you take this perspective, you won’t even feel like you need to “remind yourself” or “remind yourself.”
Differences between reminders, “prompts” and “alerts”
Words with similar meanings to reminder include “rempt” and “alert.” All of them are words used for the purpose of reminding the other person, but there are differences in detailed nuances.
Nuance of reminder
A reminder is a notification sent by phone or email to remind the other party. We do this from a gentle, interactive perspective without hurting the other person’s feelings.
For example, “I made a promise on the 5th, do you remember?” This means “asking the other person” or “reconfirming the agreement and getting an agreement.”
Nuance of reminder
On the other hand, urging is a unilateral request to the other party to quickly carry out a promise or agreement. In terms of nuance, it is stronger than a reminder and tends to be one-sided.
For example, it might mean something like, “The payment deadline has passed, so please transfer the money as soon as possible,” or “I strongly urge you to keep your promises and agreements.”
Nuances of alerts
Alert has the meaning of “warning,” “calling attention,” and “putting on guard,” and is a word that expresses urgency. It is used in dangerous or desperate situations and does not take into account the other person’s feelings.
For example, they have a semi-compulsory feeling, such as “heatstroke warning alert”, “tsunami warning”, and “earthquake early warning”, which say “you must do this.”
The need for reminders and points to remember when using them
Before explaining business examples, I will explain why reminders are necessary and important points of view when using them. First, the need for reminders is as follows.
In business, reminders are used not only to ensure work progresses and improve business performance, but also to maintain relationships of trust between companies and employees. The more important the item is, the more it is necessary to remind them.
When reminding each other, you need to be careful about the timing and length of the text because both parties are busy. It would be wiser to do it smartly and not waste the other person’s time.
However, it cannot be said that the purpose has been achieved unless it is thoroughly confirmed. Also, even if you send a brief reminder email, it will have the opposite effect if it leaves the other person with a cold impression.
When using reminders in this way, you need to keep in mind that reminders can make or break the other person’s feelings. Just one interaction can have an impact on the image (
branding
) of a company, product, or service.
Three situations where you need a reminder
Here, we will pick up three situations where you need a reminder. Please assume that you will mainly be checking by email.
We will explain how to use each and the points to be careful about when using them.
Reminders about important meetings and business negotiations
The first is when reconfirming important meetings and business negotiations with business partners. Nowadays, it is easier to communicate with each other through computers and smartphones, but it is still human beings. Sometimes there may be miscommunication or discrepancies.
Aim to send a reminder email about 3 days before the scheduled date. This is because it is easier to adjust the schedule in the unlikely event that there is a missed schedule.
Reminders regarding document submission deadlines
The second type of email is a reminder email urging those who have not yet submitted documents or materials to submit them when the deadline for submission is approaching. Even if you are sending an email all at once, be sure to include something like, “We will contact those who have already submitted their documents again, and we apologize once again.”
Reminders regarding submission deadlines are more like a “request” than a confirmation, so you need to be very careful when composing the email. Ask your boss or senior colleague to read it.
Reminder to confirm attendance
The third is a reminder email to confirm attendance for events, dinner parties, etc. Depending on the business partner, the person handling the meeting may be different from the person attending.
What often happens is that the person responding to the call and the person attending the meeting mutually assume that “Mr. ○○” contacted them. It would be embarrassing for the business partner if he or she attended on the day but was not on the attendance list.
If you haven’t received a response to your RSVP, try sending it at a time when it’s easier for the other person to respond, such as sending it about three days before the scheduled date.
How to remind
Here are some ways to remind yourself:
email
Email is currently a popular medium for reminders. After the spread of the Internet, it became an indispensable medium, replacing the telephone as an important means of communication.
Unlike telephone calls, email is not dependent on the recipient’s convenience, so it is very convenient and suitable for sending reminders.
However, it would be rude to send an email that simply asks the other person a question, so be sure to compose your email so that it adheres to business etiquette.
Sentence structure of reminder email
The most suitable sentence structure for a reminder email is to start with the “greetings”, then get to the “main topic”, and end with the “conclusion”.
| greeting | Greet the person sending the reminder email by stating their name and department. |
| Main topic | Write down the text that you want to remind the other person. It will be easier to reach an agreement if you include alternative plans that can be adjusted in case plans change or the other party’s convenience becomes inconvenient. |
| Tighten | Conclude the text by writing a closing sentence such as “Thank you for your kind support.” |
Reminder email subject
Be specific in the subject line so that it is clear at a glance that this is a reminder email. Also, be careful about the wording and avoid overtones of a reminder email, such as “What’s going on?”
For example, choose a subject line that is easy to understand, such as “Confirmation regarding the event on the 5th” or “Regarding the meeting at ____ station on the 5th,” which clearly indicates the specific date, time, and content.
Contents of reminder email
If you create the body of the reminder email using “5W1H”, a business framework, it will be easier to understand for the recipient.
| 5W1H | |
| When | when |
| Where | where |
| Who | who is |
| What | what |
| Why | why |
| How | how |
By listing these six items, you will be able to clearly convey the information you want to convey, and you will be able to convey the content to the recipient without too much or too little. The advantage of using 5W1H is that not only can you convey exactly what you want to convey to the other person, but you can also reduce the nuance of “responsiveness.”
By simply creating sentences according to this framework, there is no room for emotional overtones such as “What’s going on?” Because of these benefits, we recommend that you actively utilize the 5W1H when sending reminder emails.
phone
A reminder call is called a “reminder call.” People who find it troublesome to compose texts by email often use the telephone.
Reminder calls allow you to get a direct feel for the other person’s reaction, but if you call at the wrong time or call too many times, it can make the other person feel uncomfortable.
Also, people may get a negative impression that “I don’t have to go through the trouble of making a phone call, I can just send an email,” so you need to be careful not to use the wrong place. Reminder calls are often used in sales and marketing activities.
For example, you might call prospective attendees of a seminar or event to reconfirm their attendance, or remind them of backend products or services introduced during a lecture.
Reminder calls are a method used for the purpose of maintaining communication with users and approaching them with products and services.
chat
Chat is also becoming more popular as an easier means of contact than email. Because information can be shared within the same community, some companies use it as a means of communication between employees.
You can also use these chats to send reminders. Chat also has a convenient feature called “Pinning”, so you can use this feature to keep reminder messages visible at all times.
It is a very user-friendly medium depending on how you use it. When sending reminders via chat, just as with emails, be sure to include the minimum information such as name, due date, time, and text.
oral
Just like in a normal conversation, you can verbally remind the other person directly. Normally, verbal reminders should be given on a daily basis within a company, such as regarding promises between people and work at the workplace.
The most common thing that we do without thinking about it is verbal reminders. A verbal reminder is the same as a verbal promise, and there is a high possibility that it will be quickly forgotten by the other party because it will not leave a record, so if it is an important reminder, it is a good idea to also send it in a medium that will leave a record.
reminder
Using reminders to remind yourself is something you do to yourself, but it’s a very useful feature, so it’s worth remembering. Reminder is a feature that notifies you so you don’t forget about tasks or schedules.
It is often included in schedule management software and calendar applications, and is also included as a standard feature in chat applications. If you set a reminder on a pre-specified date and time, you will receive a notification at that time. This is one feature that people who tend to forget things often should take advantage of.
Points to keep in mind when creating a reminder email
The basics of reminder emails is ease of understanding. Long texts can be a burden to busy people. Also, as introduced in the previous chapter, consider the timing of sending emails.
In this chapter, we will explain the points to be careful of along the flow of email creation (subject, greeting, body, closing).
Make the subject line easy to understand at a glance
Write the subject line in a way that makes it easy to understand when you open the email. The ideal is “Subject = Business.”
For example, if you want to remind the person about information about a meeting, you can write “Information about the meeting on 〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇, and the other person will open it immediately.
Subtly appeal with a greeting
Just like your subject line, try not to make your greeting too long. You can just say, “Thank you for your continued support. My name is 〇〇 from 〇〇 company.”
Although it is not very appealing, adding these two sentences will give a more polite impression to the business partner. First of all, the minimum etiquette is to introduce yourself as “someone from somewhere.” You may also receive positive feedback from others.
Casual words and attitudes are important in transactions.
The text is concise and easy to understand
Create sentences that are easy to understand. We keep in mind readability and visibility so that you can check it instantly even when you are busy.
In particular, check the following points:
First, read it over and check to make sure there are no typos. Make sure that you haven’t left out any information such as location or time.
Seeing a text that is packed with text can cause stress to the other person. Use appropriate line breaks to make it easier to read.
Re-read the whole thing and carefully check to make sure that it isn’t too high-handed or overly persuasive. Try to soften the expression of your sentences by reading them together among departments within your company.
Take care until the end
For example, it is polite to conclude with something like “Thank you for your continued support” or “If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.”
Also, be sure to include the following information at the end of the email to make it clear who the sender is and to make it easier for the recipient to contact you if anything happens.
Introducing example sentences for reminder emails
In the previous chapter, we explained important points along the flow of email. Here, we will introduce example sentences based on three scenes based on the points.
Reminder emails for important meetings and business negotiations
【greeting】
Thank you for your continued support. This is △△ from 〇〇 company.
We would like to inform you again today regarding next week’s meeting.
[Main text]
Date and time: 〇 month 〇 (〇 day of the week) 〇:00 pm to 〇 pm Place: Our company “○○ Co., Ltd. ○○ branch” 〇 floor 1st conference room Contents: 1. Current service status and problem report 2. New service Overview of introduction 3. Questions and answers
[Closing] On the day, myself and 〇〇 section manager □□ will be attending from the head office. We understand that you are very busy, but we appreciate your cooperation on the day.
- ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
Writing information such as reception hours and closing times will depend on the company, but be sure to write from the other person’s perspective, asking yourself, “What kind of information would be easy to understand?” However, be careful not to be redundant.
Reminder email for submission deadline
【greeting】
Thank you very much for your continued support. This is 〇〇 from 〇〇 company.
[Main text]
Thank you very much for using our SNS marketing service. We are contacting you today because the deadline for submitting a questionnaire regarding service content (due date: 0/0) is approaching.
Do you have any questions or concerns regarding the survey? Also, please forgive me if I have misunderstood.
[Closing] We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation.
- ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
When it comes to “reminding” people to submit a survey, try not to use words that you think would come off as sarcastic if you put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Also, be sure to include your contact information.
Attendance confirmation email
【greeting】
Thank you very much for your continued support. My name is 〇〇 from 〇〇 company.
[Main text]
I would like to inform you again about the dinner party that I announced the other day.
Date and time: 〇〇〇 (〇day of the week) 〇:00 pm to 〇pm Venue: Japanese restaurant “〇〇”
Reservation name: 〇〇 Division 〇〇 Participation fee: 〇 yen Number of participants: 〇 people Scheduled to participate (as of 〇 month 〇)
Contact information on the day: ○○○-○○○○-○○○○ (cell phone of person in charge 〇〇)
[Tightening]
If you are unable to attend on the day due to inconvenience, please contact 〇〇 as soon as possible. (〇〇Email：○○○)
Thank you very much for your cooperation today.
- ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
The other party may not know the location of the venue. Even if you think you already know, be sure to include the transportation you expect to use and the route to the venue.
Points to note when replying to reminder emails
Remember to be grateful and keep the following in mind when replying.
Reply as soon as possible
We will reply as soon as possible to any reminder emails we receive. If you understand the feelings of the person waiting for a reply to your reminder email, you will be able to reply immediately. It may be difficult to respond to emails when you are busy, but try to respond immediately after reading them.
It would be even better if you added a note of gratitude for the reminder email. Subtle consideration leads to building relationships of trust.
Always reply to any email
It is important to respond to all emails, not just reminder emails. If you think there will be a delay in replying because you don’t know your schedule yet or it’s difficult to confirm your attendance, let us know that and the approximate schedule.
If your reply is delayed, please reply with an apology. If you don’t mind being late and don’t mention it at all, it will make the other person mistrust you.
Considering business manners
Sending reminder emails is basic business etiquette. The purpose of reminder emails is not to make requests or urges, but to maintain smooth relationships between your company and other companies through early confirmation and response.
It is important to maintain a good relationship with each other and ultimately strive to improve the performance of both parties. Reminder emails are indispensable to avoid business delays and ensure smooth business operations.
Observing good manners can be said to be a steady marketing strategy.
summary
We have explained the outline and necessity of reminders, as well as situations and examples of how to use them, with example sentences. In a business setting, reminder emails are a very basic type of email exchange, but in this article, you should have been able to confirm the meaning of reminders and how to use them. If you want your business to succeed, you need to find meaning and value in things that seem obvious.
Even if it is not a large-scale marketing activity, communications such as reminder emails can be considered a marketing strategy.
If you want to steadily advance your company’s development, remember that reminders can be used effectively.