Setting Up Agreement Reminders
Automatic reminders nudge clients who haven’t signed your agreements yet. Instead of manually following up, scheduled reminders ensure pending agreements don’t slip through the cracks.
What Are Agreement Reminders?
Agreement reminders are automated emails sent to clients with pending agreements. They remind clients to review and sign agreements they haven’t completed.
How they work:
- You send an agreement to a client (status: Pending)
- Client doesn’t sign immediately
- After a set number of days, system sends automatic reminder
- Reminders continue at intervals until client signs or maximum reminders sent
All automatic—no manual work required.
Why Use Reminders
Clients forget:
Busy clients intend to sign but get distracted. Reminders keep your agreement top-of-mind.
Saves you time:
No need to manually follow up or send reminder emails.
Increases sign rates:
Studies show reminders significantly improve completion rates.
Professional persistence:
Automated reminders maintain professionalism without seeming pushy.
Prevents deals from stalling:
Unsigned agreements delay project starts. Reminders speed up the process.
Accessing Reminder Settings
Reminder settings are typically found in:
- Settings → Email Settings
- Settings → Agreements
- Settings → Notifications
Location varies by system layout.
Configuring Reminder Settings
Enable Reminders
Toggle: Enable Agreement Reminders
Turn reminders on or off globally for all agreements.
When disabled, no automatic reminders are sent (you’ll need to follow up manually).
First Reminder Delay
Setting: Send first reminder [X] days after agreement sent
What it controls:
How many days after finalizing the agreement before the first reminder is sent.
Examples:
- 2 days: Quick turnaround for urgent agreements
- 3-5 days: Standard for most businesses
- 7 days: More relaxed, gives clients time
Recommendation:
3-5 days works well for most situations. Balances urgency with politeness.
Consider:
If clients typically sign within 24 hours, a 3-day first reminder catches stragglers. If your agreements typically take a week to review, 7 days might be better.
Reminder Frequency
Setting: Send reminders every [X] days
What it controls:
The gap between subsequent reminders after the first.
Examples:
- 3 days: Persistent follow-up
- 5-7 days: Balanced approach
- 10+ days: Gentle nudging
Recommendation:
5-7 days between reminders is common. Frequent enough to maintain momentum without annoying clients.
Maximum Number of Reminders
Setting: Stop after [X] reminders
What it controls:
Total number of automatic reminders sent per agreement.
Examples:
- 2-3 reminders: Conservative, avoids seeming pushy
- 4-5 reminders: More persistent
- Unlimited: Continues until signed (not recommended)
Recommendation:
3 reminders is typical. Beyond that, personal follow-up is more effective.
Example timeline with 3-day first delay, 5-day gap, 3 max:
- Day 0: Agreement sent
- Day 3: First reminder
- Day 8: Second reminder
- Day 13: Third reminder
- After Day 13: No more automatic reminders (manual follow-up if needed)
Reminder Email Content
Reminders use an email template you can customize:
Access via:
Settings → Email Templates → “Agreement Reminder Email”
Typical content:
- Subject: “Reminder: Please Sign [Agreement Name]”
- Body: “Hi [Client Name], this is a friendly reminder to review and sign the agreement we sent. Click below to view and sign.”
- Link: Button or URL to access the agreement
See: Configuring Agreement Email Notifications for email template details.
When Reminders Stop
Reminders automatically stop when:
- Client signs the agreement (status: Signed)
- Agreement is cancelled (status: Cancelled)
- Agreement is recalled to Draft (no reminders for Draft agreements)
- Maximum number of reminders reached
Manual Override
If reminders are enabled globally but you don’t want reminders for a specific agreement:
- Check for per-agreement reminder settings (if available)
- Or disable reminders globally, send the agreement, then re-enable
Systems vary in whether per-agreement overrides are supported.
Tracking Reminders Sent
Some systems show a log of reminders sent:
- Date and time of each reminder
- Which reminder it was (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Recipient email
Useful for understanding client responsiveness.
Client Experience
What clients receive:
- Automated email at scheduled intervals
- Same agreement link as original email
- Friendly reminder tone (not demanding)
Clients don’t know:
Whether it’s an automatic reminder or manual follow-up. The email is personalized.
Best Practices
✅ Enable reminders: They dramatically improve sign rates with zero effort.
✅ Start after 3-5 days: Gives clients adequate time without excessive delay.
✅ Space reminders 5-7 days apart: Maintains rhythm without annoyance.
✅ Limit to 3 reminders: Beyond that, reach out personally or call.
✅ Customize email tone: Make reminder emails friendly and helpful, not aggressive.
✅ Monitor reminder effectiveness: Check how many agreements sign after reminders vs. before.
✅ Follow up personally after max reminders: If client hasn’t signed after 3 automatic reminders, a phone call or personal email is appropriate.
Common Reminder Schedules
Aggressive (quick turnaround):
- First reminder: 2 days
- Gap: 3 days
- Max: 3 reminders
- Timeline: Days 2, 5, 8
Standard (balanced):
- First reminder: 3 days
- Gap: 5 days
- Max: 3 reminders
- Timeline: Days 3, 8, 13
Relaxed (generous time):
- First reminder: 7 days
- Gap: 7 days
- Max: 2 reminders
- Timeline: Days 7, 14
Choose based on your industry, agreement urgency, and client expectations.
Disabling Reminders Temporarily
If you want to pause reminders (during holidays, for example):
- Disable the reminder toggle in settings
- Reminders stop for all agreements
- Re-enable when ready
Agreements sent while reminders are disabled won’t retroactively send reminders (usually).
Reminders vs. Manual Follow-Up
Automatic reminders:
- Consistent timing
- No effort required
- Impersonal (same message for all)
- Good for initial nudges
Manual follow-up:
- Personalized messages
- Address specific concerns
- Requires time and effort
- Better for complex situations or persistent delays
Best approach:
Use automatic reminders for the first 2-3 nudges. If client still hasn’t signed, switch to personal outreach.
Common Questions
Do reminders annoy clients?
Rarely, if sent at reasonable intervals. Most clients appreciate reminders—they’re busy and genuinely forget.
Can I send different reminders for different agreements?
Usually not on a per-agreement basis. Reminder settings apply globally. Some systems may offer more granular control.
What if a client complains about reminders?
Apologize and explain they’re automatic. Offer to turn them off for that client (may require manual handling).
Do reminders work for signed agreements?
No. Once signed, reminders stop automatically.
Can I see if a reminder was sent?
Some systems log reminder activity. Check the agreement detail page or history.
What happens if I change reminder settings after sending an agreement?
Typically, new settings apply to future reminders. Already-scheduled reminders may use old settings.
Can clients unsubscribe from reminders?
Usually no. Reminders are transactional (related to agreements they requested to review), not marketing emails.
Do reminders count as spam?
No, if sent to clients who expect agreements. They’re relevant, time-sensitive communications.
