Business Email Template Library (AU)

When to use

Triggers:

"Email template for [scenario]"
"How do I write an email to [specific situation]?"
"Help me draft an email that [outcome]"
"Chase an overdue invoice" / "Cancel a service" / "Ask for a referral"
"I need to say [difficult thing] politely"

Don't fire for:

Cold-outreach sequences (use au-cold-outreach-spam-compliant)
Full email campaigns to a list (use email-campaign-writer)
Customer-support ticket responses at scale (different workflow)

The meta-rule: is email even the right channel?

Before writing, check — is email the best channel?

| Situation | Best channel | |---|---| | Something important that needs written record | Email | | Something urgent (<24 hrs) | Phone, text, or in-person | | Something complex or emotional | Phone first, then email to confirm | | A simple confirmation | Text is often faster | | A relationship at risk | Phone; then follow up in email | | A legal or contractual matter | Email (and consider posting) | | A celebratory moment | Handwritten > email > text | | A first introduction to someone senior | Email (from a warm intro path) |

If the right channel isn't email, the skill should say so before drafting.

The 6 voice axes

Any business email sits somewhere on these. The skill calibrates based on the situation:

Formal ↔ Warm (legal letter vs "just a quick note")
Direct ↔ Diplomatic (state the ask vs build up to it)
Long ↔ Short (full context vs one-line)
Personal ↔ Impersonal ("I hope Jack is well" vs "We confirm receipt")
Assertive ↔ Deferential ("We need this" vs "If possible")
Current ↔ Traditional ("Hey, quick one" vs "Dear Ms Smith")

AU professional norm: warm-direct-short-personal by default. Adjust for the receiver's context (a lawyer's formal letter gets formal-back; a supplier's chatty style gets matching warmth).

20+ scenario templates

Each gets the template + when to use + 2–3 voice variants.

Follow-up after a meeting (no action agreed yet)

Subject: Good to meet — next steps

Hi [First name],

Great to chat [this morning / yesterday / on Tuesday]. Quick recap of what came up:

[3–5 bullet points of key things discussed]

I'll [specific thing you said you'd do] by [date]. On your side, [specific thing they said they'd do] — happy to help if useful.

[One forward-looking sentence — what this sets up.]

[Single CTA — when's the right time to reconnect]

— [First name]

Voice variants: Formal ("Dear First, thank you for your time"), Warm ("Mate, great chat"), Direct ("Quick follow-up").

Follow-up to an unreplied email (soft nudge)

Subject: Following up — [original subject]

Hi [First name],

Just bumping this one up — no rush, want to make sure it didn't get lost.

[1-sentence reminder of what's in the original]

[Any new info or context that's relevant]

Happy to discuss or answer questions — phone's [number] if easier.

— [First name]

Don't guilt. "Haven't heard back" / "chasing this up" hits wrong.

Follow-up to a cold prospect (first re-touch)

Use the au-cold-outreach-spam-compliant skill; different rules apply.

Proposal / quote cover

Subject: Proposal for [scope] — [Company]

Hi [First name],

As discussed, attached is our proposal for [scope summary in one line].

Highlights:
- [Key scope point]
- [Key pricing point]
- [Timeline]

Happy to walk through it on a call if useful, or shoot any questions straight back.

Valid until [date]. Happy to flex on [specific item] if that opens things up.

— [First name]

Never send a 6-paragraph email with the proposal attached. Attach the document; summarise in the body.

Payment chase (friendly — invoice 1–14 days overdue)

Subject: Invoice #[N] — just a quick nudge

Hi [First name],

Just a quick nudge on invoice #[N] ([amount], dated [date]) — it's currently [X] days past due.

If there's anything that needs clarifying, I'm happy to help. Otherwise, bank details are on the invoice; BPAY or EFT are easiest.

Cheers,
— [First name]

Payment chase (firmer — 21+ days overdue)

Subject: Invoice #[N] — follow-up required

Hi [First name],

Invoice #[N] ([amount], issued [date]) is now 21 days overdue. Our standard terms were [X] days.

Can you let me know by [date] either:
1. When I can expect payment, or
2. If there's an issue with the invoice we need to resolve first

After [specific date], I'll need to apply late-payment interest per our terms (2% per month) and pause further work on [project] until the account is cleared.

Happy to jump on a quick call if that's easier — [number].

— [First name]

Introducing yourself to a new contact (warm intro)

Subject: [Mutual name] said we should talk

Hi [First name],

[Mutual name] mentioned you might be the right person to talk to about [specific topic]. They said [brief reference to what was said].

Quick context: [2 sentences — who you are, what you do, why this conversation]

Worth a short chat? Happy to work around your schedule — here's my calendar: [link]

— [First name]

Requesting a referral / intro

Subject: Quick favour — [specific ask]

Hi [First name],

Hope you're well. I'm [specific thing — e.g. expanding into Brisbane hospitality clients / looking for a great commercial accountant / exploring [specific thing]].

You mentioned you know [specific person or type] — would you be comfortable making an intro? Happy to draft the intro email so all you'd need to do is forward.

If it's not the right time or fit, no worries — just ask.

Thanks,
— [First name]

Keep the ask specific and make it easy for them to say yes OR no.

Cancelling a supplier / service

Subject: Service cancellation — [Account / Subject]

Hi [First name],

Thanks for the service so far. I'd like to cancel [service / subscription] effective [date — usually end of current billing cycle].

Context (optional): [1 sentence on why — or skip if not offered]

Please confirm the cancellation and whether there's anything I need to do on my side.

— [First name]

Don't apologise for cancelling. Don't over-explain. Be clear and polite.

Cancelling a meeting / commitment (with notice)

Subject: [Meeting] — need to shift

Hi [First name],

Apologies — I need to move [meeting] from [original time]. Something's come up on our end that can't wait.

Could we do [3 alternative times, each specific with time zone]?

Again sorry for the shuffle.

— [First name]

Cancelling without notice / emergency

Pick up the phone first if possible. Follow up in email confirming. An in-the-moment apology over voice lands better than any written apology.

Responding to a complaint

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for raising this — I wanted to get back to you personally rather than through a generic response.

You're right that [acknowledge the specific thing that went wrong]. That's on us, and I'm sorry it happened.

Here's what we're doing about it:
- [immediate fix]
- [systemic fix if applicable]

On your specific situation, I'd like to [offer something concrete — refund, redo, credit, whatever is appropriate].

If there's anything else I can do, please let me know. Otherwise I'll follow up [date] to confirm the resolution is on track.

— [First name]

Key moves: acknowledge specifically, not vaguely; name the fix; offer resolution; don't argue publicly.

Declining a request (saying no professionally)

Subject: [Request] — quick reply

Hi [First name],

Thanks for thinking of us for [request]. Appreciated.

I'm going to pass on this one — [one short, honest reason]. [If relevant: recommend an alternative.]

If the situation changes or there's a different angle worth exploring, happy to revisit.

— [First name]

Don't apologise for saying no. Don't make excuses. Don't leave the door ambiguously open if the answer is really no.

Asking a client for a review / testimonial

Subject: Quick favour?

Hi [First name],

Really glad [specific thing from the engagement] landed well. Been great working with you.

Quick favour — would you be up for leaving us a Google review? Direct link: [URL]

If a written testimonial is easier, even 2–3 sentences on [specific thing] would be gold.

Either way, genuinely appreciated.

— [First name]

Ask once. Don't chase. Don't incentivise (that creates ACL issues — see review-response-au-reputation).

Sending a "sorry for the slow response" email

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [First name],

Apologies for the slow reply — [brief real reason, 1 sentence]. Back now.

On your question: [substantive answer]

[Any additional context]

Happy to keep going — what's the next step on your side?

— [First name]

Don't over-apologise. One line acknowledging it, then get to business.

Meeting request

Subject: [Specific topic] — quick meeting?

Hi [First name],

[1-sentence context for why we're meeting]

Would a [15 / 30] minute [call / coffee] work? I'm free:
- [Option 1 — specific date + time + TZ]
- [Option 2]
- [Option 3]

Or pick something that works: [calendar link]

— [First name]

Always offer the times yourself; don't make the receiver open a calendar tool.

Saying thanks (not just "thanks for your email")

Subject: Thanks — [specific thing]

Hi [First name],

Just a quick one — [specific thing they did] made a real difference. [One line on the impact.]

Really appreciate it.

— [First name]

After-sale check-in (30–60 days post-purchase)

Subject: How's [product/service] going?

Hi [First name],

Just a quick check-in — how's [product/service] been since we got you set up?

Anything specific working well? Anything I should know about?

— [First name]

Short, no agenda beyond hearing back. Often surfaces upsells AND problems in the same reply.

Renewing a client relationship (renewal date approaching)

Subject: Your [service] renewal — 30 days out

Hi [First name],

Your [service] renewal is coming up on [date]. Quick summary of the past year:

- [Key outcome or milestone 1]
- [Key outcome 2]
- [Any notable change in scope]

For the next year, I'd suggest [specific adjustment — scope, pricing, cadence].

Happy to jump on a call to discuss, or reply with thoughts and I'll update the paperwork.

— [First name]

Offering a discount / concession

Subject: Re: [original conversation]

Hi [First name],

Thought about what you said re: [pricing / scope / timeline].

Here's what I can do: [specific concrete offer — "reduce the scope to X for the same price" or "keep scope, move from $X to $Y in exchange for a 2-year commitment"]

Let me know if that works — if not, happy to explore other angles.

— [First name]

Only offer discounts when you're genuinely willing to. Don't offer and then resent it; don't offer to try to close fast on a deal that's otherwise no-fit.

Handling a scope-creep situation (politely but firmly)

Subject: Scope check — [project]

Hi [First name],

As we chat about [recent request], I want to flag — it falls outside the original scope we agreed on.

Original scope: [1-line summary]
This new piece: [1-line summary — what's different]

Two options:
1. Fit it into a new mini-scope — estimate [hours / cost]
2. Keep it for a later phase — queue it up for when we revisit [milestone]

Both work for us — what suits on your side?

— [First name]

Don't do scope-creep silently and then complain later. Flag it in writing as it comes up.

Voice rules

Use first names with people who've used first names with you
Sign-off with a first name only (not "Sincerely, [Full Name] [Title] [Company]")
Contractions ("I'm", "we've", "can't") — you're in a conversation
Avoid filler: "I hope this email finds you well", "I trust you're having a great week", "Reaching out to..."
AU English: organise, colour, favour — but be consistent across the email (don't mix AU + US)
No emoji in professional B2B unless the thread has already established that norm

Output format

Per request:

Template — ready to paste, with clear [placeholders]
Voice variant chosen (formal / warm / direct) + why
Subject line + 1 alternative
Channel check — if email isn't the best option, say so

What this skill does NOT do

Send emails. Copy and send from your own address.
Auto-reply to inbound. That's a rules-engine or helpdesk.
Cold outreach sequences. Different compliance rules (au-cold-outreach-spam-compliant).
Replace the conversation you should have had on the phone.

Tier access

Base. Daily universal use. Pro-tier adds voice matching from past sent emails.

Related skills

email-campaign-writer — for campaigns to a list
au-cold-outreach-spam-compliant — for new-contact outreach
review-response-au-reputation — different channel, same clarity principles