5 Great Annual Review Email Templates To Copy & Paste

It's that time of year again—time to reflect on the past twelve months and connect with your audience through an annual review email.

Figuring out what to say can be tough, but you don't have to start from a blank page. Using a template provides a solid starting point, helping you craft an effective message with ease.

Tips for writing Annual Review Emails

• Make it about them. Instead of just listing your wins, connect them to your audience. How did your progress this year help them? Frame your achievements through the lens of customer benefit. This shifts the focus from "look what we did" to "look what we did for you."
• Show your impact with data. Numbers are powerful. Rather than just saying you had a good year, quantify it. Mention growth percentages, the number of new features shipped, or how many people joined your community. Presenting this data in a clean, visual way makes your impact much clearer than a block of text.
• Design for scannability. Your audience is busy. Respect their time by designing your email for a quick read. Use short paragraphs, bold text for key takeaways, and plenty of white space. A well-structured email makes your message easy to absorb.
• Add a human element. A note from the founder or a team photo can transform a corporate update into a personal message. It reminds your audience that there are real people behind the brand, which helps build a genuine connection.
• Tease what’s next. A year-in-review is a great time to look back, but don't forget to look forward. End your email with a hint of what's on the horizon for the new year. It creates anticipation and gives your community a reason to stay tuned.

Types of Annual Review Email Templates we will cover

1. Performance Summary Email Template
2. Goal Setting Email Template
3. Feedback Request Email Template
4. Achievements Highlight Email Template
5. Development Plan Email Template

5 Annual Review Email Templates

1) Performance Summary Email Template

<template>

Subject: Your [*Year*] Performance Summary

Hi [*Employee Name*],

This email summarizes your performance for [*Year*]. It’s designed to give a clear overview of your contributions and set the stage for our upcoming conversation.

Key Achievements

Your work this year has made a significant impact. Here are a few highlights:

• [*Detail a specific accomplishment and its positive result.*]
• [*Mention another key project or success, linking it to team or company goals.*]
• [*Add a third achievement that showcases a particular skill.*]

Areas of Strength

We’ve been consistently impressed with your abilities in these areas:

• [*Describe a specific strength, e.g., "Your approach to [Task] has improved team efficiency."*]
• [*Highlight another positive attribute, e.g., "Your contributions to [Project] were instrumental in its success."*]

Opportunities for Development

As we look to the year ahead, here are a few areas we can focus on for your professional growth:

• [*Identify a skill or area for development, e.g., "Gaining more experience in [Specific Software/Skill]."*]
• [*Suggest another area for focus, e.g., "Taking a lead role on a smaller project."*]

Please review this summary ahead of our meeting on [*Date*] at [*Time*]. We will use this as a starting point to discuss your progress and set goals for [*Next Year*].

I look forward to connecting then.

Best,

[*Your Name*]

[*Your Position*]

[*Company Name*]

</template>

2) Goal Setting Email Template

<template>

Subject: Let's Plan for [*Next Year*]

Hi [*Employee Name*],

Following up on our recent performance discussion, it's time to look ahead and set your goals for [*Next Year*]. This is an opportunity for us to align on what you want to achieve and how it connects to the company's direction.

To get started, please think about the following areas and come prepared to discuss them:

• Professional Goals: What specific skills do you want to develop or what new responsibilities would you like to take on? Think about where you want to be in your career and what steps will get you there.
• Project Goals: Are there any upcoming projects you're particularly interested in leading or contributing to? Let's identify key projects where you can make a significant impact.
• Performance Metrics: What measurable outcomes can we set to track your success? This could include targets for efficiency, quality, or other key performance indicators relevant to your role.

Please draft a few initial goals based on these points and add them to our shared document here: [*Link to Goal Document*]. This will give us a great starting point for our meeting.

Let's meet on [*Date*] at [*Time*] to finalize these goals together.

Looking forward to mapping out a successful year with you.

Best,

[*Your Name*]

[*Your Position*]

[*Company Name*]

</template>

3) Feedback Request Email Template

<template>

Subject: Your thoughts on [*Year*]

Hi [*Employee Name*],

As we look back on [*Year*], your perspective is key to shaping what comes next. This is your space to share feedback on your experience with the team and at [*Company Name*].

To help guide your thoughts, consider these questions:

• Your Role: What parts of your work felt most energizing this year? Where did you feel the most friction?
• Team Collaboration: How did our team dynamic feel to you? What could make our collaboration smoother or more effective?
• Support & Resources: Did you have the tools and support you needed to succeed? What was missing, or what could have been better?
• Looking Ahead: What is one thing you hope we do more of in [*Next Year*]? What's one thing we could improve?

Please gather your thoughts and send them my way by [*Date*]. Your feedback can be as simple as a few bullet points or more detailed—whatever feels right to you. Your input is confidential and will directly inform our planning for the year ahead. We'll go over it together during our review.

Best,

[*Your Name*]

[*Your Position*]

[*Company Name*]

</template>

4) Achievements Highlight Email Template

<template>

Subject: [*Year*] in Review: What We Built Together

Hi [*Customer Name*],

As [*Year*] comes to a close, we wanted to share a few milestones we reached with your help. Your support is behind everything we do, and we’re excited to show you what we’ve accomplished.

This year was all about [*main theme of the year, e.g., helping you design with more freedom*]. Here are a few highlights:

• [*Key Achievement 1*]: [*Briefly explain the achievement and its benefit to the user, e.g., We launched [New Feature] to give you more control over your designs.*]
• [*Key Achievement 2*]: [*Share a specific number or stat, e.g., Our community grew by [Number], bringing more creators together.*]
• [*Key Achievement 3*]: [*Mention another accomplishment and how it empowers users, e.g., You and other members sent over [Number] emails this year.*]

None of this would be possible without you. Thank you for being part of our community and trusting us with your brand.

We’re already working on what’s next for [*Next Year*] and can’t wait to share it with you.

Cheers,

[*Your Name*]

[*Your Position*]

[*Company Name*]

</template>

5) Development Plan Email Template

<template>

Subject: Your [*Next Year*] Development Plan

Hi [*Employee Name*],

Following our conversation about your performance and goals, let's outline your development plan for [*Next Year*]. This plan will serve as our roadmap for your growth at [*Company Name*].

Here is a summary of the key areas we discussed for your professional development:

• Focus Area 1: [*Describe the first skill or area for development, e.g., "Mastering Advanced Data Analysis."*]
• Action Steps: [*List specific actions, e.g., "Complete the [Specific Course] by [Date], lead the analytics for [Project]."*]
• Focus Area 2: [*Describe the second skill or area, e.g., "Developing Leadership Skills."*]
• Action Steps: [*List specific actions, e.g., "Mentor [Junior Team Member], take the lead on our next team initiative."*]
• Resources: We've allocated the following resources to support you: [*List any budget, tools, or mentorship opportunities.*]

Please review this plan and let me know if it aligns with your aspirations. Once we're in agreement, we can finalize it.

I'm excited to see you take on these new challenges and grow in your role.

Best,

[*Your Name*]

[*Your Position*]

[*Company Name*]

</template>

What about using Flodesk?

With these five annual review email templates ready to go, you need a platform to bring them to life. Flodesk provides intuitive email marketing tools designed for small businesses, helping you grow and monetize your email list. You can create, send, and automate emails that engage your audience and drive revenue—no coding or design skills required.

Our platform gives you access to a straightforward email builder, powerful automations, and well-designed forms, providing everything you need for your email marketing without the complexity. Trusted by over 100,000 businesses, Flodesk helps both beginners and experts send beautiful, high-converting emails in a radically simple way.

Wrapping up

With these templates, you have a solid foundation for crafting meaningful annual review emails. The next step is sending them in a way that reflects your brand's quality.

Flodesk helps you create and send emails that look as good as they perform. You can sign up and start building your next campaign today.