After years of wrestling with late payments, I’ve established a reliable approach. By monitoring client payment behavior, I’ve crafted clear escalation steps that lighten the load.
It seems many freelancers either panic or shy away from confrontation. I’ve discovered a balanced method that allows for professionalism without damaging relationships.
I stick to one rule: payment before delivery or within 7 days max.
No exceptions. Need longer? Pay 50% upfront. This kills most payment headaches right away.
If someone goes overdue, I ghost their new project emails until they pay up. Way better than chasing them.
A quick call works wonders. Some people just need a gentle nudge to get back on track.
Late fees were a game changer for me. I charge 2% monthly after 30 days and put it right in the contract upfront. Most clients pay before it hits.
For the stragglers, I’ve got a simple system: reminder at 15 days overdue, second notice at 30 days with the fee added, then I stop working at 45 days and send a final notice.
You’ve got to be consistent though. Once clients realize you’re not messing around with payment terms, they get their act together pretty quick.
Payment terms go in every contract. I never skip this part. Net 15 or net 30 works, but it has to be clear upfront. If it’s past due, send one polite reminder, then call accounts payable directly. Don’t waste time with the project manager. Talk to the person who cuts the checks. They can get things moving faster.
I send a simple note after a few days.
I use a basic spreadsheet to track payment due dates. Makes it super easy to see who’s behind.
Here’s what I do:
Biggest thing I learned? Always assume they just forgot. Most clients aren’t dodging payment - the invoice got lost in their inbox or they’re swamped. Once I stopped taking it personally and treated it like a simple mistake, everything got way easier.
I also ask new clients about their payment process during onboarding now. Some companies have crazy approval chains that take forever. Finding this out early saves tons of frustration.