Got a client with a 45-day overdue invoice. It’s not a massive amount, but it’s messing with my budget.
I typically send polite reminders, but I’m curious if there are more effective strategies that maintain professionalism for future projects.
After dealing with this too many times, I now send the first reminder at 30 days. Then at 45 days I call instead of just emailing - way more effective.
For really stubborn ones, I offer a payment plan. Split it into two or three chunks over the next month. Most people will take that option because it gives them an out without looking bad.
I also started asking for 50% upfront on new projects after getting burned a few times. Clients who push back on that are usually the ones who won’t pay anyway.
The phone call thing really works though. Email is easy to ignore but most people will work with you when you actually talk to them.
Stop working for clients until they clear their balance. That’s what I do now.
I learned this the hard way after chasing payments for months. Now I just pause all work when someone hits 30 days overdue. Most clients pay within a week once they realize you’re serious about it.
I charge late fees at 1.5% per month after 30 days. This gets clients moving when they see the extra cost. Keep all documents like emails and contracts. When I send reminders, I include copies so they know I’m serious. If it goes past 60 days, I hand it to a collection agency. They take 30% but it’s better than losing everything.
I just ask for half up front now.
I’ve found that setting clear payment terms upfront makes a huge difference. Here’s what works for me:
- Net 15 payment terms instead of 30 or 45 days
- Late fee clause written right into the contract
- Progress billing for longer projects so I’m not waiting for one big payment
For the overdue ones, I send a final notice with a specific deadline. Something like “Payment due by Friday or we’ll need to discuss next steps.” That usually gets them moving.
The key thing is being consistent. If you let one client slide for 60 days, word gets around that you’re flexible on payment. Other clients start testing you too.
Also worth mentioning - I always check their payment history with other vendors before taking on bigger projects. A quick Google search or asking around can save you headaches later.
I just send one more email then write it off. Not worth chasing people around forever.