Clients are dragging their feet on payments lately. I’m considering changing my invoicing approach to see if that helps.
I just don’t want to complicate my bookkeeping process, which is running smoothly. I need to speed up the payments without disrupting my routine.
Put your payment info directly on the invoice - account details, payment links, whatever makes it easy. Don’t make clients dig around to figure out how to pay.
For bigger companies, I send a copy straight to accounting too. The person who hired you usually isn’t writing the checks.
Just add a payment tracking column to whatever system you’re already using. Mark stuff as sent, reminded, or paid. Takes seconds and you’ll know exactly who needs a follow-up.
Penalties beat discounts every time. I charge 2% monthly on overdue invoices.
Here’s what works:
Penalties make clients respect your payment terms. They’ll pay on time to dodge the extra hit.
Bookkeeping’s easy - just log penalties as income when they roll in.
I keep it simple - cash or check when I finish the job. No waiting for approvals.
I send invoices twice monthly now instead of big monthly batches. Weird, but it actually smoothed out cash flow.
New clients pay upfront or we do splits on bigger jobs - half up front, half when done. Stops the foot-dragging.
When existing clients get slow, I call them. Skip the formal email dance. A quick “hey, did you get my invoice?” usually does it.
Bookkeeping stays the same - I just get paid faster.
Payment terms are worthless without follow-up. Send the invoice, then call when they’re late.
I added my business hours and contact info to my invoice footer. Something like “Questions about this invoice? Call me M-F 9-5 at [number].”
Simple change, but it works. Clients actually reach out now instead of ghosting me when they’ve got budget issues.
I get way more calls asking to split payments or explaining their approval process. Beats the silent treatment.
I also put the project completion date right on the invoice. Shows them exactly when I wrapped up, so they know how long it’s been sitting.
Bookkeeping stays the same. You’re just making invoices feel less like demands and more like opening a conversation.
Change your invoice template to make payment feel urgent. I switched to red text for the amount due and it actually worked.
Also try this:
Make it harder for them to ignore than to just pay. Most slow payers aren’t trying to screw you - they’re just disorganized.
Your bookkeeping stays the same. You’re just changing how you present the invoice, not how you track it.
I just call them if they go past 10 days.
I cut down to just checks and ACH transfers. Credit cards create unnecessary delays and eat into your profits with fees.
Put your bank info directly on the invoice - makes it dead simple for clients to pay immediately.
This video covers payment terms that actually get results:
Your bookkeeping doesn’t change at all. You’re just removing the friction that gives clients excuses to delay payment.
I just ask for half up front now.
Get approval on your estimate before you start. Sounds obvious, but most people skip this.
Once they approve it in writing, attach that approval to your invoice. Clients pay way faster when they see their own “yes” staring back at them.
Here’s what I do:
No extra bookkeeping. You’re just building a paper trail that holds clients to what they agreed to pay.
It works because they can’t argue about work they specifically said yes to. Kills those “let me review this” delays that drag payments out forever.
Put the actual due date on invoices - “Payment due: March 15th” instead of just “Net 30.”
Clients can’t play dumb about when they owe you money.
I send invoices the same day I finish the work. Why wait until month end? Start that payment clock immediately.
Stop emailing invoices. Hand it to them when you finish the job - right there on site. They can’t lose it or claim they never got it. I collect payment immediately for smaller jobs. Bigger jobs get the invoice with a handshake and reminder about when it’s due. People respect you more when you ask face to face instead of hiding behind emails.
Switched to progress invoicing on bigger jobs - way better than waiting for one huge payment at the end. I break projects into chunks and bill after finishing each part.
Like on a $5000 job, I’ll send four $1250 invoices throughout the project instead of one massive bill. Clients handle smaller amounts easier, and I’m not stuck waiting forever for payment.
Bookkeeping’s simpler too. Regular smaller payments beat those huge gaps between checks.
Always ask about their payment schedule upfront now. Some companies only do checks twice a month or have crazy approval hoops. Knowing this helps you time invoices right.
Shorten your payment terms. Try 15 or even 10 days instead of 30.
I also add a small early payment discount, like 2% if they pay within 5 days. This works well and keeps my bookkeeping simple.