After I first began freelancing, I wasn’t very strategic with my shopper decisions. I’d usually accomplice with red-flag shoppers (or scammers), which might both end in very late funds for my enterprise (assume: longer 90 days overdue) or unpaid invoices.
Fortunately, that’s all modified now — I now have nice shoppers who’re a pleasure to work with (and in addition make well timed funds!).
Having mentioned that, I’m no stranger to the anxieties that include overdue funds. I’ve additionally acquired to acknowledge that I’m not the anomaly right here. As freelancers, we’ve all had shoppers who pay later than we’d like or those that don’t pay in any respect.
In the present day, I’ll share a couple of choices you’ll be able to think about for a couple of choices you’ll be able to think about for fee reminder messages. I’ve both personally used these templates or have seen different freelancers leverage them. All in all, they’ve a superbly well mannered tone however will nonetheless show you how to receives a commission and preserve a constructive relationship.
Just a few templates to think about for reminder emails
With out additional ado, listed below are some tried-and-true fee reminder e-mail templates you’ll be able to steal.
1. A easy and candy reminder e-mail
This mild reminder e-mail template is for whenever you’ve labored with a shopper for a substantial time period and know they often pay on time however have sadly forgotten to pay you by the required timeframe. Consider a delay of perhaps 2–3 days for this situation.
“Topic: Fast reminder about excellent fee
Hey [Client Name],
Hope issues are going properly with you!
I wished to drop by and allow you to know that bill no. XYZ continues to be unpaid. I do know issues occur, which is why I’m rapidly sending a reminder message to ping you about the identical.
I’ve reattached the bill to this e-mail. Please let me know if in case you have any questions or issues about it.
I’d additionally respect it in the event you may drop me a message as soon as the fee has been processed!
Greatest,
[Your Name]”
SOURCE: TheFreelanceFiles.com
Alternatively, right here’s one other fee reminder template you’ll be able to think about sending:
Because you’d have already got some credible belief in your shopper (assuming you’ve beforehand labored with them), it pays to be well mannered and never assume the worst. Once you ship the primary reminder e-mail, at all times give your shoppers the advantage of the doubt.
2. Specifies dates in your reminder messages
One other method to construction your reminder emails is so as to add due dates. In most situations, in the event you ship your unique bill to your particular person of contact, they’re seemingly forwarding it to the accounting group with out understanding a lot about when your fee is due (or how late it’s been because you’ve been paid).
If you happen to specify dates immediately in your message, it helps them see simply how behind they’re on fee, they usually can internally escalate the matter with the accounting group that will help you receives a commission.
On that word, right here’s one fee reminder template from Kat Boogard that specifies due dates:
Hey [Name],
I hope you’re doing properly!
I’m checking in to substantiate you acquired the bill. Pleasant reminder that fee for that is due on [Date].
Please let me know if in case you have any questions!
All the very best,
[Your Name]”
SOURCE: TheFreelanceFiles.com
On this version of the publication, she additionally recommends making a logistical plan for funds with shoppers upfront (e.g., in some situations, shoppers might require you to fill out a direct deposit kind or enroll on a fee portal).
3. Re-mention the phrases of your contract
Within the situation that you just’re new to working with a shopper, and also you’ve already despatched them a number of fee reminders and have solely heard crickets in return, it may be helpful to re-mention the phrases of your contract.
This overdue fee reminder e-mail may look one thing like this:
Hey [Client],
I’m scripting this e-mail to you to remind you in regards to the pending fee for bill no: [#] that’s due on [date].
Please word that, as per the phrases of our contract, if the fee will not be made by this due date, a late payment of [X]% will probably be utilized.
If in case you have any questions, be at liberty to ship them over!
Greatest,
[Your Name]”
SOURCE: TheFreelanceFiles.com
If the problem escalates, and also you’ve exhausted all choices to succeed in out to the shopper and get your cash from them, many freelancers have additionally thought-about the choice of enlisting the assistance of a lawyer and serving shoppers a discover.
I haven’t gone via this course of myself, however from many of the tales I’ve heard, most shoppers, even those who haven’t responded in eons and virtually ghosted you, nonetheless find yourself paying the cash at this stage.
Lest they don’t reply at this stage, my freelancing pals inform me the following step of the method is to go to an precise small claims court docket.
4. Attain out to totally different of us at totally different positions
It could additionally occur that your late fee might not be the fault of your shopper or your particular person of contact. It may very well be a straightforward mistake, like your level of contact leaving the group and your bill getting misplaced inside the cracks.
For such conditions, you could possibly remind the brand new level of contact in regards to the overdue bill. Or you’ll be able to shoot an e-mail to totally different of us from the identical group.
Normally, this particular person would both be the CEO, proprietor, or somebody from the accounting group — no matter contact you may get. LinkedIn or a instrument like Hunter is an effective way to seek out the right contact data.
On that word, right here’s how one can construction this e-mail:
Hello [Name],
My identify is [Name], and I’m writing to you as a result of I’ve an impressive bill with [name of organization] and thought you’d be the suitable particular person to contact.
As you would possibly know, my level of contact, [Name], has left the group, and I believe my bill has slipped via the cracks as a result of their departure.
Because of the identical, I’ve hooked up my bill to this e-mail. You too can contact [name of point of contact] to reconfirm all particulars.
Please let me know if in case you have any questions!
Greatest,
[Your Name]”
SOURCE: TheFreelanceFiles.com
You too can copy and tweak this template even when your level of contact hasn’t left the corporate and as an alternative has simply ghosted you—-it’s a sadder actuality, nevertheless it occurs.
Just a few finest practices from one freelancer to a different
Now that you’ve got a couple of templates you’ll be able to attempt, let’s cowl a couple of finest practices to bear in mind when sending these emails to get you paid sooner.
- Think about automating your entire fee course of so that you don’t have to take a seat and observe every fee and ship reminders. You need to use cash tracker apps for this use case, and plenty of of them will ship reminder emails in your behalf. Your fee particulars are already locked and loaded.
- All the time create a contract — in the long term, that is one thing that’ll assist each events. As a freelancer, you’ll be able to point out fee phrases (like net-X days, late fee charges, scope of labor and fee for every deliverable, and so on.).
- If you happen to can, attempt to ship your invoices on the final enterprise day versus the final day of the month (that is one thing I realized from Stefan Palios).
- All the time point out the fee due date in your invoices. Why? If you happen to’re working with a big group that hires a number of freelancers, all of them would seemingly have totally different fee phrases. If you happen to don’t specify your fee due date, the accounting group would possibly pay you in accordance with their pay cycle.
- Make it tremendous straightforward to your shoppers to pay you. Many freelancing pals I do know join totally different fee portals (like Payoneer and Sensible) that permit shoppers to course of funds via credit score/debit playing cards or different fee strategies.
[Side Note: As a freelancer who lives in a different country than most of my clients, I can personally vouch for this tip. This is mainly because direct bank transfers from one country to another can cost a pretty penny in transaction fees, but payment platforms have a considerably lower fee.]
- If you happen to can, at all times get some upfront payment in order that even in the event you don’t make any cash on the undertaking, you don’t lose out on a lot. For reference, many of the freelancers I’ve spoken to cost a 100% upfront payment for smaller tasks and a 20–50% upfront payment for bigger tasks.
It’s additionally worthwhile to say that upfront charges are primarily vital whenever you’ve solely simply began working with the shopper — most long-term retainer shoppers won’t require an upfront payment because the belief has already been established.
- Attempt to have a couple of extra fee templates available (e.g., thanks notes for funds — on that word, you’ll be able to copy a couple of templates from right here).
- When unsure, you’ll be able to at all times think about authorized motion for severely overdue funds (and lack of response). Ship one remaining e-mail reminder with the bill fee particulars and any missed fee deadlines. Maintain knowledgeable tone.
Develop your freelancing enterprise with Millo
As a result of freelancing is a occupation that requires most of us to work in our personal bubble from residence, it additionally creates some discrepancies about necessary matters like cash, shopper administration, work alternatives, creativity, and extra.
However one factor I’ve seen about freelancing is that it’s a genuinely useful group. You’ll be able to:
- Develop your online business via on-line sources which have expert-led recommendation.
- Discover solutions to your burning questions on platforms like X and LinkedIn.
- Share your tales on locations like Superpath.
- Attain out to a fellow freelancer for ideas.
One useful resource that I’ve personally loved up to now few months is the Millo publication, and right here’s why:
- It doesn’t take a lot time out of your day-to-day routine to learn (I’d virtually be doing a disservice to my enterprise if I didn’t want a free, 5-minute e-mail each week).
- It covers all the required matters (i.e., shoppers, cash, development, productiveness, legality, creativity, and so on).
- It additionally sources its insights from precise freelancers, so you understand their cash is the place their mouth is.
On that word, in the event you’d prefer to entry this useful resource, right here’s the place you’ll be able to enroll!
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