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The fee course of will be tough for small enterprise house owners. Particularly in the case of unpaid invoices, you must keep a steadiness of being well mannered sufficient to maintain a terrific relationship together with your consumer, however stern sufficient that your consumer feels a way of urgency to pay you.

Whether or not your consumer is every week late or a month late on funds, we’re right here that can assist you stroll that tightrope.

On this article, we’ll begin with ideas for politely asking a consumer for fee, after which we’ll present e mail templates for each stage of the fee reminder course of that may show you how to get paid quicker.

Let’s begin with some ideas!

Strive automated fee reminders

Activate automated fee reminders and make sure you by no means need to elevate a finger to ensure you get paid on time.

What ought to I embody in my fee reminder e mail?

Get straight to the purpose. Embody these essential gadgets that it’s best to embody in your reminder message:

• The preliminary fee due date
• How lengthy the fee has been overdue
• The excellent steadiness
• Cost choices
• Attachments or hyperlinks to invoices which can be related 
• Directions on the right way to make fee 
• Your late fee phrases and insurance policies, together with relevant late charges or penalties

These are the minimal necessities for what to supply in your follow-up emails. To ensure you’re speaking clearly, let’s stroll by 10 ideas for crafting your reminder messages. 

HoneyBook fee reminder schedule

10 greatest practices to writing fee reminder emails

1. Use a transparent topic line

Make your consumer’s life simpler by giving all of them the knowledge they want immediately out of your e mail’s topic line.

When writing your e mail topic line:

• Use clear key phrases like “Cost reminder” or “Overdue bill”
• Embody the bill quantity
• Embody the fee date

Right here’s what that appears like in motion:

Topic: Cost Reminder: Bill 1/3 – Due October 1

2. Discuss with the bill

Don’t make your consumer dig by their e mail historical past to seek out the excellent bill. Re-attach the bill to your e mail, or present a hyperlink should you’re utilizing an on-line bill. When you’re vulnerable to forgetting so as to add attachments, connect the bill earlier than you kind a single phrase, or use a system like HoneyBook that attaches the bill file to every fee reminder e mail routinely.

3. Begin with a well mannered introduction

You don’t wish to come off as too chilly. Begin your e mail with a well mannered and private introduction. This ensures that you simply’re utilizing a pleasant tone, which can be extra more likely to get a response. That may be so simple as greeting the consumer by identify after which together with a single line wishing them properly. 

Simply remember to strike a steadiness with knowledgeable tone as properly. I like to recommend avoiding exclamation factors or emojis so your consumer is aware of you continue to imply enterprise. 

4. Personalization may also help

Personalizing the fee reminder may also help keep a constructive relationship with clients. Methods for personalization will be primarily based on buyer historical past, preferences, or previous interactions. The hot button is balancing professionalism with personalised touches to encourage motion. 

5. Tone and language

Write in knowledgeable and courteous tone whereas conveying the urgency of the state of affairs. Keep away from accusatory language. Give attention to problem-solving and help. Contemplate expressing appreciation for previous enterprise whereas requesting well timed fee. This communicates that you simply value your relationship with the consumer.

6. Make the fee phrases clear

Sure, this sounds apparent. However it’s crucial a part of your e mail is to remind the consumer how a lot is due, and when the fee is (or was) due.

Don’t be obscure: embody the precise due date of the bill and keep away from making complicated statements like “due on receipt.” If you must ship a number of reminders, proceed to replace the timeline, whether or not it’s a day overdue, every week, or extra. Doing so will show you how to doc the late fee in case it is advisable refer again to your reminders.

7. Embody particulars on the right way to pay

When you could embody fee particulars on the bill itself, you must also embody a transparent name to motion in your e mail to finish the fee. You possibly can both embody a hyperlink to your fee portal or present detailed directions for making a fee. For instance, should you settle for checks, you’ll wish to ensure that your purchasers know who to handle the test to and the place to ship it. 

8. Affirm receipt

If this isn’t your first reminder, it’s possible you’ll wish to use this chance to test together with your consumer that they’ve really obtained your bill. Not solely does it provide you with peace of thoughts, nevertheless it’s additionally a handy strategy to shift the dialog to one thing aside from “please pay me.”

For instance:

Please verify receipt of this bill so we will ensure that now we have your appropriate contact info. 

When you’ve already obtained a reply to a earlier e mail from the consumer, you could possibly modify this part to ask your consumer when it’s best to anticipate to obtain fee.

9. Embody penalties of late fee

If the fee is already late, you’ll have to remind your consumer about your late fee coverage. However except the fee is actually late, attempt to not sound too threatening.

For instance:

As a delicate reminder of our fee phrases, a late price of 5% might be utilized for each week the overdue fee isn’t paid.

Different insurance policies may embody canceling the contract. You may not have to repeat your full late-payment coverage, however remember to remind your purchasers about any milestones which can be arising, reminiscent of canceling companies at a sure date or making use of one other late price. 

Simply needless to say it is advisable set up late fee phrases in the beginning of your working relationship—ideally in an on-line contract. In any other case, you may’t pursue any authorized motion in regard to those insurance policies. 

10. Benefit from automated emails

Retaining monitor of which funds are late and the way late can take up an excessive amount of of your time. When you’re manually sending reminder emails, it’ll turn into tedious. As an alternative, use automated e mail reminders which you can arrange for every consumer. Simply because they’re automated doesn’t imply that they’ll’t be personalised. While you arrange your e mail templates, you may nonetheless incorporate your pleasant, pure tone. 

With a system like HoneyBook, you simply activate fee reminders so that you don’t even have to consider them. Not solely do you improve your possibilities of getting paid on time, however you may also spend much less time writing emails.

3 examples of fee reminder emails

Listed here are some helpful fee reminder e mail templates that may show you how to get paid quicker. 

Cost reminder e mail prematurely

Sending this e mail every week prematurely is a good sign to your consumer that you simply anticipate to be paid on time. On your first fee reminder e mail, preserve it well mannered, quick, and informative.

Right here’s the right way to write a terrific one-week reminder e mail:

One-Week Reminder E-mail

Hello Maria,

I hope you’re doing properly! It is a pleasant reminder that bill #1, totaling $1,000, is due for fee on October 1—one week from right now.

Please be at liberty to contact me when you’ve got any questions in regards to the bill or fee particulars.

Thanks,

Rick Roberts

On this e mail, you don’t have to be too aggressive. On this case, we didn’t connect the bill or embody fee particulars, as we assumed the consumer has this info and is ready to pay on time.

Due date fee reminder e mail

It’s additionally advisable to ship an e mail on the date the bill is due. On this case, you continue to wish to preserve it pleasant, however it’s best to embody extra fee particulars.

Right here’s an instance of a fee reminder e mail on the fee due date:

Due Date Reminder

Topic: Cost Reminder: Bill #01 – Due At the moment

Hello Maria,

Good morning! I simply needed to remind you that bill #1, totaling $1,000, is due for fee right now (October 1). 

I’ve connected a duplicate of the bill to your comfort. Cost will be made by direct deposit, financial institution switch, or test.

Greatest needs,

Rick Roberts

As a result of the consumer nonetheless hasn’t paid by the due date, you wish to make it as straightforward as doable for them to pay you by offering the full steadiness, the right way to pay you, and the unique bill. However you may nonetheless preserve the fee reminder message gentle and pleasant as a result of there’s nonetheless the prospect that they’ll pay you whenever you ship the e-mail.

Late fee reminder e mail

As soon as the consumer has reached every week with out paying you, you might have the inexperienced gentle to shift to a firmer tone.

Right here’s the right way to write a late fee reminder e mail:

One-Week Reminder

Topic: Cost Reminder: Bill #01 – One Week Overdue

Hello Maria,

I hope all is properly. My information point out that I’ve but to obtain fee for bill #1, totaling $1,000. The bill was due on October 1st, making it every week overdue.

I’ve reattached the bill to your comfort. Cost will be made by direct deposit, financial institution switch, or test.

Greatest needs,

Rick Roberts

As soon as once more, this past-due e mail instance provides the consumer every little thing they should know to have the ability to pay you. Be aware that it’s worded as “I’ve but to obtain fee,” neutralizing the problem of the late fee and never inserting any blame in your consumer.

The way to ship a fee reminder e mail

You possibly can ship your reminder messages manually by any e mail platform like Gmail. Nonetheless, you’re lacking out should you’re not utilizing some kind of invoicing or fee software program. 

The precise software program is designed to take work off of your plate. So, it makes it simpler to discuss with earlier invoices and helps you enhance consumer communication by templated emails and automated reminders. 

When do you have to ship fee reminder emails?

The precise variety of emails and whenever you ship them will fluctuate primarily based on your online business and invoicing schedule, nevertheless it’s greatest to ship reminder emails earlier than the fee is due, on the due date, and after the fee due date (if crucial).

Right here’s an instance fee reminder e mail cadence:

• Superior reminder: despatched every week or just a few days earlier than the due date
• Due date e mail: despatched on the due date
• First late fee reminder: despatched every week after the fee due date
• Second late fee reminder: despatched two weeks after the fee due date
• Third late fee reminder: despatched when the bill is a month overdue

By retaining a predictable and common fee reminder cadence, you’ll set up the professionalism and value of your online business—displaying your consumer that you simply take getting paid significantly.

The way to keep away from late funds within the first place

Understanding the right way to deal with late funds is one factor, however one of the best technique is to keep away from them within the first place.

I like to recommend organising bill reminders in the beginning of any undertaking or consumer relationship. As soon as once more, that is the place an bill software program can turn out to be useful, since a lot of them do that routinely. With out lifting a finger, you may certain your purchasers are conscious of upcoming funds. 

It additionally helps to arrange recurring billing when doable. With this technique, your purchasers can add their bank card to your on-line fee portal and choose automated funds so that they’re billed routinely based on the authorized fee plan. 

Buyer retention methods

Past simply securing fee, contemplate discussing methods for sustaining constructive relationships with clients even when sending reminder emails. This might embody providing versatile fee choices, demonstrating empathy for patrons dealing with financial difficulties, or offering incentives for immediate fee.

What to do should you don’t obtain fee

Earlier than you even face excellent funds, it’s greatest to ascertain your fee insurance policies on the outset. This implies writing down your phrases and procedures and together with them in all your contracts. That means, you’ll know the right way to proceed in each state of affairs. 

It’s greatest to find out what steps to take when a fee is any variety of days overdue in addition to the right way to deal with completely different quantities. For instance, if a fee is 30 days overdue and greater than $500, it’s possible you’ll wish to seek the advice of a lawyer. At 90 days overdue, it could be time to show over the bill fee to a set company. 

These procedures are solely examples, nevertheless it’s greatest to seek the advice of with a enterprise lawyer to find out your greatest plan earlier than taking any authorized motion. 

What are you able to do in case your consumer doesn’t pay?

You’ll hope that your respectful, affordable, {and professional} e mail reminders—interspersed with just a few agency however compelling voicemails—would immediate your consumer to reply in order that issues might be labored out amicably. However hope is neither a technique nor an answer. 

Nonetheless, if all of your communication channels are failing to retrieve your consumer’s unpaid debt, it’s possible you’ll have to take extra formal motion, starting with a debt assortment letter. A debt assortment letter could inform a debtor of their debt, provoke a compensation plan, preview impending authorized proceedings, or mix these duties. If the debtor doesn’t reply promptly with full fee of their debt, you may formally start the collections course of, both by doing it your self or by hiring a set company.

Earlier than partaking an company, contemplate this: Assortment companies will preserve a considerable fraction of the debt as their fee, which regularly makes them a poor alternative for amassing small money owed. Moreover, sending a consumer’s debt to collections is a predictable strategy to sever ties with that consumer. Ask your self should you’re prepared to burn that bridge earlier than you are taking any motion.

Getting paid on time isn’t nearly efficiently reminding your purchasers. It’s about setting the precise phrases in your contracts, providing a simple strategy to pay, and monitoring funds seamlessly. You are able to do it by yourself, or it can save you time with a clientflow administration platform. 

With a system like HoneyBook, you may create one of the best collateral for promoting your companies, ship on-line invoices and contracts, and get paid by the press of a button