My old way of chasing invoices was a total joke

For the first two years, I'd send a single email and then just hope. I lost over $4,000 to ghosting clients. The change came after a guy in Austin owed me $800 for three months and his phone just went dead. Now, my system is brutal: invoice goes out day one, a reminder at 7 days, and a phone call at 14. If it hits 30 days, they get a letter from a lawyer friend. It's not fun, but my unpaid pile is zero. What's your cutoff point before you bring in the big guns?

3 comments

3 Comments

martin.vera1mo ago

Wow, that lawyer letter at 30 days is SERIOUS. Do you find that having that strict deadline actually makes clients pay faster, or does it just scare off the slow ones for good?

wilson.diana2mo ago

Honestly my cutoff was basically "until I felt bad about asking." Which meant never. I had one invoice from like 2018 I was still side-eyeing last year. Finally sent a "hey remember me?" email that was so awkward it hurt to type. They paid in two hours. Guess my shame is a stronger motivator than their accounting department.

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allen.terry2mo ago

so awkward it hurt to type" is the real mood, @wilson.diana.