Most late payments are not refusals. The invoice went to the wrong person, sat in an approval queue or was forgotten. A good payment reminder sequence assumes that, starts friendly and gets firmer only if it needs to. Here are five emails with timing, using one invoice: $2,400 due on the 15th from a client called Greenleaf Dental.
The schedule at a glance
- 3 days before the due date: a heads up.
- 1 day after: a plain reminder.
- Day 7 overdue: ask what is blocking it.
- Day 14 overdue: state the terms.
- Day 30 overdue: a final notice before you pause work.
Email 1: before the due date
Subject: Invoice 1042 is due on the 15th
Hi Rosa, a quick heads up that invoice 1042 ($2,400) is due on the 15th. The payment link is below, and a check or transfer works too. Let me know if it needs to go to someone else in your office. Thanks, Sam
The line about someone else is the useful one. Invoices often go to the wrong inbox.
Email 2: the day after
Subject: Invoice 1042, reminder
Hi Rosa, invoice 1042 for $2,400 was due yesterday. I have attached it again with the payment link. If you already sent it, thank you, and please ignore this. Sam
Email 3: a week late
Subject: Is anything holding up invoice 1042?
Hi Rosa, invoice 1042 is now 7 days past due. Is something holding it up, such as a purchase order number or an approval? If so I can fix it today. Sam
Asking what is blocking it gets more replies than a demand, because it hands the other person an easy reason to answer.
Email 4: two weeks late
Subject: Invoice 1042, 14 days past due
Hi Rosa, invoice 1042 ($2,400) is 14 days past due. Our agreement has net 15 terms, and a late fee of 1.5 percent a month applies after that. Could you tell me the date I can expect payment? Sam
Only mention a late fee if your contract includes one. The rules on what you can charge differ by state, so read late payment fees for small businesses first.
Email 5: a month late
Subject: Final notice on invoice 1042
Hi Rosa, invoice 1042 is 30 days past due. I need payment by Friday to keep the project on schedule, and I will pause work after that until it is settled. If there is a problem, please call me today. Sam
What makes these work
- Every email repeats the invoice number and amount so nobody has to look it up.
- Every email has a payment link, and each one stays short.
- You call after email 3. A voice message is hard to ignore.
Prevent the next one
Put terms on the quote and the invoice, take a deposit for new clients (see how to ask for payment) and send the invoice the day the work ends. For a deeper sequence on one stubborn invoice, see how to follow up on an unpaid invoice.
A last point about tone. Every email above is written to a person who may be busy rather than dishonest, and that is usually the truth. Keep your messages free of sarcasm and capital letters. If you later need to escalate to a formal notice or a collection step, a calm record of five polite emails is the best evidence you were reasonable. Save every email and note the date of any call you make. If the amount is large, consider asking an attorney in your state what steps you can take next, since the rules differ.
If you are tired of chasing, Rocketship tracks quotes and sends ones your buyers sign and pay through Stripe, so the money is easier to collect. See the plans.