As a business person or a freelancer rendering a service, your most important job is to deliver quality work. After that box is checked, the next phase is the hard part – getting paid. While you should receive payment automatically, this isn’t always the case, as you’d almost have to send a payment request email before getting paid.
It’s not unusual for business persons and freelancers to wait long before they receive payment. When this happens, how do you request payment?
In this article, we will answer that question and provide all the information necessary to send a payment request email and the best samples to use.
As a business owner or a freelancer, delayed payment does a lot of harm to you and your business. This is why most freelancers ask for an advance before a job starts. But this is also not a guarantee that you’ll get paid the balance when the job is completed.
So, how do you stop delayed payments? There are few options for freelancers, remote workers, and online service providers to request payment except via email.
How to Make a Payment Request?
When writing a payment request email, it is important not to lose your cool. This means a payment request must be written politely, even overdue.
The sole reason behind this is maintaining a good relationship with said customer. It is not uncommon for clients to misinterpret your words; your payment request email must leave no room for that to happen.
Also, most clients and customers can take offense at your tone and decide not to honor the arrangement. And as a freelancer or a remote worker, there’s not much you can do.
Most business owners often feel trepidation when the time to ask for payment arises. This fear generates from a need to always provide great customer service. If you don’t send a payment request email to an overdue client, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
When sending a payment request email, it must be done immediately after the task is delivered and has been accepted. Do not wait too long before you ask for payment.
Learning how to request payment will not only strengthen your relationship with your customer, it is also an extremely important email etiquette you will have to master if you’re an online service provider.
In the online service industry, it is advisable to intermittently send short payment request emails to remind them before and after the due payment date.
How to Write a Payment Request Email
In this section of the article, we’ll provide tips on how to write an email requesting payment.
- Express gratitude for working with the client. Especially in the first emails sent to request payment, make sure you express gratitude for getting to work with the client.
- A payment request email should be short. This isn’t an email detailing the challenges or how the project went. This section of the email should only request payment.
- Be succinct. Belaboring the point above, you must be straightforward when writing an email to request payment.
- Be detailed with everything concerning the payment. Everything concerning the payment should be stated in this email. From the invoice number, the amount due, type of project, and expenses incurred during the project.
- Include details about the payment agreement. This is usually included after the due date has elapsed. Include this in your email if the client is contractually bound to honor their agreement.
- Be courteous. Writing an email to request payment is a sensitive subject. Regardless of this, your email requesting the payment must be polite and professional. It should be done professionally, even when you’re relaying your disappointment to the client. It goes without saying that there should be no foul language in your email.
The tips above should serve as guides and pointers for when you need to write an email to request payment.
How to Avoid Late Payments as a Freelancer
The most important tip to avoid late payment is to communicate clearly with your client. That said, here are more tips on how to help you avoid late payment.
- The task should be completed before requesting payment. It is unprofessional to ask for payment before a task is completed. If you do this, you run the risk of losing the client even if they end up paying on time.
- Make sure you have a legally binding contract. Before you start working on a project, send a legally binding contract to your client that dictates your terms of engagement.
- Send an invoice immediately after a job is completed. Do not wait days after a job is completed before sending an invoice.
- Offer your client percentage discounts when they pay promptly.
- All communications with the client must be friendly. This point is significant if you just started working with the client. If you’re too friendly with a client, they may take advantage of it, and this will reflect in how they handle your payments.
Payment Request Email Samples.
In this section of the article, we’ll give samples and templates you can copy when writing your payment request emails.
The samples given in this article will be divided into four sections.
- Request before the due date
- Payment request on the due date
- One week past the due date
- Two weeks past the due date
Request Before Due Date
Normally, this email is sent as a reminder before the payment is due. Make sure to keep it short and informative.
Subject: Payment reminder Hi Johnson, I hope this email finds you well. It was great working with you on the project, and I just wanted to give a quick update that the invoice is due one week from today. Here’s a link to the invoice and different payment methods. If you have any questions concerning the invoice, please let me know. Best Regards, Jim Blessed Shakespen Copywriting
Payment Request on the Due Date
On the due date, send a short reminder to the client reminding them that payment is due on that day. Also, express your availability to answer any inquiry they have.
Subject: Payment invoice is due today Hi Johnson, I hope all is well since the last time we spoke. I’d like to express my gratitude again for working on the project with you. This email is a reminder that your invoice is due today, and the fee is ($500) You can make payments via Paypal, direct transfer, or CashApp. If you’d like to suggest another mode of payment, please let me know. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you. Looking forward to working with you in the future. Kind regards, Jim Blessed
One Week Past the Due Date
If after sending the two emails the client still does not respond to you, then it is time to use a firmer tone. This does not mean sounding unprofessional. The client could have valid reasons for their inaction.
Subject: Reminder: Invoice was due a week ago Hi Johnson, Payment is one week overdue, and I haven’t heard anything from you. A copy of the invoice has been attached to this email. The payment is for $500 and was due on the 7th of June. Please let me know if there’s another way to reach out to you on any member of your team to make payment. If you have any update on when you’ll make payment, kindly let me know. Thanks, Jim Blessed
Two Weeks Past the Due Date
Subject: Reminder: Invoice was due two weeks ago Dear Johnson, This is the third email I’ve sent concerning the payment. I have attached the invoice to the email as well. Payment is $500. According to the agreement that was signed, late payment incurs an extra charge. If you have any questions, kindly, reach contact me. If you have paid the payment, kindly send me a receipt of the payment. Best Regards, Jim Blessed.
What to Do if Your Payment Request Emails Fail
If all of the above fails with the client, the next available option is to call them. When calling clients to request payment, keep your frustration in check. This is easier written than done, but you must always maintain professionalism in all your interactions with your client.
When calling a client to request payment, make sure to do it with a personal approach. This means making the call to find out why the payment is delayed and not to accuse them or relay your frustrations.
If a call does not work, then you should consider legal options if you have a binding contract.
You can also consider hiring the services of a collection agency.
None of the above is guaranteed to get you paid, but all options are available.