Let’s have a heart-to-heart moment. Have you ever done work for someone only for them to take their time to pay? I can see you’re nodding your head. You don’t want to rudely demand payment but, on the other hand, collecting what’s owed shouldn’t feel like a game of cat-and-mouse.

With the right procedures in place, it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s look at a few ways you can master invoice etiquette and get paid your dues.

Let Technology Do the Work

First: Present yourself like the pro you are. Step up your estimates game and ditch the paper trail. No more driving to check out a job only to have to head back to the office to type up the quote — or worse, back to the work van to manually write one.

Finding a reliable end-to-end client experience platform to conduct your entire estimate-to-payment process can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to meeting your financial needs.

Drafting an estimate that gets approved on the spot is easier than you can imagine. If you can whip out your laptop, phone or tablet and provide a quote in 5 minutes, you’ll prove you’re worth the hire.

If you’re dreading having to reenter payments into Quickbooks, no worries. Thryv integrates and plays nice with Quickbooks Online App, and will seamlessly move all invoices and payments over for you. That means no double duty.

Thryv helps you crush the job

  • Quickly build quotes and estimates within minutes
  • Allow clients to effortlessly approve payment on the go from their mobile device
  • Get paid once the job’s complete with professional invoices

Be Up-front About Everything

If you’re looking to lose business before you land a job, tuck in surprise fees and terms of payment. That’s a sure way to drive customers up the wall and out your door. Clearly communicate what is due for the service and when it’s expected beforehand.

This will not only help you avoid customer service conflicts but also keep the payment process flowing. Invoices that include hidden costs are sure to make clients hesitant to pay up or leave altogether. If you’ll hide fees once, you’re sure to create a name for yourself — and not a nice one.

Make It Easy

The best way to get paid on time is to make it convenient. Make your company easy to do business with and set online payments in place.

Invoice etiquette is about more than making it quick and easy for your customer to receive and view the invoice. Collecting payments from clients should be a breeze, whether that’s with an interactive payment button at the bottom of the invoice or the ability to pay a deposit at the time of booking.

Consider making it financially easy on your clients and offer a discount for bundled services paid online in advance using Thryv Packages.

Thryv is partnered with industry-leading payment processors to make online credit card processing easy at competitive rates. With our simple integration setup, you’re on your way to woo-ing your clients who can pay you using their preferred method, like credit, PayPal, Square, etc.

Manners Matter

The saying goes, “you’ll attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Well, if you’re a bakery, you might not be so fond of the flies, so let’s talk customers. When you’re courteous to your clients, it strengths the relationship.

Something as simple as saying thank you goes a long way. Take the time to set up a thank you automation to trigger after payments and purchases are made. It will not only leave a positively sweet impression but also reflect your over-the-top professionalism.

Get Your Money Early

When it comes to large projects, sometimes your business cannot afford to jump in headfirst. Don’t hesitate to request deposits on the major projects. It’s a great way to secure the job before you invest your time, energy and supplies.

When it comes to collecting early payments, staying organized is a must. Make sure to keep up with all advance and partial payments. Both you and the client should have up-to-date records of what was paid to avoid conflicts and looking unprofessional.

Think about it: If a lawn service tried to double charge you, how willing would you be to continue with the service, let alone use them in the future? Thryv makes it easy to see all of your paid and overdue payments on one sleek dashboard.

Follow Up for Follow Through

Sending the invoice is not the end. Be sure to get your money on time by following up to confirm the due date. Your client might have seen that they owe you $500, but they might have missed the fine print where you noted payment is required 48 hours before service otherwise the job is canceled.

Save yourself time by automating follow up emails and text. That way you can focus on the real work.