intajWhat is inside
- Three reminder messages for a late invoice: on the due date, seven days late and fourteen days late.
- A reply to a client who offers less than your price.
- A message that announces a higher rate to an existing client.
- Free tools: the invoice maker, the late payment interest calculator and the hourly rate calculator.
The three reminders
Copy these, change the names and numbers, and send them on schedule. They are short on purpose.
1. On the due date: a friendly nudge
Hi Sam, a quick reminder that invoice INV-012 for 1,200 is due today. The payment details are on the invoice, and I've attached it again here. Thanks!
2. Seven days late: ask for a date
Hi Sam, invoice INV-012 for 1,200 was due on 15 October and I haven't seen the payment yet. Could you let me know when it's scheduled? Happy to resend anything you need.
3. Fourteen days late: a direct conversation
Hi Sam, invoice INV-012 is now 14 days overdue. Could we have a quick call this week to sort it out? Per our agreement, I'll pause new work on the project until it's settled.
Only mention pausing work if your agreement allows it, and do what you say. After the third message, a phone call usually works better than another email.
The full routine: how to follow up on late invoices
When a client offers less than your price
Do not drop the price for the same work. Keep the rate and change the scope, so the client can choose.
Hi Sam, thanks for the honest budget. For 800 I can't do the full project at the quality you saw in my samples, but I can do part of it: the homepage and two inner pages, with one round of changes. If you'd like the full version later, we can add the rest at my usual rate. Which works better for you?
When you raise your rate
Give notice, give a date, and keep it short. You do not need to apologise or explain your costs.
Hi Sam, a quick note: from 1 January my rate for new work will be 60 per hour, up from 50. Everything we have already agreed stays at the current rate. Thank you for the steady work together, and let me know if you'd like to plan the next project before then.
Find the number first: the hourly rate calculator works backwards from the income you want, your costs and the hours you can really bill.
The free tools
- Invoice maker: an invoice with a clear due date and payment details, in any currency, as a PDF. Free, no sign-up, your data stays on your device.
- Late payment interest calculator: the statutory interest and fixed compensation you can add to an overdue business invoice in the UK and many EU countries, from official rates.
- Hourly rate calculator: the minimum rate you need once business costs, time off and unbilled hours are counted.
- Freelance Proposal Kit: a free Notion template for clear proposals, with a follow-up reminder on each one.
- Invoice Tracker Lite: a free Notion template that shows which invoices are due or late.