Debate: Should you send a reminder invoice before the due date or only after it's late?

An old freelancer buddy of mine told me I was being too pushy sending a "friendly reminder" 3 days before the due date. He said clients hate that and I should wait until 5 days past due instead. But I swear I've gotten paid faster ever since I started those early reminders! Over the last 6 months, my average payment time went from 22 days down to 16. Has anyone else changed their approach based on feedback like this? What side are you on?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandra_moore3023d ago

100% with you on this one. I switched to sending a friendly nudge about 5 days before the due date about a year ago and my clients actually started paying closer to 10 days early on average. I think your buddy's advice is outdated, honestly. My experience is that people appreciate the heads up, it keeps your project top of mind, and nobody has ever complained about a polite, simple reminder email that just says "hey, just a quick note that your invoice is coming up." Plus waiting until it's late can feel confrontational to me, I'd rather avoid that awkwardness altogether. Your results speak for themselves too, that 6 day shift is a huge win in my book.

gracej9923d ago

My buddy runs a small web design shop and he tried the preemptive reminder thing for like 6 months and said it actually made clients more annoyed not less. Some people got passive aggressive replies like "I know when my bills are due, thanks." I think the difference might be the kind of clients you have. I work with mostly creative agencies and they tend to be super disorganized so a reminder feels like nagging to them. They'd rather just get a late notice and pay then deal with extra emails. Not saying your way is wrong, just that it really depends on who you're dealing with.

kim_mason5522d ago

What kinda clients are we talking about here? Honestly, I had this one client who was a small bakery owner, and I sent her a reminder two days before the due date. She called me up and was like "hey I got your email, my flour supplier never does that, it felt a bit much." But then another client who runs a landscaping company told me he loved getting my early reminders because he always forgets to pay until he gets the late notice. Tbh I think it's way more about the person than the industry. Some people just have their systems set up and a reminder throws them off, while others need that tap on the shoulder. Ngl I just started asking new clients upfront if they want a heads up before the due date or if they prefer to just get a late notice if it slips.