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My invoicing system was a mess until a fellow freelancer sat me down

I used to just send a PDF invoice whenever I remembered, usually 2-3 weeks after a job was done. Then I met a graphic designer at the Flying Star downtown who showed me her setup. She uses QuickBooks and sends invoices the same day she finishes work, with a 3% late fee after 30 days. I switched to that system 6 months ago and my average payment time dropped from 45 days to 18. Has anyone else found a billing trick that actually worked?
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3 Comments
victorhernandez
My buddy tried that same thing after hearing about it. Switched to Square invoices with automatic reminders and got paid in 2 weeks flat.
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jackson.max
The 3% late fee thing is smart but I took it a step further after talking to @victorhernandez about Square. I added a 2% early payment discount if they pay within 7 days and honestly it changed everything. People love a little reward and most of my clients now pay within a week to save that 2%. The key is mentioning it right on the invoice in bold so they see it first thing. My average payment time dropped to 11 days after I added that early discount on top of the late fee. It’s a win-win because clients feel like they’re getting a deal and I get my money way faster.
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perry.jesse
Pair that early discount with a QR code on the invoice for instant payments.
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