Free Payment Reminder Template [Docs / DOCX]

Are you tired of chasing clients for payment? Let's fix that with templates that work– no awkward conversations are needed.

Let's face it, you'd rather spend time being creative than sending "Where's my money?" emails. Whether you're a solo designer growing your business or running a team of creatives, getting paid on time keeps your business healthy and your clients happy.

We have an easy-to-use template and simple tricks to help you collect payments smoothly. Think of these as your friendly script for getting paid– professional enough to maintain great client relationships, but firm enough to keep your bank account happy.

What is a Payment Reminder?

Reminders are friendly messages encouraging clients to pay their bills on time. Consider them nudges that facilitate timely payment.

Why do you need this reminder?

Let's be real– everyone gets busy and sometimes forgets to pay their bills. Reminders help you and your clients stay organized and on track. Here's why they're important:

• Sending reminders helps customers keep track of invoices and payments on time. For example, a creative agency might send monthly invoice reminders to their clients a week before the due date to help them stay on top of their payments and avoid late fees.
• When businesses send friendly and professional reminders, they show they care about their customers. For instance, a graphic design studio could include a personalized message in its invoice reminders, e.g. "We appreciate your continued business and wanted to give you a friendly heads-up that your quarterly retainer is due next week."
• Getting paid on time helps businesses pay their bills and run smoothly. These reminders help ensure money comes in regularly, allowing a branding agency to confidently invest in new projects and cover operational expenses.
• Keeping track of who owes money can take a lot of time. Using automatic reminder systems makes this job easier for web design workers and reduces errors.
• Reminding customers about late payments can prevent late fees. It helps the agency and its clients save money.
• Regular reminders help both businesses and customers maintain good credit scores. 

What Happens When You Don't Send Late Payment Reminder?

Not sending reminders can hurt both your wallet and your client relationships. Here's why you should think twice about skipping them:

• When you don't remind customers to pay, they might simply forget. This means you get paid late or not at all, making it hard for your design agency to have enough money to operate. For instance, a client of a branding studio might forget to pay their invoice for a recent project if they don't receive a friendly reminder. You can write “This is a friendly reminder that your invoice for the brand identity project is due on [DATE]. Thank you for your business. We look forward to working with you again.
• Having to personally chase people for money can be awkward and uncomfortable. It can make customers feel bad and damage your relationship with them. Automatic reminders avoid this awkwardness.
• It takes a lot of time for staff to follow up on unpaid bills. They could be doing more important work instead. Automatic reminders solve this problem. e.g. "Hi there, this is a gentle nudge that your monthly retainer payment for our advertising services is coming up on [DATE]. If you need anything from our team, please reach out to us."
• When payments come in late, your business might not have enough money to pay its bills or grow. You might miss chances to improve your business because you're waiting for money. 
• You may need to hire a collection agency to get your money if an overdue payment email is not sent. This costs extra money and can make your business look bad.
• Payment notifications are a chance to talk to your customers positively. Without them, you miss out on building better relationships with customers.
• Without reminders, customers won't know what they owe or when to pay. This can lead to arguments about bills. Regular reminders help keep everything clear and build trust.

How to Create a Simple Late Payment Reminder

Creating one doesn't have to be complicated. Think of this as a friendly letter that needs a few key pieces to work well. Here's what to include to keep it professional and effective:

Must-have elements of an invoice reminder template:

• Header Section. Put your company logo here. Write down your business name, address, phone number, and email so people know who the reminder is from. 

• Date of Reminder. Write when you're sending this reminder. This helps keep track of when you contacted the customer.

• Recipient Information. Use the customer's name to make it personal. Include their mailing address if you need to. e.g. "Dear [Client Name], [Client Address]"

• Invoice Details. List which bill this is about. Write down when you first sent the bill and when it was supposed to be paid. For example,  "This is a reminder about Invoice #2024-0425, which we originally sent you on October 1, 2024. This invoice for design services was due on October 15, 2024."

• Payment Amount. Write exactly how much they need to pay. If they're late, include any extra fees.

• Payment Instructions. List all the ways they can pay (like bank transfer or credit card). If they can pay online, give them clear directions or a link.

• Polite Reminder Message. Write a nice note reminding them about the payment. Thank them for being your customer and let them know you appreciate them paying promptly.

• Call to Action. Politely ask them to pay soon. Let them know they can ask questions if they're confused about anything. e.g. "Please submit your payment by October 22, 2024. If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to contact us at [email] or [phone]."

• Closing Section. Thank them again and remind them to contact you if they have questions about their bill or payment.

Follow-up Payment Reminders

As one might say, sometimes people don't respond to your first payment reminder. Maybe they missed your email, or maybe they're just busy. That's when you need to send a follow-up reminder. Think of it as a gentle nudge more serious than your first message.

What makes follow-up reminders different from first reminders?

• They mention your previous reminder (e.g. "As we mentioned in our email last week...")
• They spell out all the important dates and amounts.
• They're a bit more urgent but still friendly.
• They explain what happens if the payment is late.
• They give a clear deadline for when you need the payment.

When should you send a follow-up?

• About 1-2 weeks after your first reminder.
• When you haven't heard anything back.
• When someone promised to pay but hasn't yet.
• Before you have to take more serious steps to get paid.

Follow-up reminders are like finding the best possible outcome between being too soft and too harsh. You want to be clear that you should be paid while keeping things professional. After all, you might want to work with this client again.‍

👉🏼 Download the Follow up Payment Reminder Template here

Tips and Best Practices:

Here's how to write payment reminders that get people to pay on time while keeping them happy as customers:

• Write short, clear reminders. List the bill number, due date, and how much they owe. This makes it easy for customers to understand what they need to do. e.g. "This is a reminder about Invoice #2024-0425 from Super Mac Designs, which is due on October 15, 2024, in the amount of $2,500."

• Write in a friendly way while staying professional. Being polite makes people more likely to pay while being harsh might upset them.

• Use the customer's name and mention specific details about their bill. This shows you're treating them as individuals, not just sending out mass emails.

• Set up a system that automatically sends reminders at certain times (like a week before the bill is due). This saves time and ensures everyone gets their reminders.

• Start with gentle reminders, then make them more urgent if people don't pay. Don't start with strong language right away.

• Provide several payment options. The easier it is to pay, the faster people usually do it. For example, "You can conveniently pay this invoice online at our secure client portal, www.supermacdesigns.com/pay, or by direct bank transfer to account #12345678."

• Let them know what will happen if they don't pay on time, like extra fees. This helps them understand why paying on time is important. 

• Keep track of which reminders get people to pay and which don't. Use this information to make your reminders better over time.

• Pick good times to send reminders, like right after bills are due. This helps keep payments on customers' minds. e.g. You'll be receiving this monthly invoice reminder from us a few days after the 1st of each month when your payment for our SEO services is due."

• Send reminders on a regular schedule that matches when you send bills. This helps customers know what to expect.

Mistakes to Avoid: 

Here are common mistakes that can make your overdue amount reminders less effective. Avoiding these helps you get paid on time:

• Using harsh words can make customers angry and hurt your relationship with them. Stay friendly and professional, especially in your first reminders.

• Always include the bill number, due date, and how much they owe. Missing these details can confuse customers and delay payment.

• Don't send reminders too early or wait too long. Send a gentle reminder soon after the bill is due, then follow up if they still haven't paid.

• Using the same message for everyone feels impersonal. Use the customer's name and mention their specific bill to show you're talking directly to them.

• Failing to confirm receipt. Make sure customers receive your reminder. It's good to ask them to confirm they got it so you know they're aware of what they owe.

• Overlooking payment options. Always list several ways they can pay and give clear instructions. The easier you make it to pay, the more likely they will.

• Sending just one reminder often isn't enough. Have a plan for sending more reminders if they don't pay, making each one more urgent.

• Sending to incorrect contacts. Make sure you're sending reminders to the person who handles payments. Double-check you have the right contact information.

• Failing to reference previous communications. Mention previous reminders you've sent. This helps show how long the bill has been unpaid and why it's important to pay now.

• Ignoring customer feedback. Listen when customers have concerns about their bills. Being willing to discuss and solve problems helps get bills paid faster.

How to Use Our Payment Reminder Email Template

• Download your free template from our website.
• Customize the template by adding your business name, logo, and contact info to make it look professional.
• Look for the highlighted sections and input details about your client and their outstanding invoice.
• Carefully review the entire reminder before sending it to your client. Ensure all the information is correct.
• Keep this personalized template for future clients.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to review our guide on creating effective payment reminders.

By using the customizable template we provided, you'll be able to streamline your invoicing process and ensure your clients never miss a due date.

Take your client communication and billing processes to the next level, consider exploring tools like ManyRequests. Their all-in-one client onboarding and project management platform can help you stay organized, save time, and strengthen your partnerships. See how it can benefit your creative agency or freelance business with their 14-day free trial.