It’s never fun to ask people for money, even when they owe you.
But for some businesses, that’s how they get paid: They invoice their customers, officially
requesting payment for a job well done.
And just like many things in life these days, invoicing a customer is now way easier thanks
to the internet.
Gone are the days of sending an invoice through snail mail.
I’m Eric Goldschein, editor at Fundera, and today I’m here to talk about sending
an invoice via email.
Whether you’re a freelance writer or the head of a consulting firm, this is the way
to get your invoices paid.
Let’s start with the basics first: Why email?
There are a lot of benefits to going with email over paper invoices by mail.
It’s faster, less likely to get lost, better for the environment, and more economical.
And if your business is still getting off the ground, you may not want to commit to
paying for invoicing software just yet.
For now, you can handle this on your own.
So let’s go over the six steps to sending your invoice by email.
Step 1: Create your invoice
There are three easy ways to create an invoice.
Create a DIY invoice from scratch: Using Microsoft or Google Suite, create your own invoice.
Include the following information:
Your company information (including name and business address
Your customer’s information (including name and business address)
Date issued Payment due date
Itemized list of product or services provided Cost per product or service
Taxes Discounts
Late payment fees Total amount due
You can also use an invoice template.
There are countless downloadable templates across the web that you can use, inputting
your own information.
And finally, you can also use invoice software to create your invoice.
You can sometimes use the software to send invoices directly, or download and attach
your invoices to an email if you prefer.
Step 2: Prepare your invoice for attachment
It’s important to download your invoice as a PDF after you finish creating it.
That way, after you send it, no one else can make changes or edits to your document.
Download your invoice as a PDF from Microsoft Office or Google Suites.
If you’re using invoice software, use their platform to create a PDF version.
Step 3: Attach the invoice to an email
This part should be easy for anyone familiar with their email inbox.
Open up a fresh email, click attach, and attach your PDF-format invoice to the message.
Now, don’t just send a blank email with your invoice.
Craft a message to your client or customer, including important information in the subject
line (the invoice number, your business name, and the due date) as well as in the body of
the email.
In the body of the email, include the following information in any format that suits your
business:
Invoice number Total amount due
Payment due date A brief description of the products or services
rendered Statement that the invoice is attached
Step 4: Review and send
It’s good policy to double-check both your invoice and your email for any grammar, spelling,
or factual errors before you hit send.
Also, make sure your invoice is attached—it’s easy to forget that part of the equation.
Then, hit send.
Step 5: Set reminders for yourself
Unfortunately, very few businesses will get paid immediately upon sending an invoice to
a client.
It may take some following up.
The first step of that is to remember that you’re owed for an invoice.
So set reminders for yourself to follow up with the client at regular intervals, such
as later that week, the following week, and the week after.
Consider using a calendar app, or using your email platform to set the reminders.
Step 6: Sent payment email reminders
This last step is often the hardest, but you should never apologize for insisting on payment
by your due date.
If you need to, send email reminders to your clients that they have a bill with you outstanding,
and you need payment.
If you add late fees to overdue payments, be sure to include that information in your
follow ups, including warnings that a late fee will apply, as well as the updated amount
owed in subsequent follow ups.
If you need some help crafting these messages, check out our article on this topic for templates
you can use.
There’s a link in the description.
Remember: Polite, but firm, language is key here.
That does it for sending an invoice by email.
Hopefully you can use this information to get paid more quickly, more consistently,
and with fewer headaches.
As always, if you have more questions or comments, drop us a line below.
You can also visit Fundera.com, or subscribe to our channel for more videos.
Thanks for watching.