When it comes to getting paid, it’s vital that you make it easy for clients pay you. The harder it is for clients to pay you, the more time you will spend waiting. This can make things difficult for your cash flow situation.
If you want to make it easy for clients to pay you, here are some things to consider:
Find Out What Payment Method Works for the Client
Figure out what payment method works best for the client. In many cases, clients want to be able to pay with a credit card. The good news is that there are many payment companies, like Due, that allow clients to choose how they pay you, whether they send a check or whether they use a credit card to complete a transaction through a third-party payment processor.
Find out what is going to be easy for the client, and you will be more likely to get paid faster.
Be Flexible in the Way You Accept Payments
One of the great things about today’s invoicing software is that you can manage most of your invoices from one place, but you don’t have to worry about a different payment system. Many systems allow recipients to simply click on a button in your invoice email and go right to a landing page that allows them to pay you. It’s a great way to ensure that you get paid without causing a lot of strain for your clients.
There are a number of cool cash alternatives available as well. You don’t only have to accept “traditional” currency. There are ways for you to get paid in bitcoin or by using something like bitgold. These types of transactions can be especially useful if you are working with international clients. Providing more options makes it easy for clients to pay you — and they are more likely to pay you faster.
Make the Invoice Easy to Read
Make sure the invoices you send are easy to read. You’ll make it easy for clients to pay you when they can quickly and easily see what they owe you, and when you expect to be paid. Review your invoice to ensure that it’s easy to understand. You want to make it transparent so that there are few questions. You don’t want to waste time explaining your invoice to the client. A clear invoice is quickly paid.
I have many clients who I barely talk to. We meet up once a year or so at conferences and catch up, but we don’t need much interaction beyond that. We have a system down. It’s easy for them to pay me, and it’s easy for me to accept what they send. As a result, the working relationship is smooth. It benefits the client as well as me because it means that the work isn’t interrupted, and it’s one less thing to worry about.
The easier you make things for your client, the easier it is for him or her to pay you — and the longer your relationship is likely to last.
