by Rachel Smith
20 July 2018
Sending invoices is such an automatic thing when you’re freelancing and just keen to get paid and move onto the next job. But did you ever stop to think about the impression you’re giving to the person scanning it at the other end? Your invoice is just another great way to show appreciation, offer information and build better business relationships. Here are some creative ways to customise and personalise your invoices to clients and editors.
It’s not just polite – research suggests those two little words could increase the likelihood of your invoices being paid. I use Rounded for invoicing and it has a box at the bottom of the invoice where you can include a personalised message. Given most of my invoices go straight to the editor or client before being shuffled off to accounts, I make the most of that box with a sincere message. ‘Thank-you – great to work with you as always’ or ‘Thank you! Please get in touch next time you need good copy’. Using the person’s name is always a nice touch: ‘Thanks for the work, Tom! It’s much appreciated’. You can also use the ‘thank you’ to remind the client of how long you’ve worked together: ‘Thanks for letting us take care of all your copy needs since 2012, Nancy! Looking forward to your next brief’.
Given one in five small businesses report a payment delay of 60 days or more, you might find offering a discount for speedy payment puts a rocket under those clients that drag their feet. Or, it could just be a little perk of doing business with you and something you offer on all your invoices: ‘Thanks so much for the work! As one of my valued clients, I’d love to offer you a 5 percent discount if you pay this invoice within X days’. You could go one step further and calculate what that saving might look like, eg: ‘Quick reminder: if you pay this invoice in X days, you’ll receive 5 percent discount – that’s a $50 saving on this invoice. Thank you!’
This particular client you’re invoicing might simply hire you to write white papers or do a bit of proofreading – but what if you also do blog posts, social and copywriting? To personalise your invoices to clients – and new clients particularly – use that message box to your advantage and get them thinking about other ways to hire you. So you might have a headline saying, ‘Can I help you with something else?’ or ‘Also available for…’ or even something a bit cheeky: ‘Hey! I’m also awesome at the following…’ followed by a 4-5 line list beneath that with your other services. Don’t forget to include a ‘Get in touch on [mobile] or [email] if I can help’ line at the bottom of your list.
Include a specific call to action.
This could be as simple as a note to let the person know you’ve recently changed your bank account details – putting a note on the invoice saves another email. But why not use it to get them to sign up to your client newsletter, where you share news, tips and special offers at different times of the year? Or to prompt them to leave you a testimonial on your Google listing, or like your Facebook page? ‘Don’t forget to check out my latest work at copybyrach.com.au’ or ‘Find me on Facebook at copybyrach’. It all helps in creating stronger connections with the people who are giving you work, and that’s only got to be a good thing.
Do you get creative on your invoices? Share your tips in the comments.
