Payment reminders that get you paid, by email and DM

The due date has come and gone. Nothing. You check your account twice a day and start to wonder if you did something wrong.

You did not. Most late invoices are not refused, they are stuck: in the wrong inbox, waiting for a sign-off, or missing a purchase order number. A short, clear reminder usually unsticks them.

Before the due date

The best reminder is the one you send before anyone is late. Three or four days ahead, send a short note. It finds out early if the invoice reached the right person, while there is still time to fix it.

Subject: Invoice 0042, due Tuesday

Hi Leo,

A quick note that invoice 0042 for the October campaign, USD 600, is due on Tuesday, 17 November. The invoice and pay link are here: [link].

If it needs to go to someone else in your team, just let me know who.

Thank you, Maya

If you have not yet agreed your terms in writing, start there. Our guide on how to invoice a brand covers payment terms, purchase orders and who to send the invoice to.

On the day

On the due date, if nothing has arrived, send one light line.

Subject: Invoice 0042, due today

Hi Leo,

Just checking that invoice 0042, USD 600, reached the right person. It is due today. Here it is again: [link].

Thank you, Maya

Send it in the same thread as the invoice, so everything sits in one place.

One week late

Now ask directly. You are not accusing anyone, but you need a date. Give them an easy way to tell you what is wrong.

Subject: Invoice 0042, one week overdue

Hi Leo,

Invoice 0042 for USD 600 was due on 17 November and I have not received payment yet. Could you let me know when it will be paid?

If anything is missing on your side, such as a purchase order number or a different billing address, tell me and I will send a new copy today.

The pay link is here: [link].

Thank you, Maya

Ask one clear question: "When will it be paid?" gets an answer, "Just following up" often does not. And check your side: the right company, PO number and currency.

Two weeks late

Widen the circle. Write to your contact and the finance or accounts team together, and mention the terms you both agreed.

Subject: Invoice 0042, now two weeks overdue

Hi Leo, and hello to the accounts team,

I am writing about invoice 0042 for USD 600, for the October campaign. It was due on 17 November under the 14-day terms we agreed, and is now two weeks overdue.

Could you confirm a payment date by Friday? The invoice and pay link are here: [link].

Thank you for your help, Maya

Keep the tone even: what was agreed, what was delivered, what is owed. If your contact has left the company or gone quiet, the finance team can often pay without them.

The last message

If two weeks pass with no date, send a final message. It is still polite, but it sets a deadline and says what happens next. Only say what you will really do.

Subject: Final reminder: invoice 0042

Hi Leo,

Invoice 0042 for USD 600 is now four weeks overdue. I have written on 17 November, 24 November and 1 December.

Please pay by 22 December. After that date, I will add late payment interest as allowed in my terms and take the next step to recover the debt.

The pay link is here: [link].

Maya

What the law may say. Rules on late payment differ by country, and this is not legal advice. Two examples:

• In the UK, a business paid late by another business can usually claim statutory interest of 8% above the Bank of England base rate, unless the contract sets another rate (GOV.UK).
• In the EU, the Late Payment Directive says payment terms between businesses should, as a general rule, not be longer than 60 calendar days (Directive 2011/7/EU).

Check the rules where you and the client are based. It is much easier to set a late fee before the work starts than to add one after. Our brand deal contract basics covers payment terms and late fees in plain words, and asking for a deposit before you start means less is at risk if a client pays late.

In a DM or WhatsApp

Many creator deals start in a DM, and some clients answer WhatsApp faster than email. Chasing there is fine. Use the same steps, but shorter, and still send the invoice by email so the finance team has a copy.

Before the due date:

Hi Leo, quick one: invoice 0042 for USD 600 is due Tuesday. Link is here if handy: [link]. Thank you!

On the day:

Hi Leo, invoice 0042 is due today. Did it reach the right person? Here it is again: [link]

One week late:

Hi Leo, invoice 0042 for USD 600 is a week overdue now. Can you tell me when it will be paid, or if anything is missing on your side?

A few rules for messages:

• One message, then wait. Do not send three in a row.
• Name the invoice number every time, so they can search for it.

In Piku, you do not have to remember any of this. When an invoice is late, reminder emails go out by themselves at 3, 7 and 14 days late. You can also send one by hand at any time. The client pays by card or mobile money from the link, and a receipt sends itself when the money lands. See how invoices and reminders work.

Questions