Advice to Timid Folk in Dealing with Late Payers

Looking for a Professional Way to Nudge Slow Paying Clients but you feel Nervous or Intimidated?

 Recently, I read an article about how to get slow Bobs to pay their bills. But the advice it offered was more oriented toward what you should do before you take on the job--it didn't help those who are already sitting waiting to be paid so they can buy a few groceries and put another payment toward the late electric bill.

The fact is, most late payers are not aware of the consequences, sometimes devastating consequences, of their behavior. If your client is in the arts, a musician, play write, or anime illustrator, for example, he or she may actually not have the money to pay. That says one of two things: Number one, they never intended to pay, or number two, they're having a hard time getting paid so that they can pay their own bills--your account included. But this type of client is rare.

Putting Forth Your Suggestion

Most of us work for corps or small business where the budget for the work we do is set. Therefore, the money is already there. The slow payment is due to an employee that doesn't feel any pressure to pay right away, or possibly has been told to wait until this or that big AP comes in. It could also be due to the fact that many bookkeepers are now part-time. If they come in, it's only for a few hours a week, and most of them work from home. While we writers are toughies and work every day, not everyone is compelled by the same inspiration or avocation; sending out checks can be quite tedious (although I would think for what I make it might also provide some degree of entertainment).
In any case, if you are of the Timid Persuasion, not at all unusual for creative people, you may find it difficult to come up with ways to approach your Late-paying Bertrams. Let me share with you some of the successful approaches I have taken. I will say that first of all, adopting the Paypal method, even though 3% of my already meager earnings is usurped by the hungry giant, Paypal offers a freedom from papers, envelopes, stamps, trips to the bank (in some cases), and an easy way to nudge Lazy Louise. Use the Reminder feature and add in a professional but pointed personalized note:
Here are some examples:

• Just wanted to thank you again for the Rush Job you requested last month and give you the opportunity to try out the same timing on this invoice.
• I was checking my books, and I noticed that I had billed your company last month. I was wondering if you could check your books to see if you had paid my company last month.
• Working for you was one of the highlights of my month--the only thing I can think of that would increase my great pleasure would be to receive a your corresponding response in recompense.
• They say that among the top 5 characteristics of a great company are a company's prompt attention to the invoices of its sole proprietors. You sure seem like a great company to me.
• Just checking back to make sure all was well with the work I submitted last week, and to let you know I'm fully prepared to receive payment. 

I don't know how brave you are, or if any of these suggestions even require much courage, but the light touch with a bit of humor has been successful for me, and I hope it will be for you!