Late invoices start with fuzzy scope
WhizSuite · 2026-08-06
Collections is often a writing problem that shows up thirty days later.
They should recognize the month
If the invoice could belong to any agency, they will set it aside to "check what this was." Use their words for the work: the campaign name, the networks, the month.
A short note in the portal next to the invoice can point at the calendar. You are helping their finance person, who was not on the creative calls.
Send to the right human
Approvers and payers are often different people. Ask for the payer at kickoff. Sending a beautiful PDF to a founder who does not pay bills is a delay you chose.
Copy the account manager so they can answer questions without a scavenger hunt.
Follow up once, specifically
One reminder with the amount, the month, and the due date. A pile of nudges with new tone each time looks disorganized. Disorganized vendors get deprioritized.
If there is a dispute, pause and name the line. Do not resend the same total louder.
Fix the template after a miss
Every late payment is a chance to see which line confused them. Adjust the template. A template that needs a phone call every month is not a template.
Track days to pay for each client. The slow ones may need a deposit or a different term. Hope is not terms.