Invoicing may seem like a chore, but it plays a pivotal part in small and medium-sized businesses getting recognized and paid for their work in a timely manner.
Around 46% of SMBs find it difficult to get paid on time. If you find yourself repeatedly following-up with your client and find it challenging to get compensated after completing your services, it's an opportune time to reframe how you view and design your invoices. Creating an invoice that is clear and thorough will help your clients understand the value you provided and receive payment for that work.
A great invoice is memorable; it aesthetically catches your eye. Start by making sure your invoice displays your company logo proudly. An easy way to give it dimension is by adding different sections and various font sizes. Demonstrate your services with a breakdown of the phases of work. This includes preparation, correspondence, milestones of a project, and details of the hours spent.
You're proud of the work you accomplished. Think about it - why send a lackluster invoice that doesn't match up with the stellar work you put into the overall project? Use your invoice as a key representation of you and your team's services.
We understand your time is valuable, but so is the way you present your invoice. With an invoice template like Accelo's, you can avoid the labor of manually setting them up every time. Create and edit invoice templates and PDF invoices, and setup defaults around how many details you want your clients to view (IE services, materials, expenses, payments and activities). You'll also have the ability to manage the rules around layouts, logos and text. This simplifies the process for your team, enabling them to select and use whenever needed. With our system you can even set up an email that will automatically send out to your clients for auto invoicing.
1. Get Paid Quickly: When you put effort into your invoice layouts and details, you reinforce why you're getting paid. Your clients are less likely to forget your professional, beautifully crafted invoice and more likely will remember to pay it rather than forget to.
2. Own the Opportunity: It's your moment to make the case and demonstrate why the work you charged for in your invoice is worth the price you have for your clients. It's typically hard to show in the service business field why you earned that amount. With a powerful invoice break down exactly what you did, and use it as your platform to highlight your efforts.
3. Avoid Playing Telephone: You've paid your team for the work they've done, but your client has yet to pay for your services. There's no warranty - you can't cut off their service for lack of payment. It can be a disadvantage and all you can do is repeatedly outreach to them until they reply. A fantastic invoice will be that reminder they need to pay you and use your services again.
A well-crafted invoice can be the difference between being paid now or much later. Give Accelo's invoice template a try by signing up for a trial and see how it can make the billing process easy, succinct, informational, and memorable for your clients.
