Guide to writing an Invoice Email - Freework Template

The many rewards of living an entrepreneur’s life come with discipline, organization, and attention to detail. Whether you’re a freelancer or a small business owner, never underestimate the value of having a few simple tools ready in your toolbox.

Invoice email templates are an incredible example. Having a solid template to follow when it’s time to get paid for your services is one of the best ways to keep your business flowing while maintaining your sanity. It saves you time, makes you money, and makes bookkeeping a breeze.

Creating your templates can be intimidating. But it is more than doable. If you’re wondering where you should begin, you came to the right place. Let’s dive into the simple guide to a professional invoice email template.

What to Include

Email templates assist the freelancer or small business professional tremendously. They save time by providing you with a basic drag-and-drop format for any circumstance. Cold emailing prospective clients and requesting information for projects becomes so much easier when all you have to do is fill in the blanks.

Having a tried and true invoice email template is no different. Not only does it save time, but it reduces the stress that comes along with working for yourself. The good news is, a solid template has a fairly intuitive structure. With a direct subject line, a friendly greeting, a simple email body, and a memorable sign-off, you’ll be on your way to success. Once you have the basics down, it’s easy to personalize to fit your business.

Email Subject Line

The subject line is the first thing your client sees. You want them to know they aren’t receiving a boring email message. You want it to be something simple, detailed enough to grab their attention and let them know the importance of the email. If the subject line is unorganized, it could easily become lost in the client’s inbox. To avoid that misfortune, the subject line should tell the client exactly what they’ll see when they open your email.

You want all the pertinent information of the invoice included.

State the client’s name, the invoice number, and the due date. Most other email templates for your freelance business will likely have a warmer, friendlier subject line. But it’s alright to be a little more technical on payday. Using the client’s name is a great way to stay professional and still personalize the email.

Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Up

We’ll cover late payment email templates soon. For now, it’s good to realize that a follow-up email for an unpaid or past-due invoice is perfectly acceptable. Don’t feel like you’re a bother or an inconvenience. Remember that business takes a little work, but putting that work in will only benefit you in the future.

Friendly Greeting

The trick with the invoice email is to stay professional while presenting a friendly tone. There are a couple of easy ways to make sure your client feels recognized. Addressing your client by name is the perfect place to start. It helps build your relationship with them, which is especially useful for projects they might need help with in the future. You want your name to be the first one on their mind.

Don’t be afraid to wish them a good morning, and be sincere about it. Do your best to insert a personal message based on your professional conversations with your clients. If you know they love sunny days and the weather has been exceptional lately, bring it up. These little things personalize your message, and personalizing your email is the best way to improve rapport. The overall goal is to make them feel like a valued client. Don’t make them think they’re receiving a standard form email, even if they technically are.

Email Body

The body of the email is where all the important information rests. It’s the most straightforward part of the template and the most critical. It will naturally get more technical, but you should maintain your friendly tone as you dive into the details.

Make sure you briefly explain the services you provided, the total based on your agreed-upon rate, the invoice date, the due date, and the information for sending the payment. It’s up to you to decide how detailed you want to get, but at least go over the basics for your client.

Depending on the payment options you discussed, restate information to make the process simpler. If you are expecting the check by mail, include your mailing address. Even if you gave it to them before, restate the information. That way, you know you gave them the correct address and can prevent them from having to dig through old correspondence.

Finally, ask them to confirm that they received the invoice. If they acknowledge they received the invoice and are putting the check in the mail, you are less likely to need follow-up emails en masse.

Memorable Sign-Off

Instead of abruptly alluding to wishing them well or giving your best regards, try signing off in a way that leaves your client smiling. Without going overboard with compliments, you can easily wish them well and give them a good feeling as you go. Remind them that you truly enjoyed your experience working with them. You might even note that you would love the opportunity to work with them again in the future.

After your closing statement, add your name and your email signature. Your title and company name, if applicable, and contact information should be added beneath that. If you have social media profiles or a website for business, try including them with link icons. This gives your template a cleaner look than basic web addresses.

All in all, your sign-off should be no longer than four or five lines.

Template Example

Now that we covered the basics of the invoice email template, the finished product might look something like this:

Subject: Attn: [client’s name] – Invoice [##] for [business name] Due [date]

Dear [client’s name],

Good [time of day]! I hope you are well and [enjoying this splendid weather, having a wonderful week, etc.].

Please take a moment to review the attached invoice [number] for [the finished product]. At our agreed-upon rate, the invoice for [total for the project] is due by [due date]. [Payment method] can be sent to [address].

As always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns or if you just need clarification. My door is always open.

It was a pleasure working with you, [client]. Feel free to reach out if there’s anything I can help you with in the future.

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

[Your name, email signature, pertinent information]

Reminder Emails

Sometimes, you have to deal with unpaid invoices. For whatever reason, some clients struggle to pay on time. In those moments, it’s important to remember that late payment is still a payment. It’s frustrating to deal with, but you need to follow up to make sure you are paid for your work.

Late payments can have a significant impact on scheduling and cash flow for small businesses. One simple way to avoid late payments is the follow-up email with a follow-up invoice and the total amount restated.

Your first invoice email should be sent immediately upon completion and acceptance of the project. The due date should be about 14 days out. If you receive no confirmation and no payment, send your first follow-up email between four and seven days before the due date.

If the due date rolls around and you have still received nothing, send your second follow-up email about the due date and cordially remind your client that payment is due. The third follow-up email should be only 4-5 days after the due date. Put the number of days past due in the subject line, keep your email body brief, and let them know they can reach out if they have questions or concerns. Provide them with a phone number to reach you directly.

Stay Professional

This process can be stressful and can test your patience. In all things, however, you want to maintain your collected and professional demeanor.

There are several possible reasons for late payment and you never want to jump to conclusions about your client. However, getting paid on time is vital to your business. Staying professional is the best way to maintain a good relationship with your client in those tough situations.

Style Tips

Make sure your invoice email template has a consistent style. If you have other templates that you use regularly, you can model your invoice template after them.

Font

You want to use a simple, professional, readable font. Nothing fancy or weird. You want your client to recognize they’re dealing with a professional who pays attention to details.

Short Paragraphs

Keep your email simple and to the point. You can personalize it without overdoing it.

Attach the Invoice

A final piece of advice that’s always worth repeating: don’t forget to attach your invoice. Nothing is more embarrassing than sending an email without the proper attachment.

Wrapping Up

Invoice email templates are simple and easy to create and use. They are an essential tool to streamline your business process and get paid on time.

The best part is, you don’t have to stress about it too much. Keep your template simple and professional and you’ll be just fine.