How to chase unpaid invoices without being awkward
Solo trades lose thousands each year to late payers — not because the work was bad, but because follow-up is uncomfortable and easy to forget. Here’s a schedule that works.
Why reminders fail
- You chase when you’re tired (evenings, between jobs).
- One “friendly nudge” with no follow-up plan.
- Mixing personal texts with business invoices feels awkward.
A fixed schedule removes the emotion: you’re not nagging, you’re running a system.
A 5-step reminder schedule (recommended)
- 3 days before due — “Payment due soon” (friendly heads-up).
- Due date — “Due today” with pay link if you have one.
- +3 days overdue — polite check-in.
- +7 days — firmer second notice.
- +14 days — final reminder before you call or pause work.
Stop the sequence the moment they pay. One place to mark “paid” beats searching your inbox.
Keep QuickBooks or Wave — add follow-up only
You don’t need a new invoicing tool. Create invoices where you always have; use reminders only for open balances. PaidPulse is built for that: track who owes you, send the chase, mark paid when money lands.
What to put in each email
- Amount and due date (or days overdue).
- Invoice or job reference if you use one.
- One pay link (Stripe, PayPal, or bank instructions).
- Professional sign-off with your business name.
Short beats long. Trades read email on their phone between jobs.
Need wording? See payment reminder email templates for contractors.
Done-for-you option
If you’d rather not set this up yourself, PaidPulse offers a $99 one-time setup: we configure your account, add your first open invoices, and send a live test reminder so you approve the tone before anything goes to real clients.