The 5-Stage System for Chasing Late Invoices (Without Burning Bridges)

Late payments are the silent killer of freelance businesses. You did the work. You sent the invoice. And now... crickets. Most freelancers either send one awkward follow-up email or go straight to threats. Both approaches fail. Here's the 5-stage escalation system that actually works: Stage 1: The Friendly Reminder (Day 3 After Due Date) Tone: warm, assumes good intent. Hi [Name], just a quick note that invoice #[X] for $[amount] was due on [date]. Sometimes these slip through the cracks — no wo