Sending invoices...

It's not supposed to be difficult, right?

[ronin]

This is going to sound like one of the most bizarre business questions ever asked... but does anyone else here have a phobia about sending invoices?

I find myself endlessly procrastinating when I have to send an invoice. I'm happy to do the work for a client, I just feel guilty when I have to charge them for it.

I find myself sitting there, drumming my fingers and trying to think if there's some other work I could be getting on with.

I have seriously considered outsourcing the sending of invoices because I have such an aversion to it.

This can't be normal, can it?

[Visit Thailand]

Perhaps you just do not like administrative work.

I also hate admin stuff. If it is just one invoice is not so bad, but if you have quite a few why not employ someone part time a student or something (but someone you trust) to do the invoicing for you.

[peewhy]

You could do lots of work for me!

At the end of the day, it's busness, the client is expecting to pay and can't pay until he gets his invoice.

So, send it. He gets them all the time and yours will be no different than the rest.

[ronin]

Thanks peewhy - you're right and it's reassuring to remember that the client is actually expecting to be invoiced.

Visit Thailand > Err... no it's not really the admin -it takes fifty seconds to write out an invoice, attach it to an email and send it - it's a abstract feeling of guilt about charging people. I find it more difficult than I should to ask people for money - I find it ugly, uncivilised and rude. It doesn't relate to anything I had in my former work (in education and media) where I was accustomed to delivering services which were free at the point of delivery.

I'll keep reminding myself that "the client is expecting to be invoiced."

[Visit Thailand]

Remember as well that some firms expect to be invoiced more than once before actually paying.

It is important to set up a good system for invoicing at the beginning to make sure when you have a lot that you can easily chase etc.

[ronin]

a good system

Oh, yes absolutely.

I have all my client payments on a spreadsheet.
The payments that I haven't yet received are parenthesised with square brackets, which means the software doesn't add the amounts to the total in the last column.

This layout means I can see who has paid and who hasn't and what amounts are outstanding from which clients for each month.

[kevinpate]

Put this sign above your work space:

Accts Payable Folks Need Their Jobs too.
Bill On-Time!

If you think it terms of helping keep somone else employed, it may seem less rude to you. :)

[JohnKelly]

a abstract feeling of guilt about charging people. I find it more difficult than I should to ask people for money - I find it ugly, uncivilised and rude.

A person or business can always get more money... but they took from you your most valuable asset. Your TIME. You can never, never, ever get it back. So bill 'em!

Besides, prompt invoicing helps your clients manage their accounts payable, just as prompt payment helps you manage your accounts receivable.

[Syzygy]

Ronin,

I have seriously considered outsourcing the sending of invoices because I have such an aversion to it.

You're based in the UK, so factor those invoices! Possibly around 80/85% of the invoice value up front (depending) and no legal worries - your factoring company will deal with all of these things for you...

Syzygy

[peewhy]

It isn't the time and motion, it's the guilt of asking for money. Paul McKenna would be of better help than a factoring company. LOL

[katana_one]

I can relate. Working on websites (and print design, in my case) is so much fun that I feel that I should be paying them.

"You mean I get to make web pages AND you'll give me money?"

[peewhy]

Are there any more website designers that don't like sending invoices?

I've got loads of work available :D

[ronin]

Paul McKenna would be of better help than a factoring company.

Tragically, you're so close to the mark, it's painful.

katana_one> Yeah, I hear you.

[peewhy]

Paul McKenna would help, and won't worry about sending you a big fat invoice.

I'm sure this therapy session hs helped.

[jamesa]

I hate invoicing too, but more because the adminstrative stuff bores me to tears.

Looking at it from the other side, though, I still haven't been invoiced for a job I farmed out and it's actually starting to bother me. It was one of those "just do it and bill me for your time" kind of things. I'd really like to know what I owe this guy so I can close my books. Hate having stuff like that hanging over my head.

So you might be doing the client a favor :)

[Jack_Hughes]

There is only one thing in the world that gives me greater pleasure than sending an invoice, and that is getting the money.

ronin, you are plainly not skint enough! Try not billing anybody for 6 months then your problem will be cured. You'll be invoicing like a pro.

Not billing people is one of the great business anti-patterns ;)

[Fortune Hunter]

Ronin:

Dude, you have to get a grip on this or you won't be in business long. I can't wait to invoice clients because I like making money, which is why I get up each day and do this.

I usually try to not invoice clients for a couple of days after the work just so I don't look TOO greedy, but then off go the invoices and in comes the cash!

Fortune Hunter

[peewhy]

You can soften the blow by sending a letter of confirmation with a pre-payment incentive together with the invoice.

[ronin]

The great thing about this thread is that I actually managed to send off two due invoices and one overdue invoice this week. So thanks for the encouragement.

Dude, you have to get a grip on this or you won't be in business long.

Thanks Fortune Hunter, I'll let you know when I go bust. >;->

[JohnKelly]

I usually try to not invoice clients for a couple of days after the work just so I don't look TOO greedy

Interesting.... I generally mail an invoice the same or next day after doing the work, unless it's part of a larger project. But I bill net 30, so they have 30 days to pay.

[tameone]

OMG LOL
I've been designing for two years and ALWAYS feel guilty about sending out the invoices. Just this last week I offered a client some extra hours of free updates just so I wouldn't feel horrible about the bill I'm sending them this week.

I love what I do so much that my husband used to complain that I should've married the computer. What a wonderful way to make money. :) Fortunately we've fallen into a comfortable routine (in other words, I try not to spend 18 hours/day at the computer.) And he can see that it's a good source of income so I can buy him plently of BBQ potato chips for those late-night movie marathons.

Thanks for starting this thread. I thought I was the only one. ;)

[ronin]

I'm relieved to hear that I'm not. >;->

[michael williams]

I always feel weird when invoicing. I hate evertying about contracting except the work part. I need to find a salesperson/manager that isn't a moron but I haven't found one yet.

:(