Timing your follow-up correctly balances giving clients reasonable benefit of the doubt against protecting your own cash flow. Here's a practical timeline.
Due date to 3 days after: wait
Invoices can take a few business days to process even from reliable clients. No action needed yet.
3-7 days after: friendly check-in
A light, assumption-of-good-intent reminder is appropriate here — simply noting the invoice may have been missed.
7-14 days after: direct follow-up
If there's no response to the first reminder, a more direct message restating the amount and due date, and asking for a specific update, is reasonable.
14-30 days after: firm notice
At this stage, a clearly worded notice referencing your payment terms and requesting a definite payment date is appropriate.
30+ days after: consider escalation
Beyond a month past due with no resolution, it may be time to consider a phone call, formal demand letter, or — for significant amounts — a collections or small claims process.
Adjust based on the relationship
This timeline is a general guide — a long-term, reliable client might warrant more patience, while a new or already-hesitant client might warrant faster follow-up.