Get Paid Faster: The 5-Day System

Hey there,

Welcome to the Get Paid Faster course. Over the next 5 days, I'm going to walk you through a complete system for getting paid on time, every time.

Let's start with something most people get wrong: the invoice itself.

The #1 reason invoices get paid late isn't that your client is trying to stiff you. It's that your invoice is missing something — a PO number, the right AP contact, clear payment instructions — and it gets stuck in their system.

Here's what every invoice needs:

1. A sequential invoice number — not “Invoice 1”, but a real system like INV-2026-001. This makes you look professional and makes tracking easy.
2. The explicit due date written out — don't just write “Net 30.” Write “Due: March 27, 2026.” Never make the client do math.
3. Payment instructions on the invoice — bank details, PayPal link, or payment portal URL. If they have to email you asking how to pay, you've already lost a week.
4. The right recipient — send it to the AP department or finance contact, not your day-to-day project contact (unless they're the same person). Ask during onboarding: “Who should invoices go to?”
5. PDF format — never send a Word doc or Google Doc link. PDFs are universally readable, look professional, and can't be accidentally edited.
6. Your late payment policy — reference it on the invoice or attach it. Even a single line like “A 1.5% monthly late fee applies to overdue balances” dramatically improves payment speed.

Quick win for today: Pull up the last invoice you sent. Does it have all six items above? If not, update your invoice template right now. It takes 10 minutes and will save you hours of chasing.

Tomorrow, we'll cover payment terms — what to set and how to actually enforce them.

Talk soon,
The Payment Hunter Team

Hey,

Yesterday we fixed your invoice. Today, let's fix your payment terms.

Most freelancers default to “Net 30” because that's what everyone does. But Net 30 means you're giving your client a 30-day interest-free loan. For a $5,000 invoice, that's real money sitting in their account instead of yours.

Here's how to pick the right terms:

• Small projects (<$2K): Due on receipt or Net 7. The project is short — the payment should be too. Many clients actually prefer this because it's one less thing to track.
• Medium projects ($2K-$10K): 50% deposit upfront, balance on delivery (Net 7-15). This protects you and creates natural payment milestones.
• Ongoing retainers: Payment due on the 1st for the upcoming month. Work doesn't start until payment clears. This is standard practice and clients expect it.
• Large projects ($10K+): Milestone payments — 30% deposit, 30% at mid-project, 40% on delivery. Never let more than 40% of the project value be outstanding at any time.
• Enterprise clients: They'll push for Net 60 or Net 90. Push back. Offer Net 30 with a 2% early payment discount for Net 10. If they insist on Net 60+, price it in — add 5-10% to your rate to cover the float.

How to enforce terms:

1. Put them in the contract (not just the invoice)
2. Discuss them verbally during project kickoff — “Just so we're aligned, invoices are due within 15 days”
3. Include a late fee clause (1.5% per month is standard)
4. Actually charge the late fee when it's triggered — if you never enforce it, clients learn it's optional

Quick win for today: Review the terms on your current active contracts. Are they what you actually want? If you're on Net 30 and cash flow is tight, propose Net 15 on the next project.

Tomorrow: the reminder sequence that actually gets results (without being annoying).

Talk soon,
The Payment Hunter Team

Hey,

You've got a clean invoice and solid payment terms. Now let's talk about what happens when the due date comes and goes.

Most people send one reminder email, feel awkward about it, and then... wait. That's how invoices go from 7 days late to 90 days late to never-getting-paid.

The fix is a systematic reminder sequence — a series of emails with escalating tone and urgency, sent at specific intervals. Here's the one that works:

Key principles:

• • Always be professional — anger never gets you paid faster
• • State facts — amount, date, terms. Don't write essays.
• • Escalate gradually — friendly → direct → firm → final. Never jump to threats.
• • Include the payment link every time — remove friction
• • Send at 10am on Tuesday-Thursday — highest open and response rates

Quick win for today: Write (or save) your 5 reminder email templates so they're ready to go. You should never have to write a reminder from scratch when you're stressed about money.

Tomorrow: what to do when they stop responding entirely.

Talk soon,
The Payment Hunter Team

Hey,

Let's address the scenario every freelancer dreads: you've sent reminders, you've been professional, and the client has gone completely silent.

First: don't panic. In most cases, ghosting isn't malicious — it's disorganization, internal chaos at their company, or plain avoidance because they're embarrassed about being late.

Here's the escalation playbook:

Step 1: Switch channels

If email isn't working, try a different channel. Call them. Send a LinkedIn message. Text them if you have their mobile. The goal is simply to make contact — keep the message short: “Hey [name], I've been trying to reach you about invoice [#]. Can we hop on a 5-minute call to sort this out?”

Step 2: Contact someone else

If your direct contact is unresponsive, reach out to someone else at the company — their boss, the finance department, or the person who originally hired you. Be factual, not emotional: “I have an outstanding invoice that's [X] days past due. Can you help me connect with the right person to resolve this?”

Step 3: Offer a face-saving out

Sometimes clients ghost because they can't pay the full amount. Offering a payment plan can break the deadlock: “I understand things come up. Would it help to split this into 2-3 monthly payments?” Getting 100% over 3 months is better than getting 0%.

Step 4: Send a formal demand letter

If you've exhausted the friendly options, send a formal written demand. Include: the exact amount owed (with any late fees), a deadline (14 days), reference to your contract terms, and a statement that you'll pursue collections or legal action if not resolved. Send via email with read receipt AND certified mail.

Step 5: Know when to walk away

For invoices under $500, the cost of legal action usually exceeds the recovery. Document everything, write it off on your taxes, and add this client to your “never again” list. For larger amounts, small claims court (typically under $10K) is straightforward and doesn't require a lawyer.

What NOT to do:

• • Don't badmouth them publicly — it hurts your reputation more than theirs
• • Don't withhold completed work you've already delivered — legally risky
• • Don't send 10 emails in one week — it looks desperate and is easy to ignore
• • Don't threaten legal action unless you're actually prepared to follow through

Quick win for today: Write a brief “demand letter” template and save it. You'll hopefully never need it, but having it ready means you can act quickly when you do.

Tomorrow, the final lesson: how to automate all of this so you never have to think about it again.

Talk soon,
The Payment Hunter Team

Hey,

Over the last 4 days, you've built a solid payment collection system:

• ✓ Clean, professional invoices with all the right details
• ✓ Smart payment terms matched to your project types
• ✓ A 5-step reminder sequence with escalating tone
• ✓ An escalation playbook for when clients go dark

The problem? Running this system manually takes hours every month. You have to track due dates, remember to send reminders, calculate late fees, and follow up — all while trying to do your actual work.

This is exactly why we built Payment Hunter.

Here's how it works:

1. Upload your invoices — drag and drop PDFs or images. Our AI extracts the client name, amount, due date, and line items automatically.
2. Set your reminder schedule — choose when to send reminders (3 days before, due date, 7 days after, etc.). Customize the tone for each stage.
3. Let it run — Payment Hunter sends reminders automatically, tracks payment status, and alerts you when action is needed. No manual follow-ups, no forgotten invoices.

The average Payment Hunter user reduces their time spent on payment collection by 80% and gets paid 14 days faster.

What you get with the free trial:

• • 30 days of full access — every feature, no limits
• • No credit card required to start
• • AI-powered invoice extraction
• • Automated email reminders on your schedule
• • Real-time dashboard with collection analytics
• • Cancel anytime, no questions asked

You've already done the hard part — building the system. Payment Hunter just puts it on autopilot.

Thanks for following along this week. If you have questions, just reply to this email — I read every one.

Here's to getting paid faster,
The Payment Hunter Team