Getting Paid

Send an invoice whether they want it or not. E-mail it and get them to send a confirmation that it was received. That way, you have a record of when you submitted request for payment and acknowledgement of when it was received, and you can send another copy in case they claim they know nothing.

One more tip: Always give the invoice a number. I use the date as the number on mine (ex: Invoice #100208), but even if it's as simple as 1, 2 or 3, number it. That way, when someone acts confused, you can shoot back, ``My records show invoice No. 16 was received by Joe Useless on June 10. Here's a copy to refresh your memory.''

 

Oh, yeah, and the best way to get someone to send payment is to keep bugging them until they are so sick of you they pay you just to get rid of you. It doesn't always work, but being a pest can be quite fun, so you've got that going for you. Which is nice.