If you’re looking to update or automate your accounts receivable process, you can do this by creating an invoice email strategy for your clients. Email invoicing makes organizing your payments much easier and helps you save time and money in the long run. Additionally, emailing invoice documents online increases your company’s cash flow and bottom line. Read on to learn how to streamline payment processing and learn more about how to send an invoice via email. Then find out how you can create and email an invoice to generate more revenue.
What is an Invoice Email?
An invoice email is a message sent to clients via email that contains their invoice for services rendered. The invoice is attached via email or integrated into it depending on your provider.
When you’re sending out invoice emails, make sure you:
- Send emailed invoices sound both professional and friendly
- Include your company’s contact details so the customer can reach out to you with any problems or questions
- Remember your communications will set the tone for customer responses
The benefits of emailed invoices
There are several benefits of email invoicing, including:
- You save on the cost of postage, paper invoices, and envelopes
- Response times are quicker than they are with snail mail, which frees up your cash flow
- The process is automated, so you save time when preparing the invoice
- You can follow up with your customer more quickly, especially if payment is late and you need to send a reminder
- The practice is secure and allows for more storage, which keeps everything more organized
How to Send an Invoice Through Email: Step by Step
1. Choose a provider or template
First, set up an invoice template for emailing invoice information. You can customize the template to the needs of your industry. Before you begin, remember that there are invoice templates you can find online or featured by invoice software providers. These services have features that automatically number the invoices, calculate the totals, and more depending on your needs. They digitally and instantly add discounts and include the sales tax too. As a result, you don’t have to worry too much about errors in billing.
2. Write a compelling subject line
To make sure the customer instantly sees your message for your invoice email, create a subject line that grabs their attention. You can do this by adding a personal touch or asking a question. For example, “[Customer Name], Have you paid invoice #### yet?” Be sure to include your customer’s name and the invoice number somewhere in the subject line.
Check out these suggestions for compelling subject lines:
- Invoice #### From [Company Name] Is Ready For You
- Invoice #### Now Due – Thank You!
- Here Is Your Invoice Number #### From [Company Name]
You should also have subject lines that are unique for collection letters. These subject lines could say something like:
- A Friendly Reminder: Invoice #### is Now Due
- [Customer Name], Have You Paid Invoice #### Yet?
- Have You Seen this Past Due Invoice?
- [Customer Name], You Have XX Days to Pay Invoice ####
- Payment Due for Invoice ####
If you use automated invoice software, it may generate example subject lines for you.
3. Create the body of the email
Now it’s time to write the body of the invoice email. Arguably the most important element, the body of the email can either incentivize payment or cause the recipient to delay their response. You should aim to do the former. This is a great opportunity to thank the customer for their business and enhance their experience. Personalized communication shows the customer you care about their experience and can increase trust.
4. Ensure the recipients are correct
Before you send out an invoice email or collection letter, make sure that the names and contact addresses are correct. Doing so will save you from miscommunications that could delay payment. Check for typos or errors. This will build customer trust and prevent any issues relating to your cash flow.
As you continue to send out emailed invoices, consider creating a strategy for recurring recipients. Having a handy recipient list will be beneficial in the long run.
5. Attach the completed invoice
Naturally, you don’t want to send out the email without the invoice attachment. Attach the invoice after you check that all the information is correct. Make sure you include you’ve attached the invoice in the body of the email so clients don’t overlook it.
Following Up on Outstanding Email Invoices
On average, small businesses have $84,000 in unpaid invoices. If you have to follow up on an outstanding email invoice account, you will need to send a standard collection letter to remind customers about their payment. This should include a copy of the original invoice and their past due amount. Depending on the size of your business, you can write this email yourself or use your invoice management software to automate this process. If you have a high volume of customers, you can set up an email drip campaign to automatically remind customers every 30, 60, and 90 days.
This money is outstanding so be sure you’re concise and clear in your communication. If you have too many outstanding accounts it can begin to affect your projected cash flow. Therefore, staying on top of your pending emailed invoices will ensure your business stays afloat.
Conclusion
Using email invoicing can help you organize your accounts receivable and increase your cash flow. When accounts are past due, follow up with a standard yet friendly collection letter to ensure your customers keep their accounts in good standing. Communicate in a way that does not alienate your customer. A friendly yet professional tone goes a long way toward establishing a good rapport. If your customer volume is too high to personally manage invoices, then invoice management software may be right for you.
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