Agency

Invoice Reminders for Agencies: Scale Revenue Without Scaling AR Headaches

Your agency runs on retainers and project fees. When clients pay late, it threatens payroll, contractor payments, and growth. Automate the follow-up.

Agencies carry an average of $84,000 in outstanding receivables at any given time, with 26% of invoices paid past terms according to industry benchmarks.
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What Agencies are saying

Real frustrations from real agencies dealing with late payments.

We had a Fortune 500 client that consistently paid at Net 90 despite Net 30 terms. When we finally automated reminders with escalation, they started paying at Net 35. They just needed the nudge through their system.

- Reddit user on <span>r/AgencyLife</span>

Biggest lesson after 8 years running an agency: the invoice is not done when you send it. It's done when the money hits your account. Everything in between needs a system.

- Reddit user on <span>r/DigitalMarketing</span>

The agency payment landscape

Understanding payment norms in agency helps you set the right reminder strategy.

Net 30 to Net 60
Typical payment terms
48 days
Average days sales outstanding
26%
Late payment rate

Common payment challenges for agencies

These are the specific challenges that make invoice collection difficult in agency.

1

Large invoices, slow approvals

Enterprise clients route invoices through procurement, finance, and multiple sign-off layers. A single missing PO number can delay a $50,000 invoice by weeks.

2

Retainer clients who drift on payment

Monthly retainer clients sometimes treat invoices casually because the relationship feels ongoing. Over time, they slip from Net 30 to Net 45 to Net 60.

3

Covering contractor and staff payroll

Your team and freelancers expect to be paid on the 1st and 15th regardless of whether clients have paid you. Late receivables create a dangerous cash gap.

4

Volume of invoices to track

Between retainers, project fees, and one-off work, a mid-size agency may have 50-100 outstanding invoices at any time. Manual follow-up does not scale.

Invoice reminder templates for agencies

Copy-paste templates tailored for agency professionals. Adjust timing and tone to match your clients relationships.

Email Template7 days before due date
Subject: Upcoming payment: Invoice #{{invoice_number}}, {{project_name}}

Hi {{client_name}}, This is a courtesy reminder that invoice #{{invoice_number}} for {{amount}} is coming due on {{due_date}}. This covers {{description}}. If your AP team needs any additional documentation, PO references, or a W-9, please let me know and I'll get that over right away. Best regards, {{your_name}} {{agency_name}}

Email Template3 days after due date
Subject: Action needed: Invoice #{{invoice_number}} is past due

Hi {{client_name}}, I'm writing to let you know that invoice #{{invoice_number}} for {{amount}} is now past due (original due date: {{due_date}}). We value our partnership and want to keep things running smoothly. Could you check with your accounts payable team on the status? I'm happy to resend the invoice or provide any supporting documentation needed to process payment. Thank you, {{your_name}} {{agency_name}}

Email Template30 days after due date
Subject: Overdue balance: Invoice #{{invoice_number}}, 30 days past due

Hi {{client_name}}, Invoice #{{invoice_number}} for {{amount}} is now 30 days past the due date of {{due_date}}. Per our master services agreement, overdue balances may be subject to a {{late_fee_percent}} monthly finance charge and we may need to pause active work until the balance is resolved. I'd prefer to avoid any disruption. Can we schedule a quick call to discuss? Regards, {{your_name}} {{agency_name}}

Skip the manual work: All these templates are built into ChaseBot and sent automatically when invoices are overdue.

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Free plan available. No credit card required.

Best practices for agency invoice reminders

Follow these proven strategies to get paid faster while maintaining strong clients relationships.

Get PO numbers upfront

For enterprise clients, always secure a purchase order number before starting work. An invoice without a PO is almost guaranteed to be delayed.

Separate billing contacts from project contacts

The person approving your creative work is rarely the person processing your invoice. Build a relationship with AP teams directly.

Invoice on a consistent schedule

Send all invoices on the same day each month (e.g., the 1st). Consistency makes it easier for client AP teams to batch and process your payments.

Use a tiered escalation process

Start with friendly automated reminders, escalate to account manager outreach, then to a partner or director call. Reserve legal language for 60+ day overdue balances.

How ChaseBot helps agencies

Purpose-built to solve the invoice chasing problem so you can focus on your agency work.

SMS reminders that get read

98% open rate means your clients actually sees the reminder. No more emails lost in spam or ignored in overflowing inboxes.

Auto-stop on payment

The moment your clients pays, reminders stop automatically. No awkward follow-ups after payment has been received.

Visual flow builder

Design your reminder sequence visually. Set the right timing for agency payment cycles with drag-and-drop simplicity.

Real-time Xero sync

Connect your Xero account in 30 seconds. Invoice data syncs in real time. No manual imports, no outdated information.

Manual chasing vs ChaseBot

See how automating your invoice reminders compares to doing it yourself.

Feature
Manual
ChaseBot
Time per week
2-4 hours
0 hours
Missed follow-ups
Common
Never
SMS reminders
No
Included
Auto-stop on payment
Manual check
Automatic
Cost
Your hourly rate
Free / $29/mo

Know your state's late payment laws

Before setting late fees on your invoices, check the legal limits in your state.

Browse all 50 states

Related industry guides

Explore invoice reminder strategies for similar industries.

Frequently asked
questions

Stop chasing clients. Start getting paid.

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