If you run a small business, you know how important it is to get paid on time. Invoices will help you collect payments, but you have to get them into the hands of your customers if you want to get paid quickly.
Email is a no-brainer. But did you know you can also send invoices by text message?
Text message invoices are incredibly effective. They’re convenient for customers, and they help you get paid quickly.
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Use these free email and text templates to cut down on missed and late payments from your customers.
Save NowIn this post, I’ll explain how you can send invoices by text. I’ll also share some invoice text message samples and provide tips on how you can turn your invoice into a marketing opportunity. But first, let’s talk about why SMS is the perfect platform for small businesses to send invoices.
Why should you send an invoice by text message?
There are two reasons why you should use SMS messaging for invoicing. First, it’s convenient for you and your customers. Text messages have extremely high open rates, and most people read their texts within a few minutes. That’s because most of us carry our phones everywhere, so we instantly get alerts whenever we receive a new text.
This convenience also makes it easier to complete payments over the phone, which is the second reason to send invoices by text. If you use payment software, you can provide links with your invoice so customers can submit payments via text; that gets you paid quickly and reduces overdue invoices.
Before we explain how to send invoices by text, let’s look at examples you can copy for your business.
Invoice Text Message Samples
Below are a few invoice text message samples that you can use to remind customers about payments. Rather than including the invoice as part of the message, I recommend adding a link to keep your text clear and concise. Check out the images below for some examples of what this looks like.
Professional Services
Professional services typically send invoices after a service is complete. Here’s one you can send to let customers know that their invoice is ready and that they need to submit their payment on time to avoid late fees.
Home Services
Home services like landscaping, HVAC, and cleaning companies send invoices during and after projects. Here’s a message you can use to remind customers to submit their payments on time.
Ecommerce
Ecommerce brands often send confirmation messages after you complete a purchase. Here’s one that links to an invoice and provides contact options in case the customer has any questions:
Payment Reminder
To ensure payment, it’s good to send customers multiple reminders about an upcoming billing date. This message can inform your customers that you’re expecting payment within the next few days.
Late Payment Reminder
Customers don’t always pay on time, so here’s a message you can use to remind them about a late or overdue invoice.
Keep these samples handy because you’ll want them in the next section when we explain how to send an invoice by text.
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How to Send an Invoice by Text Message
Here are five steps to setting up invoice text messaging at your business. Keep in mind that you’ll need business texting tools and payment software to automate this process. Let’s start by reviewing some tools that you might want to adopt.
1. Adopt business texting tools and payment software.
Texting is a great way for businesses to communicate with their customer base. But, you don’t want to do this from your personal phone because you’ll get overwhelmed with dozens of messages, and separating personal chats from professional conversations will be difficult.
Business texting platforms provide a separate phone number and can forward messages to your CRM. That makes it easier to track conversations and ensures you don’t overlook important client texts.
Here are a few business texting platforms that we recommend for small businesses:
You’ll also need payment software if you want to create invoices efficiently. These tools provide templates and branding features that make it easy to produce invoices quickly. They can also help you deliver invoices since many of these tools have texting.
Here are a few payment and invoicing tools that we recommend for small business owners:
We also provide this free invoice generator that you can use to create an invoice with your company’s branding. If you already have business texting software, you can use this template to create invoices for free.
2. Set up text message automation.
Whatever tools you choose, they should provide text message automation so invoices are automatically sent after specific actions. For instance, when a job is completed, your invoicing software should immediately text the customer with their invoice. That will save you work and ensure customers are given ample time to review payments.
Here’s an example from Thryv’s invoicing software. With this tool, you can send text message invoices with a click of a button.
You can also add payment links so customers can pay directly from their phones. It’s convenient and helps you get paid faster.
3. Write your text message.
Once your tools are set up, you can circle back to the samples in the first section. Most invoicing tools let you customize your message, so you can write your own template or use one of the options above.
Here’s what you need to include in your invoice text message:
- Greeting with the customer’s name
- Link to your invoice
- Points of contact (email or phone number)
- Payment due date (if applicable)
- Thank you message
4. Add a link to your invoice.
If your software doesn’t automatically do this, you can manually add a link to your invoice instead. Use our free invoice generator or similar tool to create a PDF or web page for your invoice. Then, attach that link or file to your SMS message.
It will take extra time, and you won’t be able to collect payments without a point-of-sales tool. That’s why we recommend using payment software because it can smooth out this process and make your company more efficient.
5. Send your messages.
With your messaging set up, it’s time to send your invoices to customers. Turn on your automation or click your payment software’s “send” button to get things started.
If you’re using two-way texting, be prepared to receive customer questions. They might reach out with concerns about their invoice or want to use alternate forms of payment. Remember that payment collection can be a sensitive topic for some buyers, so providing support and creating a good customer experience is important.
6. Add a follow-up text.
Now, here’s how you can turn your invoice into a marketing opportunity. Once a customer completes a payment, send them a “thank you” text with a special offer or discount. It could be a promo code or a link to your website to claim a free gift.
These promotions encourage customers to return to your business, generating repeat purchases and increasing customer loyalty. It will also be effective with customers who had a poor experience with your brand because it shows your commitment to their satisfaction and incentivizes them to give you another chance.
Taking Advantage of Text Message Invoices
When it comes to collecting payments, convenience is the name of the game. The easier it is to complete a payment, the more likely customers will pay on time. Text messaging provides another layer of convenience to your payment processing and is a great way to engage your customer base. Use these tips to start sending invoices by text and avoid the hassle of handling late payments at your business.
Email and Text Templates to Ask for Missing Payments
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