Whether you run a goods or service business, you will at some point need to advise clients of items purchased or service delivered. Invoicing is the default tool for doing so. Sending Invoices is one thing, making them look professional and concise is another. Using the tips below could make a big difference to how you invoice your clients and help improve your business brand and success.
1. Send Softcopy via Email
If you insist on printing Invoices and courier to Clients, you might want to add sending via email too. Its pretty simple, and does not cost a penny. When you send invoices via email, you have the liberty of icluding more recipients in-addition to the main addressee. This makes it effective whenever follow-up is necessary and help widen the circle of responsibility.
BookKeeper gives you the ablity to create an Invoice, print if you wish and send as a mail PDF document immediately.
2. Keep Payments Terms Simple
As much as possible, avoid un-necessary jargons and complicated English. Default languages like “Net FOB 30” could sometimes be confusing for a client who is not paying attention. Substitute with terms like: 50% payment due in 30 days.
3. Describe Adequately and Compact in Detail
While an invoice is not a Note document, compact descriptions are essential for record purposes for you and your clients. A proper invoice shold contain the Services and Items and in addition a compact description.
Eg: Membership Fee – Gymnasium Membership Subscription[2018 1st Quarter]
Creating an Invoice on BookKeeper gives you option of selecting a default service and editing your description to suit the particular transaction.
4. Include Online Payments
If you want to get paid quickly, then you have to make it easy for your clients to do so. Sending them a link to quickly pay with their cards or Online accounts is a good move in the right direction.
With BookKeeper you can easily customise your Invoice to include a payment link for client to make payments. Doing this gives you a professional look and give your client the impression they are doing business with an efficient vendor[You of course]
Check out this tutorial combining Paystack and BookKeeper.
5. Include all Necessary Contact Information & Branding
Your invoice is as good as your brand, by default you can input your contact details, Sales Rep, Bank Account, Online payment platforms, Company Address as default fields without having to inut them over and over again.
With BookKeeper, this is a simple task.
6. Customise your Clients’ Information
Make your clients feel important by adding their necesary details. A professional invoice is one that contains all relevant information about the client. Your customers will value your Invoice document when it does not look generic and scanty of their own information
7. Give Incentives
If you can, why not give discounts. No matter how small. Sometimes incentives have a way of persuading clients to pay quickly just to maximise value. Do note that offering cash discount is not the only form of incentive, offering percentages off their next order, giving free gifts or vouchers, dedicated support etc are other options you should explore.
When you use BookKeeper; either as DIY or Outsourced, you are equipping yourself and team with the right tool to improve sales and promote accountability.
Get started right away.