As a web designer, getting paid on time is crucial. When client payments are late, you may worry if they’re even coming at all. And if you’re a lone freelancer, even one late client payment can impact your ability to meet your own financial obligations. With a few tools and practices, you can secure timely payments and maintain positive relationships with clients. We’ll take a closer look at tools like Client Invoicing and Squarespace Payments and provide client communication tips to help you establish a smooth payment process and get paid on time.

Setting clear terms and expectations

It’s important to communicate your process, scope, and timeline in your initial contract or proposal. You can use the Squarespace Contracts tool to ensure your terms are clear and your client agrees to the terms before you start the project. 

Learn more about sending project proposals, estimates, and contracts on Squarespace.

Alongside your deliverables (i.e., what you’ll provide the client and when), you’ll want to state your payment terms and be clear about deadlines or fees as well as when those will come into play. Many designers include late payment fees, missed deadline fees (e.g., providing content by a certain date), and project restart fees (e.g., if the client stops communicating). But depending on where your business and client are located, there may be local, state, or national guidelines you’ll need to follow. Check your local legislature for guidelines on service agreements. 

In addition to clarifying your invoicing terms in writing, walk your client through the process on a call, describing each payment and when it will be due. Visual reminders are also helpful, so consider providing a calendar or chart that your client can refer to as needed. With client work, overcommunication through various methods is essential to prevent misunderstandings.

Using invoicing tools

Professional invoicing tools can save you a lot of time and frustration. Instead of waiting for the “check in the mail” that you’d have to deposit manually, you can get paid much faster and send reminders if payments are late. These tools empower you to level up your presence and professionalism. You can add your branding to each invoice you send, along with a detailed description of services rendered. 

With most professional invoicing tools, you can add tax rates and quickly issue refunds, also saving time. The tools provide an overview of your completed and outstanding invoices, so you know what's been paid and if anything is overdue at a glance.

Squarespace Client Invoicing

Client Invoicing is a feature available on any Squarespace plan. It helps you track revenue, create and send branded invoices, collect payments (with sales tax, if needed), and send reminders. Plus, it’s built right into Squarespace, so there’s no need to learn another system.

Before you send your first invoice, you’ll want to connect a payment processor such as Squarespace Payments. You’ll also want to double-check your business information and set up any necessary tax rates. Learn more about connecting a payment processor to your Squarespace website.

After the initial setup, you’re ready to send your first invoice. Under “Invoicing,” create a new invoice, add a new client or choose an existing one, add a due date, and include an optional memo. Then, add a line item and enter the name of the service, product type, quantity, and cost. You can check the box to add sales tax if needed. From there, you’ll want to repeat the line items for any additional services. Under “Styles,” you can match the style of the invoice to your brand. You can also apply a discount before sending off your invoice.

You can send reminders or issue a refund in a few clicks. You can also organize invoices into a Project so you can easily track and review details, including project total, milestones (if you set these), notes, individual invoices, proposal and contracts, and form submissions.

When to invoice web design clients

Many web designers choose to break payments into halves or thirds, with a retainer due when the agreement is approved to reserve their time. Clients then make milestone payments throughout the project and at project completion. 

Breaking up the project total into separate milestone-based payments can be beneficial for you and your client. It can ease any perceived financial burden, giving them more time to pay. It also means you get regularly paid for your work, rather than having to wait for payment after the project is complete.

If you use the retainer and milestone method, you’ll want to include detailed information in your agreement about when each payment is due. For instance, some designers invoice for half upfront and then half upon completion. Others break down the payments even more with additional milestones.

When sending any invoice, it’s important to provide clear details about exactly what each payment covers. If it’s for a specific milestone, give details in the invoice notes, along with the payment number (e.g., “payment 2 of 3”). Or, if it’s for a scope change, note exactly what's involved (e.g., three additional pages at $X/each). Detailed information can cut down on client confusion, especially if they come back to the invoice months (or years) later.

Client communication tips

Communicating effectively with clients can help you get paid on time. In addition to setting clear expectations, it’s important to maintain clarity throughout the entire project. To keep things as clear as possible for your clients, ensure all communication is branded and features the title of their project. With Squarespace’s proposal creation tool, you can create branded documents giving an overview of the project, the milestones, delivery specifics, and terms. 

Use these touchpoints to remind your client of any upcoming deadlines or fees.

If the project has a shorter timeline, consider checking in every day and updating your client on your progress. If the project has a longer timeline, consider sending weekly emails detailing all the work completed during the week. However you choose to structure your project communication, consistency, professionalism, and friendliness are key. 

Sending payment reminders and follow-ups

Even if you follow client communication best practices, you may still deal with delayed or unpaid invoices. When this happens, consider using your invoicing software to send a reminder or two. With Client Invoicing, you can send reminder emails with just a few clicks. Sending reminders through the invoicing tool can remove some discomfort about asking for money for both you and your client.

However, if your reminders go ignored, you may consider pausing your work and contacting the client directly. Here, you’ll want to explain that the project is on hold until the retainer or milestone payment is complete. If you have late payment fees or a restart fee, reiterate those here as well.

Even though unpaid invoices can be frustrating, it’s beneficial to lead with kindness and understanding while honoring your boundaries. Strike a balance between persistence and professionalism to get the project (and payment) back on track.

Getting paid on time as a web designer

Ensuring timely payment is crucial for maintaining a steady cash flow and sustaining your web design business. By leveraging tools like invoicing software and automated payment systems, you can streamline the billing process and minimize delays. Coupled with clear communication and firm payment terms, these strategies can help you get paid promptly so you can focus on delivering quality work for your clients. 

Want more? 

Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional designers. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.