Getting Paid

Invoice professionally and collect payment without awkwardness.

The Goal: Same-Day Payment

Here's the ideal scenario: You finish the job, send an invoice, and get paid within minutes.

This isn't a fantasy. With the right systems, it's how most of your jobs will go.

The keys:

  • Set expectations upfront
  • Make payment easy
  • Invoice immediately
  • Follow up systematically

Let's build your payment system.

Setting Payment Expectations

Don't wait until the job is done to discuss payment. Set expectations when you quote.

What to Communicate Upfront

When payment is due: "Payment is due when the job is complete."

How you accept payment: "I accept card, cash, check, or Venmo/Zelle."

For larger jobs: "For jobs over $X, I require a 50% deposit to schedule, with the balance due on completion."

In Your Quote

Include payment terms in written quotes:

  • "Payment due upon completion"
  • "Accepted: Cash, check, card, Venmo"
  • "50% deposit required to schedule" (for larger jobs)

When terms are clear from the start, collecting payment is just following the agreement—not an awkward negotiation.

Invoicing Basics

An invoice is a formal request for payment. It should be:

  • Professional (reflects your business)
  • Clear (no confusion about what's owed)
  • Easy to pay (include all payment options)
  • Prompt (sent immediately after completion)

What an Invoice Should Include

  1. Your business name and contact info
  2. Customer name and address
  3. Invoice number (keeps things organized)
  4. Date of service
  5. Description of work performed
  6. Amount due
  7. Payment methods accepted
  8. Due date (usually "upon receipt")

Sample Invoice

[YOUR BUSINESS NAME]
[Phone] | [Email]

INVOICE #1042

Bill To:
John Smith
123 Main Street
City, State 12345

Date: January 15, 2025
Due: Upon Receipt

SERVICES PROVIDED:
- Lawn mowing and trimming (1/15/25)
- Edging and blow-off

AMOUNT DUE: $55.00

PAYMENT METHODS:
- Card: [Link or instructions]
- Venmo: @YourBusiness
- Zelle: yourname@email.com
- Cash or check accepted

Thank you for your business!

When to Send Invoices

Immediately. As soon as the job is complete.

  • Text the invoice before leaving the property
  • Email within an hour of completion
  • Hand a paper invoice to the customer if in person

The longer you wait, the less urgency the customer feels to pay.

Home Guild Pro: Invoicing Made Simple

Creating and sending invoices from your phone—right after you finish the job—is exactly what Home Guild Pro is built for.

With Pro, you can:

  • Create invoices in seconds using job templates
  • Send via text or email with one tap
  • Accept card payments directly through the invoice
  • Track payment status (sent, viewed, paid)
  • Send automatic reminders if payment is late
  • Convert estimates to invoices when the job is done

No more forgetting to invoice. No more typing up bills at night. No more chasing payments manually.

The Pro workflow:

  1. Finish the job
  2. Open Pro, tap "Create Invoice"
  3. Select the customer and services
  4. Send via text
  5. Customer pays with their card in 30 seconds
  6. Money in your account

This is how professional service businesses operate. Pro makes it effortless.

Payment Methods

Accept multiple payment methods to make it easy for customers to pay.

Card Payments (Recommended)

Pros:

  • Convenient for customers
  • Fast—money in your account quickly
  • Professional appearance
  • Easy tracking

Cons:

  • Processing fees (2.5-3.5%)
  • Need a payment processor

Options:

  • Square (2.6% + $0.10 swipe, 3.5% + $0.15 manual)
  • Stripe (2.9% + $0.30)
  • Home Guild Pro (built-in payment processing)

Pro tip: Build the processing fee into your prices rather than adding it separately. Cleaner for customers.

Cash

Pros:

  • No fees
  • Immediate
  • Some customers prefer it

Cons:

  • Need to make change
  • Easy to lose track of
  • Must deposit to bank

How to handle:

  • Give a receipt for every cash payment
  • Deposit promptly to your business account
  • Track in your records immediately

Check

Pros:

  • No fees
  • Paper trail
  • Some older customers prefer it

Cons:

  • Can bounce
  • Delay to clear
  • Extra trip to deposit (unless mobile deposit)

How to handle:

  • Mobile deposit through your bank app
  • Note check number in your records
  • Watch for bounced checks

Venmo/Zelle/CashApp

Pros:

  • No fees (usually)
  • Fast
  • Many people have these apps

Cons:

  • Less professional for business
  • Harder to track
  • Payment disputes are messy

How to handle:

  • Set up a business profile if possible
  • Transfer to business bank account immediately
  • Include your handle on invoices

Which to Emphasize

Card payment through proper invoicing is the most professional option. Make it the default:

"I'll text you an invoice and you can pay right from your phone with a card. Easy as that."

Offer alternatives if they ask, but lead with the professional option.

Handling Late Payments

Most customers pay promptly. But sometimes they don't.

Prevention Is Best

  • Set clear expectations upfront
  • Invoice immediately
  • Make payment easy
  • Request card payment (harder to "forget")

The Follow-Up Sequence

Day 3 (if unpaid): Friendly reminder via text: "Hi [Name], just following up on the invoice I sent for [service]. Let me know if you have any questions!"

Day 7: More direct: "Hi [Name], I wanted to check in on invoice #[X] for $[amount]. Please let me know when I can expect payment. Thanks!"

Day 14: Final notice: "Hi [Name], I haven't received payment for [service] performed on [date]. The balance of $[amount] is now overdue. Please remit payment within 5 days to avoid further action. Call me if you'd like to discuss."

Day 21+:

  • Phone call (sometimes it's just an oversight)
  • Certified letter (for larger amounts)
  • Consider whether it's worth pursuing further

For Recurring Customers

If a regular customer is late, address it directly but diplomatically:

"Hey [Name], I noticed the last invoice is still open. Everything okay? I want to keep taking care of your lawn, but I need to keep current on payments to do that."

Often there's a simple explanation—they forgot, had a busy week, etc.

When to Fire a Customer

Some customers repeatedly pay late, dispute charges, or create problems. It's okay to let them go:

"I appreciate your business, but I don't think we're a good fit going forward. I'd recommend [competitor or general search suggestion] for your future needs."

Your time is valuable. Don't waste it chasing bad customers.

Deposits for Large Jobs

For larger jobs, protect yourself with deposits.

When to Require Deposits

  • Jobs over $300-500
  • Jobs requiring material purchases
  • Jobs scheduled far in advance
  • New customers with no track record

Typical Deposit Structure

  • 50% upfront to schedule, 50% on completion
  • Or: Fixed deposit ($200, for example) with balance on completion

How to Communicate

"For a job this size, I require a 50% deposit to get on the schedule. That's $X. The balance of $X is due when we finish. Does that work for you?"

Most customers understand and accept this.

What If They Refuse?

Some customers don't want to pay deposits. You can:

  • Explain it's standard practice for larger jobs
  • Offer a smaller deposit
  • Accept the risk if they seem trustworthy
  • Walk away if it feels wrong

Trust your gut. Good customers understand business realities.

Tracking Payments

Know what's owed and what's paid.

Simple Tracking

Spreadsheet or note with:

  • Customer name
  • Invoice date
  • Amount
  • Status (Sent/Paid/Overdue)
  • Payment date
  • Payment method

Review weekly. Follow up on anything outstanding.

Better Tracking

Home Guild Pro tracks all of this automatically:

  • See all open invoices at a glance
  • Know instantly who owes what
  • Payment status updates in real-time
  • Run reports on your receivables

When you're doing multiple jobs per day, manual tracking gets overwhelming fast. Pro keeps it simple.

Tax Considerations

Every payment is income that needs to be tracked for taxes.

Keep Records Of

  • Every payment received
  • Date of payment
  • Amount
  • Customer (for your records)
  • Payment method

Separate Your Tax Money

Remember from the earlier lesson: Set aside 25-30% of profits for taxes. Do this with every payment.

Easy system: Payment comes in → Transfer 25% to savings → What's left is yours

Report Everything

All income is taxable, including:

  • Cash payments
  • Venmo/Zelle payments
  • Barter/trade arrangements

Keep clean records from day one. It's much easier than reconstructing everything at tax time.

Action Steps

  1. Set up a payment processor (Square, or sign up for Home Guild Pro)
  2. Create an invoice template with your business info
  3. Define your payment terms (due upon completion, deposit requirements)
  4. Communicate terms in all quotes going forward
  5. Invoice immediately after every job starting today
  6. Set up a follow-up system for late payments

Next lesson: Simple systems to track whether you're actually making money.

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