Step 1 — The friendly nudge
Most late payments are admin, not malice. A short, warm reminder with the invoice attached and the due date highlighted resolves the majority of cases. Keep it to three lines.
Step 2 — The firm, dated request
If a week passes, quote the contract: the invoice number, the agreed net term, and the date it became overdue. State a specific new payment date. Stay factual — your paper trail starts here.
Step 3 — Final notice
Give a clear deadline and state what happens after it: a letter before action, a late-payment interest claim, or small-claims. Naming the consequence is usually what moves finance.
Step 4 — Formal recovery
Depending on your country, you may be able to add statutory late-payment interest, send a letter before action, or file a small-claims case. The amounts are often small enough that the threat alone resolves it.
Step 5 — Warn the next creator
File a report on the brand’s profile. Stick to verifiable facts — dates, terms, what happened. The brand gets a right of reply, which keeps it fair and keeps you safe.