Free · Day 2 of 5 · Tradespeople

Day 2 of 5: Chase Unpaid Invoices Without the Awkwardness

The most avoided task in any trade business. Two prompts that make it easier to actually send the message.

Today's prompts

Copy, fill in the [brackets], paste into ChatGPT. Under 60 seconds each.

First Invoice Reminder (7-14 Days Overdue) Admin

Use this when: An invoice is 7-14 days past the due date. This is the first reminder : assume it was overlooked.

Write a polite first payment reminder for an overdue invoice. Business: Murphy Electrical, Dublin. Client: Sarah O'Brien. Invoice 0047. Amount: EUR 480. Due: 14 days ago. Assume it was forgotten. Under 60 words. Include payment details: IBAN IE29AIBK93115212345678.

Change the names, amounts, and details to match your situation.

Example output

Hi Sarah, just a quick note. Invoice 0047 for EUR 480 was due 14 days ago and I have not seen it come through yet. Might have slipped through. You can pay by bank transfer: IBAN IE29AIBK93115212345678. Let me know if there is anything you need from my side. Thanks, Dave Murphy

Why it works: "Might have slipped through" gives the client a face-saving reason to pay without feeling accused. Most late payments at this stage are genuine oversights. This framing gets a response.

Second Invoice Reminder (30+ Days Overdue) Admin

Use this when: The invoice is 30 or more days overdue and the first reminder was ignored or not paid.

Write a firm second payment reminder. Invoice is now 35 days overdue. Business: Murphy Electrical. Client: Thomas Burke. Invoice 0051. Amount: EUR 720. First reminder sent 14 days ago. Professional and clear, not aggressive. Give a specific deadline: 7 days from today.

Change the names, amounts, and details to match your situation.

Example output

Hi Thomas, following up again on invoice 0051 for EUR 720, now 35 days overdue. I sent a reminder on [date] with no response. I need this settled by [specific date 7 days away] via bank transfer to the account below. If there is an issue on your end, please contact me directly so we can resolve it. Dave Murphy, Murphy Electrical, 086 234 5678

Why it works: Adding a specific payment deadline creates a concrete expectation. "If there is an issue, please get in touch" leaves a door open and prevents the client from going silent entirely.

Why tradespeople avoid sending these : and how prompts fix it

Late invoices do not get paid because of one magic email. They get paid because you actually send the reminder instead of putting it off. Most tradespeople avoid invoice chasing because writing the message feels awkward. A prompt removes that friction. The message is drafted in 90 seconds and you send it immediately instead of letting it sit for two weeks. The psychological barrier is the real problem, not the writing. Solve the friction and the payments follow.

Working in Belgium, Germany, Netherlands or Ireland?

All prompts are written in English, but you can get the output in Dutch, German, French, or any language by adding one line to the end of any prompt: "Write the response in [language]."

Example: "Write a polite follow-up for a bathroom renovation quote sent 5 days ago. Customer: Meneer De Vries. Amount: EUR 2,400. My business: Bakker Loodgieters. Keep it under 80 words. Write the response in Dutch."

ChatGPT handles Dutch, German, French, and most other languages fluently. The prompt logic stays the same. Only the output language changes.

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