Words to send · Getting paid
How to ask a client for a deposit
Say why, how much and by when: the deposit holds the start date, it’s half, and the date is held once it’s paid. “Half, $2,500, holds March 3 for you.” Framed as holding something, a deposit reads as a service, not as distrust.
When to send it: In the quote, and once more if it hasn’t been paid a week before the start.
The message
Hi Sam, To hold March 3 as your start date, I take half up front: $2,500. The rest is invoiced when the work is delivered. The link below takes the deposit and the agreement together. Once it’s paid, the date is yours. Maya
A week before the start
Hi Sam, March 3 is a week away and the deposit hasn’t come through yet. If you still want the date, the link is below; if plans have changed, let me know and I’ll offer it to somebody else. Maya
Why it works
- It says what the money does: holds a date that can’t be sold twice.
- The reminder gives a real consequence without a threat in it.
What not to say
- “As a matter of policy, all clients must…” It sounds like you’ve been burned.
- Starting work before the deposit lands.