How to invoice a brand and what to do when payment is late

What goes on the invoice

1. Your name or business name, address, and how to pay you.

2. The brand name and the contact who approved the work.

3. A clear line for each deliverable and its agreed fee.

4. The campaign name or purchase order number if they gave you one.

5. The date you delivered and the date payment is due.

6. The total, plus any tax that applies where you are.

Agree the payment term up front

Net 30 means payment is due thirty days after you invoice, and it is the most common term for sponsored work. Plenty of brands run net 60 or even net 90 through their accounts team, so agree the term in writing before you start rather than discovering it later. If cash flow matters, ask for half at signing and half on delivery, which is a normal split to request.

Send it the day you deliver

The payment clock usually starts when you invoice, so do not sit on it. Send the invoice the same day the content goes live, attach it as a file, and confirm the right person and inbox in accounts. A day of delay on your side can be a month of delay on theirs.

The first nudge, a few days after due date

Subject line
Invoice [number] now due

Hi [name], quick note that invoice [number] for [campaign] was due on [date]. I have attached it again here for ease. Could you confirm it is in the next payment run. Thanks so much.

The firmer follow-up, about a week later

Subject line
Second reminder on invoice [number]

Hi [name], following up on invoice [number], now [X] days past due. I would appreciate a payment date. If it needs to go to someone in accounts, please point me their way and I will send it straight over.

The final escalation

If two polite reminders go nowhere, send a firmer note that references your agreed terms. Stay professional. The goal is payment, not a fight.

Subject line
Overdue invoice [number], next steps

Hi [name], invoice [number] is now [X] days overdue and I still have no payment date. Please treat this as a final reminder before I apply the late fee set out in our agreement and pause any further work. I would much rather settle this today, so please let me know how you want to proceed.