Agency Alliance · 2021-01-15 · 6 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
16 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Agency owners frequently struggle with invoicing delays and unpaid work, often because they start delivering services before securing payment. This episode addresses that core problem by outlining a systematic approach to retainer billing using subscription-based invoicing tools. The host recommends using platforms like Stripe, Wave Accounting, QuickBooks, or FreshBooks to create recurring invoices that automatically charge clients at the same time each month, with built-in dunning - automatic retry attempts if a card fails. The key principle is simple: never start work until an invoice is paid. If payment fails after automatic retry attempts, the host gives clients seven days before stopping work entirely. Critically, the episode also addresses credit card handling security: the host strongly advises never taking clients' card information directly, instead using payment processor portals (like Stripe's customer portal) where clients securely enter and update their own payment details. This approach mirrors how SaaS platforms like Hootsuite and Ahrefs operate - they don't negotiate payment terms, so agencies shouldn't either. The episode is valuable for freelancers and small agency owners tired of chasing invoices and managing payment delays.
Let your payment processor automatically retry the charge (usually 3+ times), then give the client 7 days to resolve the payment. If unpaid after 7 days, stop work until the invoice is paid.
No - never take or store clients' credit card details directly. Instead, use your payment processor's portal (like Stripe's customer portal) where clients securely enter and update their own payment information.
Any platform that supports recurring subscriptions with dunning (automatic retries) works; popular options include Stripe, Wave Accounting, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks.
Only after their first invoice is fully paid. Send the invoice first, confirm payment has cleared, then begin work.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode is six minutes of basic invoicing hygiene - don't start work before payment, use recurring billing, enable dunning - advice any agency owner who has been burned once already knows. There is almost no non-obvious insight, and significant time is spent on throat-clearing and repetition.
Do not start work before you, or do not start work until you start to get paid.
make sure that all your invoices are subscriptions reoccurring and dunning
Every point made - charge upfront, automate billing, don't take card details manually - is completely standard agency-ops common sense with no contrarian, first-principles, or counterintuitive framing. The analogy to SaaS tools not giving slack is the closest thing to a fresh angle but is still a well-worn comparison.
So why are we as agency owners being flexible with our clients?
I've never had any pushback on that, ever.
This is a solo host monologue with no guest at all; the host provides no verifiable credentials, client counts, revenue figures, or indicators of operating at meaningful scale, making it impossible to assess practitioner depth.
there is no right or wrong way
I use Stripe
A handful of tool names (Stripe, Wave, QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Ahrefs, Hootsuite) and two concrete policy numbers (seven days grace, three retry attempts) are the only specifics; there are no named clients, dollar figures, revenue impact, or case study outcomes to substantiate the advice.
I give my clients seven days. If they don't pay within seven days, I stop at work.
it will try upwards of three more times after that
The episode is an unstructured solo monologue with no guest, no questions, no follow-ups, and no intellectual tension; the host rambles and self-corrects mid-sentence multiple times, reflecting minimal preparation or craft.
Do not start work before you, or do not start work until you start to get paid.
I'm not going to take, go into the details.
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
Nothing's worse than having to bug clients to pay their invoices. And even worse, sometimes some of you start work before getting paid. In this episode, I share how I handle my invoicing, although I'll admit, there are many ways to skin a cat ;) #toomuch? Interested in more? Visit us: Facebook: Youtube:
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Hello and welcome. In this video, I am going to talk about how to set up retainer clients, specifically more how I do it because there is no right or wrong way. So I see this come up in Facebook groups all the time. How do I invoice my clients?
Do I do hourly? Do I do retainers, et cetera, et cetera? There was one in particular that I actually took a screenshot of that I want to address. I'm not going to take, go into the details.
but it came up on how do I invoice my SEO clients so that I don't end up doing work before getting paid and that needs to be addressed so it takes a little bit of a learning and usually by unfortunately getting shot in the foot before you realize that you have to fire your invoices off before you start work. Do not start work before you, or do not start work until you start to get paid. Small business owners especially are very well but things happen And what will happen is they go yeah yeah you know I pay you And then some other invoice comes up or some bill comes up and they get stuck.
In the meantime, you've actually invested time and effort into doing work for the client. And it could be three weeks later before you ever get paid or worst case scenario, you just never get paid. So under no circumstances do I ever recommend you start work before you get paid. And that comes from my own experiences as well.
So in this particular situation, she was sending out the invoices manually, but technically starting the work before getting paid. And then it was just kind of starting to bite her in the butt. And what you should be doing is sending out the invoice and not starting work until the invoice got paid. Now, the other thing that I highly recommend is make sure that all your invoices are subscriptions reoccurring and dunning.
Dunning is where their credit card gets hit automatically. But then also if it fails, the processor will keep, will try usually three times afterwards to make sure the invoice gets paid. That really really important When you sign up for something like Hootsuite or Ahrefs or any of that they don give you any slack They're like, you pay, you get access. So why are we as agency owners being flexible with our clients?
And I can tell you, our clients are not flexible with their clients. So don't be that middleman that's trying to be flexible simply to try to appease everyone. I use Stripe. I have used Wave Accounting in the past.
You can also do this in QuickBooks. There's also FreshBooks. There's lots of options out there. The option you choose is not irrelevant.
What you just need to look for is, can I create a reoccurring invoice, a subscription? I use Stripe, so it's called a subscription in Stripe. That automatically hits the client's card automatically at the same time every month. and then if the card fails, it will try upwards of three more times after that.
And then if the invoice still isn't paid by then, I give my clients seven days. If they don't pay within seven days, I stop at work. And I follow up with them and say, hey, you know, this is what's going on. I'll resume work when the invoice is paid.
And I've never had any pushback on that, ever. So don't be afraid to stand your ground on this. Now the other thing that might be coming to your mind is well how do I get my clients credit card into my invoice software I am a firm believer never ever take your clients credit card don't take it don't write it down I've worked at agencies where they did that I think it's highly unethical there should be zero transmission of their credit card into your hands or your staff anywhere.
What you do, again, I use Stripe. Most software billing invoices software does this, but Stripe sends them an invoice on the very first time. It says pay now. They put in their credit card information.
Stripe saves it. Deal's done. When they need to update their credit card information, Stripe has customer portal they can log in get all their invoices download them seek upcoming invoices and update their credit card done do not take credit card information from your clients that's my personal opinion i know that other people out there do it i don't agree with it i think it's unethical so hopefully that gives you some ideas if i touched on something in regards to the invoicing thing for your clients leave a note in the comments let me know uh what that question is i i look Welcome constructive feedback.
Just keep it professional. Thanks, everyone.
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