Sick and tired of chasing up clients, trying to remember how much you charged them for your work?
Either you end up trying to charge them too much and getting an earful, or charge them much less than agreed, wondering why your Disney+ subscription bounced this month.
To solve this you need to act similarly to the people over at Disney+ (and no, we’re not talking about remastering old movies or bringing another Disney classic to life). You need to be providing your clients with clear, easy-to-follow invoices.
With the perfect consulting invoice in place, you can say goodbye to evening and weekend follow-up emails harassing your clients and spend to more time watching the Moana sing-along.
Come on. We all know what you’d rather be doing.
What Is a Consulting Invoice?
Firstly, let’s very quickly touch on what a consulting invoice is.
A consulting invoice is an invoice associated with consulting services.
There we go, all done.
Okay, a little more context might be helpful! When working as a consultant, before starting any project, you will spend time establishing the exacts of the contract to ensure both parties are happy with the proposal.
After all, you wouldn’t want to spend hours crafting a detailed ebook on high-protein recipes for a sports brand only to find out afterward they just wanted one recipe to use as a giveaway. That’s a massive waste of your time and resources as a consultant and isn’t the best look for the client, either.
That’s where an invoice comes into the mix. Once you’ve mapped out the exact details of your working arrangement, it’s important to provide your clients with an invoice for the work so that everything is contractually tied up in a nice neat bow.
Your invoice will include your details, your client’s details, the work outlined, the overall cost to the client for those services, and how they can pay you
Why are they necessary?
“When you do what you love, you’ll feel like you’ve never worked a day in your life.”
All that’s well and good, but we’ve still got to pay our bills! Invoicing clients ensures you get paid on time and appropriately and ensures there are no awkward conversations about what was agreed upon and what wasn’t once the work is complete.
Even with the best clients, you would be amazed how often they attempt to pay less than the initially agreed price, and invoicing helps keep everyone in check.
Providing clients with a high-quality invoice also shows professionalism and dedication while also keeping the tax man happy at the end of the year.
Don’t Skip: Write the Perfect Consulting Proposal – Tools, Examples, and a Template
What to Include in a Professional Consulting Invoice
Let’s have a quick look at what you need to add to your consulting invoice:
- Company logo: Add your branding for a professional look and feel.
- Company details: Add your name, address, email address, and work phone number for clarity in case of any questions.
- Client information: Add your client’s name, address, email address, phone number, favorite past-time, and star sign (okay, maybe not the last two).
- Invoice details: Add the invoice number for tracking (use simple terminology like “Invoice #001”), the date sent, the date due, and how much is owed.
- Items: Include what you’re charging for, clearly and concisely listing everything agreed upon. If you’re charging hourly, include an itemized detail of your hours.
- Total price: Include the total price of each of your services provided for simplicity.
- Payment Method: Don’t forget to state how the client can pay for your work. The most common payment methods for consulting are check via mail, direct deposit through your bank, or a link to a third-party online payment platform like Zelle or Deel. If you’re working on a retainer or have a monthly contract, you won’t have to include this in every invoice.
Ready-to-Send Consulting Invoice
Hold our beer. We’ve got you covered.
Here’s a free consulting invoice template to help you get started.
You’ll notice we’ve kept things simple, only including the absolute necessities, as clarity is crucial so that clients don’t get confused or frustrated.
Essentially, your aim is to make getting paid as easy as possible and reduce the barriers to entry. A well-crafted invoice is another touch point for you to impress your clients.
Frequently Asked Questions About Invoicing as a Consulting Business
What should a consulting invoice include?
Company logo, company details, client information, Invoice details, items, total price, and payment method.
What is a consulting invoice?
A consulting invoice is a document issued by a consultant to their client detailing the services provided, the amount owed, and payment terms.
How do consultants bill their time?
Consultants typically bill their time either by the hour, in fixed project-based fees, or through a retainer agreement, depending on the nature of the consulting services and the preferences of both the consultant and the client.
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