Second ask
When the client still hasn’t paid
Use this after the first reminder, when they go quiet or when the date they named has come and gone. Ask for a date. Don’t ask how they’re feeling about the invoice.
Silence after a clear reminder is the moment for a shorter note, not a longer one. Repeat the amount and the invoice. Ask what date the payment will be sent. A date is something you can hold. “Looking into it” is not.
If they already promised a day and missed it, say that the invoice is still open and ask for the new date. You don’t need to recap the relationship or list every email you sent.
Keep the tone plain. Warmth in the first note assumed a mistake. The second note assumes they saw it. Firm, here, means fewer words. It does not mean threats, late fees you never agreed, or a performance of anger.
Two asks is the sequence for most freelance and small-shop invoices. If the second date also passes, or if they want more work while this one sits open, send the note that pauses the work. If the work is already done, send the final reminder instead.