Warning: I was about to give up on a client who ghosted me for 3 weeks

This guy in Chicago owed me $1200 and just stopped replying to emails. I was ready to write it off as a loss. On a whim, I sent a final invoice through PayPal with a note saying 'payment required to unlock final project files.' He paid within 2 hours. I guess making it about access, not just asking for money, flipped a switch. Anyone else have a last-ditch trick for chasing down deadbeat clients?

2 comments

2 Comments

ruby4942d ago

That's smart, framing it as a gate instead of a bill. Makes it about their own need, not your problem. Ever try sending a physical letter? Something about paper feels more serious than email. I've had guys ignore a dozen emails, but a typed letter with "Final Notice" in the header gets a check mailed back. Maybe it just lands on a different desk or feels more legally real to them, you know?

kellygarcia2d ago

My gym locks your account if you're 30 days late on dues. They always pay right before the cutoff. It's the same thing, right? People act when a door is about to close in their face.