Late invoices are killing me

I run a small service-based business, and one of the most stressful parts of the job is dealing with late invoices and chasing for money. I always feel awkward following up…. it’s like I’m walking a fine line between being professional and annoying. I wish people would just pay.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a few ways to make the process less painful, like sending friendly reminders via text or email with a direct payment link. It’s helped a bit, but I feel like there has to be a better way. It’s so time consuming and emotionally draining.

How do you approach overdue invoices? Do you have strategies, templates, or tools that work for you?