An invoice is a document that shows the selling price and other terms of the deal between a business and a customer. In some countries a business may not be required to register or pay sales tax unless they issue an invoice. Invoices are usually used in commerce to exchange money for goods and services but can also be used for non-monetary transactions.
An invoice may be described as an “order form” or a “contract”. However, an invoice is not the same as an order form. While an order form shows that you, the business, have given the customer the offer to buy a product or service, an invoice shows the customer that the business has fulfilled its part of the deal by providing the service or product. An invoice also serves as a documentation of the terms of the agreement between the two parties.
The process of generating an invoice can be time-consuming and complex. The goal of this blog post is to give you some helpful tips on how to create an invoice for a content writing job so that when the time comes to do so, you can do so with confidence. We will discuss:
Step one: Determine the product/service
The first and most crucial step in creating an invoice is to determine what product or service you will use to generate the invoice. It is important to note that at this point you have not yet created the content, written the pitch, or started the job. You simply need to identify what product or service you will use to perform the task.
Usually, when a business creates an invoice for a content writing job, they will use a product such as HubSpot to perform the task. However, you may use a service such as Freshslices to create content for your website. In these cases, you would use the invoice itself to collect payments for the service. Once you have determined the product or service, you can move on to the next step.
Step two: Identify the customer
The second step in creating an invoice is to identify the customer. You will need to find the end user or customer who will be invoiced for the product or service. In the case of a service, the customer is usually a person or business that has paid for the service and has a right to claim reimbursement. In the case of a product, the customer is often the person or business who will use the product after you have provided it to them.
It is essential to find the right customer and ensure that they are aware that they are the right customer for the product or service you are providing. You may use several tools to find the right customer for your content writing job, such as:
- Referral links
- Affiliate programs
- Pricing
When you find the right customer, the next step is to ensure that they are aware that they are the right customer for the product or service you are providing. This can be done using a number of methods including:
- Including a note in the email you send them
- Sending them a greeting card
- Having someone call them on the phone
- Personal interaction in person
Step three: Determine the amount
The third step in creating an invoice is to determine the amount. You will need to decide how much you need to charge the customer for the product or service. This is usually determined by a number of factors including:
- The cost of the product
- The cost of the service
- The delivery fee (if ordered online)
- The overhead costs (if ordered offline)
- The profit you are making on the sale (if any)
- …and more!
Once you have determined the amount, you can move on to the next step.
Step four: Create the invoice
The fourth and final step in creating an invoice is to create the invoice. You will need to use a word processor to create the invoice. You can use templates or create a document from scratch. If you are using word processor to create the invoice, you should:
- Use a header, footer, and page number
- Enter the date
- Use a symbol for cancelled checks or money orders (if paying by these methods)
- Use a section or full-width header, footer, and page number (if paying by phone or PayPal)
- Use proper grammar and spelling
- Ensure that the text is easy to understand
- …and more!
When you have completed the invoice, you will need to save it as a PDF file and email it to the customer. You should follow up with the customer by either sending them a copy of the invoice or following up with them by email.
As you can see, creating an invoice is a complicated process but one that is crucial to the success of your business. An invoice gives the customer certainty as to what they are purchasing and ensures that the business fulfills its end of the bargain. When the time comes to invoice the customer, you can rest assured that you have done everything in your power to create the perfect invoice.