Scope creep eats your margin silently
Clients keep adding requests outside the brief. Without a signed engagement letter and revision caps, you absorb the cost.
Invoices sit unpaid for weeks
Professional service clients often push payment terms beyond 30 days. Without a follow-up system, overdue fees pile up quietly.
You release work before you're paid
Handing over final reports before the invoice clears puts all negotiating power on the client's side.
Why professional service providers leave fees on the table
The biggest risk for consultants, coaches, and professional service providers isn't bad clients — it's bad systems. When work starts before a deposit is paid, when scope is agreed verbally, and when invoices go out at project completion instead of at milestones, cash flow suffers. This checklist gives you the exact steps to prevent late and missing payments: collect a deposit before you start, document scope in a signed engagement letter, invoice at milestones, and withhold deliverables until the final invoice clears. For retainer clients, Sole's recurring invoices automate the monthly billing cycle so you never have to chase a fee you've already earned.
What You Get
10 Steps to Prevent Late Payments
Deposits (20–50%), signed engagement letters, fixed-fee packages, milestone invoicing, revision caps, deliverable holds, 7-day payment terms, rush surcharges, daily time logging, and re-quoting for scope changes.
6 Steps to Collect Overdue Fees
Automated reminder on due date, stop work until payment clears, phone follow-up within 48 hours, late fees per engagement letter, deliverable hold, and formal demand with escalation.
Bonus Tip: Recurring Invoices for Retainer Clients
Set up automated monthly retainer invoices in Sole so your recurring clients pay on time without a single follow-up call from you.
preview
A preview of what's inside
Here are the first three prevention steps from Section 1 of your free checklist:
Require a deposit of 20–50% before starting any engagement — paid before a single hour of work begins.
Get a signed engagement letter or statement of work before commencing — verbal agreements don't hold up.
Offer fixed-fee or tiered packages so clients know exactly what they're paying — eliminating bill shock disputes.
+ 7 more prevention steps, 6 overdue collection steps, and 1 Sole retainer tip — all inside the free download.
Who It’s For
Built specifically for sole traders and small operators managing residential property in Australia.
Consultants
Business coaches
Virtual assistants
Bookkeepers
Finance brokers
Project managers
ATO & Compliance Note
Important
Professional services income — including consulting fees, retainer payments, and project invoices — is fully assessable by the ATO. Keep records of all income, signed client agreements, and deductible expenses in Sole to simplify your quarterly BAS and annual tax return. Signed engagement letters also serve as your audit trail for any disputed invoices.
Download your free checklist
Enter your details and we'll send the Getting Paid Checklist for Professional Service Providers straight to your inbox.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
How much of a deposit should I charge before starting a consulting project?
The standard range for Australian consultants is 20–50% upfront. For shorter projects or new clients, err on the higher end. A deposit covers your committed time if the project is cancelled, delayed, or descoped after work has begun.
Can I legally withhold deliverables if an invoice is unpaid?
In most cases, yes. As the creator of the work product, you are entitled to retain final deliverables until payment is received. Ensure your engagement letter clearly states this before commencing work — it is far easier to enforce a pre-agreed term than to claim retention rights after a dispute has begun.
How do I stop scope creep from eroding my margins?
Document agreed scope in writing before starting, cap revision rounds explicitly, and re-quote immediately when new requests fall outside the agreed brief. In Sole, use daily time logging to catch scope drift as it happens — don’t wait until project end to reconcile your hours.