The Get-Paid Playbook

The work is done. The invoice is out. The client went quiet.

Every freelancer and agency knows the sick feeling: the deliverable shipped, the invoice is overdue, and the replies have stopped. You don't want to nag, you don't want to torch the relationship, and you definitely don't want to lose the money. So you freeze - and the unpaid invoice just sits there.

This skill ends the freeze. Describe your situation - even in one vague line - and your agent delivers the complete collection plan, ready to send. Calm, professional, effective. Structure beats emotion every time.

What you get in every plan

1. Your position - an honest read of your leverage and the realistic outcome, including when the amount isn't worth the fight and the fastest path to closure
2. A staged chase sequence - a graduated ladder with exact timing: friendly reminder, firm follow-up (reaching Accounts Payable), dated final notice, then escalation - so you always know the next move
3. Ready-to-send messages - complete emails for your current stage and the next, subject lines included, plus a phone script for when a call is the stronger move
4. Answers to every stall - word-for-word replies to "it's been processed", "cheque's in the post", "there's a problem with the invoice", "cash flow is tight", and silence - each one holds the clock while staying professional
5. A clean escalation & walk-away path - pause work, formal written demand, collections agency, small claims - with the trigger line for each and how to close it cleanly if it's not worth pursuing (while protecting yourself next time)

The 5 scenarios it handles

• Oversight / it slipped - assume good faith; a clean reminder usually clears it
• Client gone silent - escalating cadence + reach Accounts Payable + a dated deadline
• Promised then stalled - pin an exact date in writing + a consequence you control
• "Problem with the invoice" - separate a real issue from a stall; fix or reject in writing, keep the clock running
• Won't pay / avoiding - stop new work + late fees + formal demand + external options

Why it works

It encodes how professionals actually collect: facts first then one dated ask, one goal per message, a consequence you can control, and escalation only when earned. It never nags and never begs.

And it's safe by design: it never fabricates an invoice number, amount, date or figure - your inputs stay yours, unknowns are placeholders. It never writes a threat you won't carry out, never cites a statute or legal deadline unless you've confirmed your country, and never guarantees payment. At the legal/collections tier it tells you to confirm local rules and consider a licensed professional.

Works for hourly, project and retainer invoices, for solo freelancers and agencies, in any country and any currency.

Text-only skill: no scripts, no network calls, zero extra permissions. Tested on Claude.