How to design a Professional Invoice?
Often, companies and small freelance businesses don’t tend to worry about design and just opt for a standard, blank invoice template. And while there’s nothing wrong with that inherently, it means you forego the unique branding opportunity well-designed invoices can provide.
Incorporating customized branding elements into your invoices not only enhances professionalism but also fosters brand recognition, a crucial aspect of invoicing for freelancers seeking to leave a lasting impression on clients.
Branding has a noticeable effect on sales, and even professional-looking invoices can help transform one-off customers into long-term clients. Especially so if you operate in the commercial sphere, where your invoices might be seen by tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people every month.
“But how do I design a professional AND visually engaging branded invoice?”, you may ask. Well, as it turns out, quite easily. Consider these three steps to designing invoices:
1. Use a Logo:
We’ve touched on this in the previous section, but to reiterate, using a logo on your invoices is a fantastic way of easily setting yourself apart from the competition.
2. Incorporate Company Colors:
Think about your website, e-shop, or ads. Ideally, you should be using the same colors repeatedly to make your customers associate them with your business. Why not double down on your efforts and design your invoices in your company colors?
3. Clarity
A professional invoice should be simple and neat. Its main focal point has to be the most critical information for the receiver – the price, due date and the bank account number where the payment should be made. These invoicing elements are critical for the whole invoicing process.
4. Speak To Your Clientele in the Thank-You Box:
Each business should have a specific target customer in mind. These people have a unique way of speaking, which gives you the perfect opportunity to build a relationship with them even in your invoice’s thank-you box.
There are also a number of other design basics you should keep in mind when creating your business invoice. These include:
- Consider the Structure of the Invoice:
Most customers will do with a digital email invoice. But for the clients who may want to print out a physical copy, you’ll want to work within the standard margins of an 8.5 x 11” page. Also, make sure to leave enough room for all the necessary information.
- Make the Invoice Easy to Read:
Readability is a key aspect of every invoice. Keep this in mind while designing, and try to work clear invoice layouts, like grids.
- Highlight the Most Important Information:
To further improve your invoice legibility, you can use different sizes and colors to differentiate the most important information, like deadlines and total prices.
But thankfully, you don’t need to worry about these aspects with Billdu’s free invoice templates. Each comes in a variety of formats, is easily customizable with logos and colors, and can be downloaded in Word, Excel, PDF, or Google Docs.
In the case of Billdu, you have a “Pay with PayPal” button directly on your digital invoices, so the client can pay immediately, without going through the hassle of making a bank transfer or using an otherwise slower payment method.
If you’re still making invoices using Word and Excel, upgrade to effortless invoice generation with Billdu automation feature. For simple and efficient invoice creation, consider using the Billdu Invoice Generator for Australia.
How to Quickly and Professionally Create and Send an Invoice?
Creating and sending an invoice both quickly and professionally is a key aspect of efficient business management. To start, choose a reliable invoicing software or platform like Billdu, which simplifies the process and ensures a professional look. Begin by selecting a template that aligns with your brand image, adding a touch of professionalism.
One of the advantages of using digital platforms is their ability to automatically calculate totals and taxes, reducing the likelihood of errors.
Before sending the invoice, double-check all the information for accuracy. The best invoicing software allow you to send an invoice at the best time directly to your client’s email, streamlining the process. This not only saves time but also ensures that the invoice reaches the client promptly.
It’s a good practice to follow up with a polite email or message, confirming the receipt of the invoice.
Final thoughts on Professional Invoice Design
Throughout this article, we’ve explored the importance of professional business invoices and how to design them. As we’ve explained, each one of your invoices offers a unique opportunity to build rapport with your clients, strengthen your company branding, and solidify your standing as a professional.
Furthermore, by including all necessary information on your business invoices in a clear and intuitive way, you can ensure you always get paid on time. And if not, you at least have a legal leg to stand on to persuade non-payers to give you what’s yours.
And you can do all of this with our free online invoice generator. You don’t even need to sign up for one our free 30-day trial! But as you’ll find Billdu is much more than just an invoice maker. So, why not power up all your financial documents with options like the free profit and loss template and see how we can help your small business grow?
Create professional looking invoices quickly and easily with Billdu!
Create professional-looking invoices quickly and effortlessly with Billdu. Click here to start streamlining your invoicing process today!