I have several clients who have signed yearly contracts to be paid monthly, and for the most part, they pay me as soon as I invoice them. But there are a few that just buck payment using crappy excuses. They continue to post extravagant photos online while maintaining they're "broke right now", and can't pay the invoice. The invoices are only $1,500 - $2,000, which isn't going to kill me. But it bothers me when I ask for an update a week after sending the invoice, and they tell me, "Oh, I can't pay that right now, I'm hurting until I get some more money in." -- then you see photos of them on expensive vacations, bragging about how much they spent at the casino last night, and picking up the tab for 20 people at Texas de Brazil (that's over a $grand right there).
I have full control over their sites (domain, hosting, payment gateways, everything). Should I be a dick and shut off services until payment is received? That's a real fucked up thing to do, and they're not too delinquent on payment - yet. It could have a lot of negative blow back. I get almost all my clients from word of mouth, and I don't want to be the guy known for shutting down an entire business for missing one payment. But I have bills to pay and kids to spoil.
How do you get people to pay your invoices on time? Any trade secrets I'm missing out on?