How to Make a Marketing Invoice for Freelancers and Agencies

A marketing invoice is a critical financial document that freelancers and agencies use to bill clients for their services. It describes the work that has been done for the client and outlines how much they need to pay for it.

In this article, we’ll focus on this type of invoice, precisely define what it is, and teach you how to make it. We’ll also give you a couple of expert tips on invoicing clients and show you how to use our invoice generator to make the process quick and effortless.

What Is a Marketing Invoice?

A marketing invoice is a professional billing document that freelancers and agencies send to clients as a payment request for rendered services. Its main purpose is to describe the specific work that has been done for the customer, detail the associated costs, and calculate the total amount due.

These invoices are often different from regular business invoices, as they usually contain a much higher level of detail. Due to many types of marketing (print, SEO, social media, branding, etc.), each item typically needs to come with detailed descriptions, time entries, campaign references, adjustments for retainers, and more.

Due to the dynamic nature of marketing, invoices also often include costs associated with creative hours or ad spend for running campaigns. This builds long-term trust between the parties, ensuring optimal cash flow for the agency or freelancer.

What Should Be Included in a Marketing Invoice?

There are several things that need to be included in your professional marketing invoice if you want to ensure its validity and minimize instances of unpaid invoices. Let’s see what they are.

#1. Marketing Firm Name, Address, and Contact Details

The information about you (if you’re a freelancer) or your agency needs to be prominently displayed, usually at the top of a marketing invoice.

You need to include your full name (for a freelance marketing invoice) or the legal name of your business, your mailing address, email, and phone number. This gives the client enough information to contact you in case they have any questions. Moreover, your contact details serve as a record of the document’s origin, proving to the client that you were the one who sent an invoice.

For branding purposes and enhanced professionalism, you can also add your logo to this part of your invoice.

#2. Client’s Name and Case Reference

You should include the client’s details in the same manner as you did yours: by adding their full business name and billing address to the invoice.

Since marketing professionals and agencies often handle multiple tasks and campaigns for different clients, it’s important to add a case reference. This can be in addition to an invoice number, referring to a specific project or period (e.g., Q4 Holiday Promotion” or “SEO Retainer”).

This is a small detail, but it becomes increasingly important the more invoices you send to one client, as it helps with administrative efforts.

#3. Description of Services Provided

A description of the provided services represents the central part and the core of a marketing invoice. This section needs to be a detailed list of every billable activity, along with a sufficient description to ensure the client understands it completely.

Because of that, you should avoid being too vague or using jargon when describing your services. Clear descriptions help avoid confusion that can result in delayed payments or even disputes.

#4. Billable Hours and Hourly Rate

Include billable hours and hourly rate next to each service to maximize transparency. Add the exact number of hours you spent on each task, and include the rate that you agreed upon with the client beforehand.

Keep in mind that some clients can ask you for a complete breakdown of your services, even if you work for a flat fee or send a retainer invoice. If you’re using time-tracking software and reporting it to the client, ensure that the hours in your marketing invoice match.

#5. Subtotal, Taxes, and Total Amount Due

Once you’ve listed all services, hours, and rates, you can calculate subtotals for each one. After that, you want to check the tax rules in your state to see whether you need to include taxes and in what amount.

Finally, you want to sum everything up and prominently display it at the bottom as the total amount due.

#6. Payment Terms and Accepted Payment Methods

To ensure prompt and timely payments, you should always clearly state payment terms and accepted methods. Common payment terms include net terms (e.g., Net 30 or Net 60) and “Due on Receipt.” You can also mention that you offer discounts for early payments, or that there are penalties for overdue invoices.

Following that, you want to list all the methods that you accept, such as wire transfer, credit card, check, and PayPal. The more methods you include in your marketing invoice, the easier it will be for the client to pay you.

How to Make a Marketing Invoice

There are several ways to make a marketing invoice, depending on your needs and circumstances.

One common method is to use Excel invoice templates or templates in Word. This is a decent way to make invoices if you’re just starting your business and need a temporary solution. You simply find a marketing invoice template in these formats, fill in the details, and export the document.

Keep in mind that Word, Excel, and other general software aren’t tailor-made for invoice creation. As such, it’ll take you more time to create each document, and you’ll need to know how to use these programs.

Using a Marketing Invoice Generator

Given the above mentioned, it’s always better to use a dedicated marketing invoice generator. At Paystub.org, we developed a specialized solution for all your invoicing needs, which you can use whether you’re a freelancer or an agency owner, and even if you’ve never created an invoice before.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Head to the invoice generator on our website.

2. Choose an invoice template that suits the needs of your business.

3. Fill out the form by putting the required details in the blank spaces.

4. (Optional) Upload your logo to enhance the branding of your invoice.

5. (Optional) Add notes, including personalized messages and additional terms and conditions.

6. Review your final invoice to see what it looks like and check if you need to make some changes.

7. Check out to download a finished invoice.

Our invoice generator significantly cuts down the time and effort required to create these documents, reducing the administrative work required and allowing you to focus on your business.

4 Valuable Tips for Freelancers and Agencies

Before we wrap up the article, we’ve prepared four tips that can help you bill your clients professionally, ensuring prompt payments and a healthy cash flow for your business.

#1. Ensure Clear and Concise Descriptions of Services

Your client or their accounting department needs clear and concise descriptions of services to fully understand what they are paying for. They likely aren’t adept in the field of marketing like you, so they don’t know all of the jargon and technical terminology.

That’s why you need to explain the work that’s been done in simple terms for the mainstream audience. If anything sounds confusing or if there’s a lack of sufficient information, it can lead to additional questions, which will delay the payment.

#2. Always Number Invoices Sequentially

You should always use sequential numbering for your invoices for bookkeeping, tax, and audit purposes. Each invoice needs to have a unique number that makes it easy to store, find, and retrieve.

You can establish a system that suits you best (e.g., #0001, #0002, etc.) and maintain it for all your clients and invoices. This also allows you to track and refer to specific invoices when needed. For instance, you can contact a client with a message along the lines of, “We received payment for invoice #1007, but invoice #1006 is still outstanding.”

#3. Send Invoices Promptly After Completing Services

You should invoice for marketing services as soon as you’ve completed them. The longer you wait, the more the debt becomes “cold,” and the client turns their focus to other matters. This can lead to longer wait periods until payments and increase the risk of unpaid invoices.

#4. Keep Copies for Bookkeeping and Taxes

In the U.S., you need to keep financial records for up to 7 years. This ensures you can file taxes, pass audits, claim losses, and more. That’s why it’s critical to keep a copy of every marketing invoice you send to your clients. Since you’ll mainly be sending digital marketing invoices, you should keep copies in a PDF format, organized by years and clients.

Final Thoughts

An accurate and detailed marketing invoice is an essential financial document for freelancers and agencies. It communicates your work to the clients and requests payment in a clear and professional manner. Well-written invoices can also enhance your professional image and help you build long-term relationships with your clientele.

That’s why it’s recommended to avoid using generic marketing invoice examples from the web and templates from software like Word and Excel. Instead, you should try our purpose-built invoice generator to craft these documents in minutes, and put your effort into running your business.

Marketing Invoice FAQ

#1. Can I use the same marketing invoice for multiple clients?

No, you can’t use the exact same marketing invoice for multiple clients, but you can use the same template. A template allows you to quickly change relevant details, such as the recipients, amounts, and descriptions of services, and create a professional invoice in minutes.

#2. Is it legal to create my own marketing invoice?

Yes, it is legal to create your own marketing invoice. However, the document needs to contain all the necessary details, including the correct amounts that need to be paid and the exact services that you have rendered.

#3. How do I make a marketing invoice more professional?

To make a marketing invoice more professional, you should use a dedicated generator or template and implement elements of your brand identity. Following that, you should use a clear and legible font, appropriate invoice numbering, and accurate, jargon-free descriptions of services.

#4. Can Paystub.org invoices be used for taxes?

Yes, Paystub.org invoices can be used for taxes, since you can use them as financial records of your income. They can provide both you and your clients with the necessary documentation to file accurate and legally compliant tax returns with the IRS.