How to Get Paid Earlier in Your Business
Cash flow is one of the biggest challenges for any product or service business.
For businesses that rely on large orders or long-term projects, cash can get tied up for weeks—or even months—before turning into revenue. This slows growth and can leave you scrambling to cover expenses.
When I designed my business model, I knew I couldn’t risk running out of cash or locking up all my working capital in each order. The solution wasn’t complicated, but it required rethinking how I presented and sold my offering.
Why Most Businesses Get Paid Late
Service-based and project-based businesses typically follow a “work now, pay later” model.
Clients receive an invoice after the work is complete—sometimes with 30 to 60-day payment terms—and you wait to get paid.
But think about how we buy physical products online:
We expect to pay first, then receive the product.
Why?
Because we trust the purchase. We know exactly what we’re buying, what it will look like, and when it will arrive.
This difference comes down to how the offer is presented.
The Key: Make Your Service Feel Like a Product
To solve cash flow challenges, I stopped selling “services” and started presenting my work like a product.
When customers configure their project on the TailorQuote website, they can clearly see:
- Exactly what’s being delivered
- When it will be delivered
- What it will look like (or the specific components)
This level of clarity builds trust. It feels tangible—like ordering a product—which makes customers far more willing to pay upfront.
Because of this, we set a simple payment structure:
- 50% upfront payment (plus a measurement fee)
- 50% before delivery
Surprisingly, most clients were not only comfortable with this arrangement—they were relieved they didn’t have to pay the full amount right away. And if we chose to, we could easily move to full upfront payment, just like most product businesses.
How You Can Get Paid Earlier
If you want to improve cash flow in your own business, the strategy is simple:
- Ask for payment earlier — either upfront or at clearly defined project milestones.
- Make your service feel like a product — show exactly what customers are buying and when they’ll receive it.
By packaging your service like a product, you increase trust, normalize upfront payments, and reduce the cash flow headaches that slow down growth.