5 Great Tips to Create Professional Invoices with eSignatures

The gig economy is all the hype – it is foreseen to reach 455.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. In a gig economy, people work in temporary or part-time positions or as independent contractors. Around 70% of freelancers get jobs at gig economy sites and online markets, which shows a tremendous demand for freelancers across different niches and industries. Freelancers generally have to play both the roles of an employee and a business owner. Being your own boss means getting your work done and being equipped to run a business. When you start a business of your own, you will have your plate full, for ex: pitching your products or services to the clients, following up on potential clients for projects, creating contracts, sticking to deadlines, rolling out invoices, and getting paid. As a matter of fact, generating revenue is the ultimate goal of any business, and so it remains for freelancers too. The first and crucial stage to get paid faster is a professional invoice. However, creating and sharing invoices manually accounts for human errors that may end up causing data loss or theft, spelling or grammar errors, and more. This is where digital signatures can make life easier for freelancers. Integrating e-signature software in your workflows can help save a lot of time and costs and ensure that you limit human errors to a minimum. In addition, using eSignatures also ensures end-to-end security and legality of your documents.

Managing everything alone may sound challenging, but you can thrive with the right blend of skills and technology. Whether you are all set to take the plunge as a freelancer or an established member of the gig economy, this blog has it all to help you survive, grow, and prosper. So let’s dive in to know more.

All set to be a freelancer?

Find a community and establish your presence Getting support, being accountable, and exploring new resources is paramount for a freelancer, and related online communities are a great way in. Don’t be afraid to start one of your own if you can’t find one you fit into. Start with a decent website, share your contact details, a clear listing of services, and a rich portfolio to establish your presence and build a community of fellow freelancers to stay motivated and on track.

If you want to work on your own terms, freelancing is a great option. Being a freelancer allows you to work at your convenience, anytime, anywhere. However, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Freelancers don’t necessarily need a team or administrative workforce like a business. Still, they need to handle all aspects of operating a small business. If you are a newbie starting off on your journey to leave the 9 to 5 behind, here is a checklist of some helpful freelancing tips.

• Find a community and establish your presence

  Getting support, being accountable, and exploring new resources is paramount for a freelancer, and related online communities are a great way in. Don’t be afraid to start one of your own if you can’t find one you fit into. Start with a decent website, share your contact details, a clear listing of services, and a rich portfolio to establish your presence and build a community of fellow freelancers to stay motivated and on track.

• Build a pipeline and stick to the routine

  Being a freelancer is a full-time job that you are entirely reliant on. Moreover, in the gig economy, getting new clients onboard every day is becoming quite challenging with so many options available. In this situation, it becomes crucial to have a pipeline of forthcoming projects ready and follow a specific routine. Keep adding to your channel even if your schedule is full. Establish a routine by setting working hours and standards, and stick to it for better outcomes.

• Stay up-to-date with documentation

  While an employee just has his individual assignments and work to look into, freelancers have plenty to look into besides their assignments, which includes additional paperwork and documentation. From bookkeeping to contract formation, tax filing, invoice generation, and more – freelancers have to take care of everything. Here it becomes imperative for freelancers to leverage technology and digitization tools to stay up-to-date with their documentation.

• Build a portfolio

  Starting on your own takes extra effort – especially when you are getting work that is valued and paid for. You need a strong portfolio ready to help your clients choose you for their requirements. Build a portfolio with the necessary files, clips, and documentation on past projects. Ensure that your portfolio showcases your skills and personality to help you stand out from hundreds of other prospects out there.

• Invoice early and get paid faster

  A proper, professional invoice is a crucial stage in getting paid. Enable your clients to process payments faster with a clear, transparent invoice that has all the right details in place. However, creating and maintaining invoices and getting all the right sign-offs before tight deadlines is an added responsibility that comes with a freelancer's profile. Here are 5 tips for creating a clear, concise, and securely shared invoice.

Also Read: eSignatures to Project Management: 6 Best Software for Freelancers in 2022

What is a freelance invoice?

A freelance invoice incorporates the details of services or products you have provided to a client, the total amount you charged for the job, and additional requisites, if any. However, a professional freelance invoice must include specific pointers to sound informative and inclusive. Every business runs on the revenue generated, which makes it crucial for freelancers to pay close attention and manage their finances. The first step towards sound financial documents is a good invoice. Here are five tips for putting together a winning, professional invoice.

1. Incorporate all the information precisely

   Ensure you incorporate everything in your invoice while formatting – product details, contact information, payment terms and conditions, the due date for payment, discount details, if any, and taxes to be paid. While adding contact details, terms and conditions, and product details, ensure you enter the accurate and latest data available to avoid further confusion.

2. Include e-signature fields for multiple recipients

   It is evident that the traditional signing and paper handling method is time-consuming and requires additional effort and costs to get the documentation done. Being a freelancer, you wouldn’t want to waste your time on paperwork. Incorporating electronic signatures into your invoices allows your clients to expedite approvals. eSignatures streamline document workflows and also help boost conversions. DrySign, a leading e-signature platform, provides electronic signatures that are 128-bit secured and comply with E-SIGN and UETA to ensure legal compliance.

3. Embedded payment option

   Integrate an embedded payment option to allow clients to pay for your products or services immediately in just a few clicks. It can be time-consuming to send invoices manually, get them approved and signed, and get paid. Not to mention, lengthy bank transfers and manual documentation can get highly overwhelming. Remove this hassle from your invoices and get paid faster using digital signatures.

4. Tracking and analytics

   Printing, mailing, tracking, and endless waiting – this entire process can take up so much of your valuable time. Digitization is the solution. Technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have made it super-easy to track invoices and get analytics on the go. You can even track your documents in real-time by switching to digital signature software to sign and share. Furthermore, you get a clear view of your document history and can use predefined templates that can help you save time. DrySign’s electronic signature platform enables real-time tracking of documents, provides an easy-to-use dashboard to give you a clearer view of your document history, and enables you to set reminders for pending or overdue invoices – you can manage this entire workflow in minutes from anywhere, anytime.

5. Simplified invoice sharing

   Physical document handling is costly and time-consuming. For example, when you send out an invoice manually, it accounts for paper costs, traveling costs, document handling costs, printer and scanner costs, and storage costs. However, when you share an invoice via an e-signature solution like DrySign, the same workflow can be executed in a matter of minutes and for a fraction of the cost! You can also use templates, share invoices on the go, track document status, get documents signed instantly, and store them conveniently on the cloud without incurring any additional cost.

How DrySign helps with hassle-free freelancing?

• Get paid faster

  With DrySign, you can streamline workflows within minutes from anywhere and on any device. Invoices can be sent, reviewed, and signed in almost no time to help you get paid faster.

• Delight the clients

  Consumer experience (CX) is vital to any small or large business. Give your clients the flexibility to sign contracts and invoices without the constraint of their location. Offering them a seamless experience improves their loyalty to your business or brand.

• Reduce costs

  With DrySign, you can eliminate costs associated with manual invoice sharing, including paper, ink, traveling, printer, scanner, fuel, and storage costs. As a result, lesser overheads lead to a more agile and profitable gig.

• Automate processes

  Going solo can get scary if you have to track everything manually. However, with DrySign, you can automate the entire process – from getting project approvals to contract signing, to sharing work, sending out invoices, and getting paid.

• Legal compliance

  DrySign complies with electronic signature laws like E-SIGN and UETA to ensure the end-to-end legitimacy of your documents. Moreover, DrySign signatures are 128-bit secured, providing integrated security to document workflows.

  Being a freelancer means you are your own boss. The latter should always be prepared for any situation with a preliminary plan. You can automate your document workflows with smart technologies such as electronic signatures. This can save up a lot of time and money that can be used for more strategic ad profit-making work.DrySign provides a vast range of plans to streamline your work and help you get paid faster. If you are a freelancer, try DrySign for Free Now!

DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for general information purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. Laws governing the subject matter may change quickly, and Exela cannot guarantee that all the information on this site is current or correct. Should you have specific legal questions about any of the information on this site, you should consult with a licensed attorney in your area.

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