## 1. Positioning + Beachhead ICP For US solo freelance designers and developers earning $60k–$180k who chase unpaid invoices over email, PayChase is an automated overdue reminder tool that delivers late invoices paid within 14 days without awkward follow-ups. Persona: US-based solo designer or developer (1-person operation, $60k–$180k revenue) who currently sends manual reminder emails. Buying trigger: an invoice hit 21+ days overdue in the last 90 days and the founder either delayed the follow-up or felt the tone was off. Hated workaround: drafting a second or third email in Gmail, worrying it sounds pushy, then checking the bank account days later. V1 disqualifiers: agencies or anyone with staff, non-US freelancers, users already on full invoicing platforms with built-in dunning (FreshBooks, Wave, etc.), or people who never invoice over email. 3 places they hang out: Indie Hackers threads on late payments, Designer Hangout (invite-only Slack/Discord-adjacent for designers), Dev Cord and similar freelance-dev Discords, plus public X posts about unpaid invoices. ASSUMPTION: Most target users already send invoices via email or simple tools and only need the chase layer, not a full invoicing suite. ## 2. Founding Offer Days 1–14: free account with 3 tracked invoices and automated reminders. Days 15–30: continue free or convert. Founding Pro: $19/month locked for 12 months for the first 50 users (then $29). Unlocks unlimited invoices, tracked payment links, reminder sequence customization, and email-from-your-domain. Scarcity: first 50 founding seats only; price rises after. Risk reversal: cancel anytime in the first 30 days and we refund the founding payment in full. ASSUMPTION: $19 founding price is low enough for solo freelancers to try without budget approval while still validating willingness to pay. ## 3. Landing + Pricing Copy Headlines: Stop writing awkward invoice reminders. Get late invoices paid in 14 days. Subheadline: PayChase sends tracked reminders and payment links in your name so clients pay without you chasing them. Benefit bullets: - Stop drafting the third “just checking in” email that feels pushy. - Clients get a clear payment link they can click and pay the same day. - You see exactly when each reminder is opened and when the invoice is paid. - Reminders stop the moment payment lands so you never double-nudge a client. Primary CTA: Start free — add your first overdue invoice in 2 minutes. Secondary CTA: See the 14-day reminder sequence. FAQ: Q: Does this replace my invoicing tool? A: No. Keep sending invoices however you do now. PayChase only handles the overdue follow-ups. Q: Will clients know it’s automated? A: Emails come from your address with your tone. Most clients just see a professional reminder. Q: What if a client replies? A: Reminders pause and the reply lands in your normal inbox. Q: Can I cancel? A: Yes. Founding users can cancel in the first 30 days for a full refund. Footer trust line: Built by a solo founder who got tired of chasing his own invoices. No team, no sales calls. Free/Trial vs Founding Pro: Free: 3 invoices, standard reminder sequence, basic tracking. Excludes: custom sequences, tracked payment links, unlimited invoices. Founding Pro: unlimited invoices, custom sequences, tracked payment links, email-from-your-domain, priority support. Upgrade trigger: after the 4th invoice or when you want payment links. Objection handlers: “I only have one or two late invoices a month.” → The free tier covers that. Founding Pro is for people who want the links and customization so the problem stays solved. “My clients will hate automated emails.” → Every email is approved by you first and comes from your address. You can pause any sequence instantly. ## 4. 14-Day Channel Sprint Primary: Indie Hackers threads + freelancing Discords + X public-post replies. Supporting: Designer Hangout and Dev Cord channels once joined; light X search for “unpaid invoice” or “client hasn’t paid.” D1: Search IH for “late invoice” or “unpaid” threads from last 90 days and reply with a short helpful comment plus link to free tier | reply template | 3 useful replies posted | 60 min D2: Join Designer Hangout and Dev Cord; introduce yourself in general channels without pitching | intro post | accepted into both | 45 min D3: Post the Indie Hackers launch story (section 5) and ask for feedback on the reminder sequence | IH post | 5 comments or DMs | 75 min D4: Reply to 5 recent X posts where freelancers mention unpaid invoices (public only) with the value-first template | X replies | 2 conversations started | 50 min D5: Share a non-promotional “how I handle the second reminder” tip in Designer Hangout and Dev Cord | community tip post | 3 replies or questions | 40 min D6: Follow up on IH launch post with a screenshot of the first reminder sequence and ask what tone feels right | IH comment | 2 new feedback notes | 30 min D7: DM 3 people who replied publicly on IH or X and ask for a 10-min feedback call | outreach template | 1 call booked | 40 min D8: Post the second community post (section 5) in both Discords focusing on “tracked payment link” benefit | Discord post | 2 people ask for the free link | 45 min D9: Search X again and reply to 4 new public posts; note any objections in a sheet | X replies | 1 new conversation | 40 min D10: Run the first feedback call; capture exact wording the user uses for the awkward follow-up | call notes | 1 clear objection or praise | 70 min D11: Update landing copy with one phrase from the call and re-share the IH post | copy tweak + IH comment | 1 new signup from the update | 50 min D12: Post a short “first 5 users” update on IH and offer founding seats to anyone who comments | IH update | 2 founding conversions or strong interest | 40 min D13: Reply to any unanswered Discord questions and send the Day-3 activation email to free users who have not added an invoice | Discord replies + email | 1 free user activates | 50 min D14: Review scoreboard, send Day-7 close email to free users, and post a final IH comment listing remaining founding seats | scoreboard review + email | 3 founding seats claimed or clear pivot signal | 60 min ASSUMPTION: Designer Hangout and Dev Cord allow relevant, non-spammy posts once you are a member in good standing. ## 5. Launch Posts Product Hunt tagline: Automated reminders that get late invoices paid. Short description: PayChase sends tracked overdue reminders and payment links for freelancers so clients pay within 14 days without awkward follow-ups. Long description: Solo freelancers waste hours drafting the second and third “just checking in” emails. PayChase lets you add an overdue invoice, approve a short sequence, and send tracked reminders plus a payment link from your own email. Reminders stop the moment payment lands. Built for designers and developers who already invoice over email and just need the chase handled. Free for your first 3 invoices. Indie Hackers launch post: I’ve spent the last month manually chasing my own late invoices and hated every second reminder. So I built PayChase: you drop in an overdue invoice, approve a short sequence, and it sends tracked reminders plus a payment link in your name. Clients can pay without another email back-and-forth. Looking for 10 freelancers who currently chase over email to try the free tier and tell me which reminder feels off. What does your second follow-up email actually say today? Community post 1 (Designer Hangout / Dev Cord): Quick question for anyone who has had a client go quiet after an invoice: do you have a set sequence for the second and third reminder, or do you write each one from scratch? I’m testing a simple tool that sends the sequence for you with a tracked payment link and stops when they pay. Happy to share the exact wording if useful. No pitch, just curious what works for you. Community post 2: Shared a short note in the last thread about the second reminder feeling awkward. A few people asked for the wording. Here’s the sequence I’m using: Day 1 after due — “Any chance you can settle this this week?” Day 7 — payment link + “Let me know if anything is blocking.” Day 14 — “Marking this as needing a quick call unless I hear back.” If you want to try it on one invoice, the free tier is open. Maker FAQ answers: 1. Why not just use your invoicing tool’s reminders? Most freelancers I talked to still end up writing the second email themselves because the built-in ones feel generic or don’t stop cleanly. 2. Will this work if I invoice in Google Docs or Notion? Yes. You paste the amount, due date, and client email. No need to change how you create the original invoice. 3. What happens if the client disputes the work? You pause that sequence with one click and handle the reply in your normal inbox. 4. How is this different from a collections agency? It never threatens or escalates outside email. It just removes the mental load of writing the follow-ups. ## 6. Compliant Founder Outreach Pack Reply/DM template 1 (public IH or X post): Saw your note about the invoice that went quiet. The second reminder is always the awkward one for me too. I built a small tool that sends a tracked sequence and stops when they pay — happy to share the exact wording if you want to try it on one invoice. Open to a 10-min chat if you’re up for feedback. Reply/DM template 2 (warm intro or Discord reply): [Name] mentioned you deal with late invoices the same way I used to. I’m testing PayChase so freelancers don’t have to draft the third email. Free for the first 3 invoices. If you have 10 minutes this week I’d love to hear what your current follow-up actually says. Reply/DM template 3 (X public post): The “just checking in” email is the worst. I’m building PayChase so the reminder + payment link goes out automatically and you see when it’s opened. If you’ve had one go past 14 days recently, I can show you the sequence in a quick call. Follow-up #1 (3 days later, if no reply): Following up in case the timing was off. Still happy to share the reminder sequence if useful — no call required. Follow-up #2 (7 days later): Closing the loop. If the late-invoice problem is still around, the free tier is open. Otherwise I’ll leave you alone. Tracking table columns: name, where they posted, personalization hook, status, last touch date, next action. 5 qualification questions for feedback calls: 1. How many invoices went past 14 days in the last 90 days? 2. What does your current second reminder email actually say? 3. Have you ever delayed sending a follow-up because it felt awkward? 4. Would a tracked payment link change how you handle the third nudge? 5. What would make you pay $19/month for this instead of staying free? Remind the founder: only contact people who opted in, posted publicly about the problem, or were introduced. No scraped email lists. ## 7. Onboarding Emails (4) 1) Waitlist welcome Subject: You’re on the PayChase list Preview: First 3 invoices free when we open. Body: Thanks for joining. PayChase sends tracked overdue reminders and payment links so late invoices get paid without the awkward follow-up email. You’ll get early access in the next few days. In the meantime, reply with the last invoice that went quiet — I’ll note the exact wording you used. CTA: Reply with your last late invoice story. 2) Early access invite Subject: Your PayChase free tier is open Preview: Add your first overdue invoice in 2 minutes. Body: Early access is live. Create an account, add one overdue invoice, and approve the default sequence. You’ll see when the reminder is opened and when payment lands. Founding Pro ($19/month locked for 12 months) is available for the first 50 users if you want unlimited invoices and payment links. CTA: Add your first invoice now. 3) Day-3 activation rescue Subject: Still need that first invoice added? Preview: Takes 2 minutes. Reminders start the next day. Body: Noticed you haven’t added an invoice yet. Most people start with the one that’s already 7+ days late. Paste the amount, due date, and client email — the sequence is ready to approve. If anything is blocking you, just reply. CTA: Add the overdue invoice. 4) Day-7 testimonial / founding-offer close Subject: 14 days to paid — founding seats left Preview: First 50 lock $19/month for a year. Body: Users who added an invoice in the first week are already seeing opens and a couple of payments. Founding Pro is still open for the first 50: unlimited invoices, tracked payment links, and the price locked at $19/month for 12 months. After that it goes to $29. Cancel in the first 30 days for a full refund. CTA: Claim your founding seat. ## 8. Scoreboard + Checklist Real user: signed up, added at least one real overdue invoice, and approved a reminder sequence. D7 target: 15 free users, 5 with an invoice added, 1 founding conversion. D14 target: 30 free users, 12 activated, 5 founding. D30 target: 50 free users, 20 activated, 12 founding, or clear signal the offer is wrong. Kill/pivot criteria: fewer than 8 activated users by D14, or zero founding conversions after 20 activated free users, or consistent feedback that people will not pay because their volume is too low. Manual touches for users 1–20: personal note in the welcome email, offer a 10-min call, reply to every support question within 4 hours. Users 21–50: standard emails plus one personal check-in only if they activate. Checkbox of assets to paste into Notion / Carrd / email / sheet today: - Positioning line and ICP disqualifiers - Founding offer and risk reversal - Landing headlines, bullets, FAQ, pricing table - 14-day sprint calendar - IH launch post and two community posts - Three outreach templates + tracking sheet columns - Four onboarding emails - Scoreboard definitions and kill criteria