You've just wrapped up an excellent meeting with a new potential client. You've settled on the job's scope, the hourly rate your customer pays you, and the project's overall cost estimate. You still have to decide whether or not to offer them a net 30 terms.

But what does net 30 really mean? Should you always accept terms of net 30?

Everything that you need to know is right here.

What Does Net 30 Mean?

When you offer net 30 terms to a customer, you're allowing them to pay for a product or service up to 30 calendar days after you charge them.

A trade credit phrase is Net 30. In other words, by agreeing to net 30 terms, you're effectively providing your clients with a short-term business loan, similar to what a bank or credit card firm does when customers use their credit cards.

You deliver goods and services swiftly, and you track debtors through accounts receivable. If all goes well, they'll reimburse the bill in 30 days.

One of the most common invoice payment terms is net 30, but you can also provide net 10, 14, 15, 30, and 60 payment options to your consumers.

Benefits of Using Net 30 Terms?

The most significant benefit is that you can accept more clients than if you require immediate payment for your products and services. For example, small enterprises may not have a huge cash reserve, thus extending the net 30 trade credit allows you to serve them.

This is why large firms usually give substantial trade credit terms to their customers—net 30, net 60, and sometimes net 90. They usually keep enough cash on hand to survive a client who doesn't pay for 30, 60, or 90 days, and offering longer net terms enables them to cast a much wider net when looking for new clients.

Why Do Clients Prefer Net 30 Accounts?

Many new businesses may open net 30 accounts with their vendors in order to develop business credit, in addition to the obvious benefits (additional time to pay invoices and manage cash flow). These "small vendor lines of credit" or credit lines can help small businesses improve their credit score and gain access to additional funding.

However, this strategy works only if vendors submit their accounts to business credit agencies like Dun Bradstreet (DB), Experian Business, or Equifax Business, which they are not required to do.

When Does Net 30 Begin?

The due date in net 30 terms can vary based on what you and your client have agreed on.

The "30" in net 30 could refer to 30 days after the sale, 30 days after the things are delivered to the customer's door, 30 days after the website you designed for them is life, or any other period. It all depends on the type of business you run and how helpful you are with your clients.

Whatever date you select, make sure you write it out in crystal-clear terms in any documents you both sign.

In Net 30, calendar days are always included. Weekends, holidays, and business days are excluded. Make sure your client understands this in the contract you sign.

All Businesses Use Net 30?

Certainly not. Whether or whether a corporation employs net 30 terms is determined by the type of business it operates. Customers are rarely given credit by retailers, for example. If you want an espresso from your local cafe, you'll nearly always have to pay cash.

Net 30 is also avoided by much smaller, non-retail businesses because waiting 30 days for payment is simply too long for them. They may provide less favorable payment terms, such as net 14, or none at all.

Small businesses in the consulting, graphic arts, software development, and other service sectors may offer net 30 periods on occasion.

Why Should My Business Use Net 30 Terms?

It all depends on how much money you have on hand, how many clients you have, whether this is a common procedure in your industry, and, most crucially, how generous you can be with your customers.

If you have a lot of cash on hand, a wide client base, and can suffer a few late payments from them, Net 30 may help you obtain additional clients.

If you don't have a huge amount of cash on hand and rely on a small number of clients, however, requiring them to pay net 30 could pose cash flow problems, especially if they pay late.

It's tempting to reduce the constraints on giving credit to your customers (also known as your business credit terms) when you're low on cash—don't. Your business needs and how generous you can be should influence the amount of sales credit you provide your consumers and how long you give it to them.

In these cases, it can help to think like a lender, because extending your credit terms or offering payment terms is the same as increasing your customers' credit limits. Is their payment history good enough to deserve better terms?

If your business is still in its early stages or you haven't yet established a continuous cash flow pattern, consider asking for upfront deposits on significant orders and including interest for late payments in the contracts you have clients sign. To further limit risk, request a company credit check on prospective clients before issuing any trade credit.

When a new client signs up and sees these conditions, they'll know you're serious about getting paid on time. After all, no one appreciates having to pay a late fee.

So How Do I Get Started with Net 30?

If net 30 appears to be the best option for your business, all you have to do now is write it into your agreements and make sure your next client is aware of it before you begin the project. If they agree and sign the contract, you're up and running on net 30!