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I'm relatively new to freelancing, and I have a few gigs ongoing. I don't know if it's standard elsewhere, but in my field (copywriting) I typically get paid about half of the total fee up front, and then the second half when the work is completed. So, for two of my gigs, I received payment immediately up front, no problem. In my 3rd gig, I've been working on it for about 6 weeks, but I still haven't received payment. It's been about a month since I sent an invoice, and I've been told that payment has been processed, but I haven't received a check. I've done quite a bit of work, and I've given all of it to my contact, but I'm kind of on the fence about doing anymore to further this project until I get the check and it clears. What's the best way to say this without potentially souring the client? I mean, I'm fairly certain I'm going to get paid... but I've also never worked with this client and I don't really know them. And I'm also a little annoyed that it's taken this long. I mean, I don't have a cash flow problem, but that's only because my other clients have paid me on time...
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Apr 7, 2014 18:00
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 11:30 |
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Subjunctivitis posted:What you get paid and how you get paid are really tricky, and I don't know how many seminars and roundtables I've been to about those topics. I work in a relatively small world segment of the publishing business, and it's rare to find a firm or a manager who's more than 2 degrees separated from me. I've been in the business for almost a decade, but I'm new to freelance. So, I know *of* this firm, and I know people who know people there, it's just annoying that they're taking 6 weeks to pay me instead of the 1 week I'm used to - which seems to be industry practice. Last week my contact said my payment had been processed. That was on Thursday. How long does it take for a check to get from DC to New England? Is it unprofessional to stop work until I get my check? I want to get this project rolling - as in theory I'll get paid again when I finish it, but at some point... I'd prefer to work on stuff for clients who have paid me or I who I know will pay me again soon.
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Apr 8, 2014 20:45
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Subjunctivitis posted:
Yeah I usually get paid before I do anything. Or at least the check arrives within a day or two of when I've started. I usually get paid 50% up front, as in, we sign the contract and they cut the check before anything has been done. Then I get the other half when they think the job is done. If it's taking too long or it's not working out for them, there's also a kill fee built into most contracts that's equal to about 10% of the total. I also get royalties on any sales from the work. I have another call with this guy today and I'm kind of straddling the line a little bit because I honestly haven't done much work since last week. I figure talking on the phone can't hurt, but we'll see if the check comes. If it's not here by the end of this week, I'm cutting him loose. I have other clients I can do work for who I know will pay me so tying my bandwidth up for what might be a bigger payday isn't ideal.
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Apr 9, 2014 16:30
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red19fire posted:I'm not quite sure what your work entails, but wouldn't it be easier to just tell them that their work is on the back burner since you're still waiting on a check, or is it an all-or-nothing job? I would let them know that paid-for jobs take precedence and see if that lights a fire, especially if you've sunk some time into it already. If they refuse to pay you until the job is done and in hand, maybe fire them for being unreasonable. I'm afraid if I say anything I could piss them off and possibly ruin the gig altogether. I don't want to come off as difficult and have them say, "gently caress it, cancel payment on the check, we're finished." I mean, it doesn't cost me anything to wait and to hold back on the amount of output they're getting until I see the check. If they press me I feel comfortable saying, "I did a bunch of work for the first month, but now we're over 6 weeks in and I still haven't been paid so I'm hesitant to keep burning time on this project." The work I've given them isn't very useful for them until it's finished, so it's not like they can take what I've given them and rip me off. They'd have to have someone finish it, and it's not something most copywriters would enjoy doing. It's also none of their business how many other gigs I have ongoing. I don't want to tip my hand if I don't have to.
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Apr 9, 2014 20:07
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Update: Still no payment. It strikes me as highly unlikely that the check was mailed over a week ago and hasn't arrived. And my contact expects work handed in by the end of this weekend. I'm annoyed more than anything because I've pestered this guy like 10 times about the payment, and he doesn't seem very motivated to iron things out. He just says, "oh I'll double check" and then never gets back to me. Since it's been well over a week since he claims my check was "processed" I don't know what to say. Maybe I'm not being clear enough about how I really need to get paid... but it's frustrating that I would have to spell it out for him. I just looked at the contract I signed on Feb 28th, which says, "contractor will be paid $XXXX upon signing this contract." Would it be too subtle to say something like, "Hey I have another draft for you to look at that I'm finishing up. In the mean time can you double check and let me know if the check has been mailed? I'm getting anxious because it's been over a week since you said the check was processed. I'm worried it might have been stolen or gotten lost."
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Apr 12, 2014 14:49
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Subjunctivitis posted:This is a good way to handle it. It gets the point home (you've been expecting payment, it's been communicated to you that it's on its way, and that you haven't yet received it) and it places blame/responsibility outside of you and your client. They can then check, see "Oh, yeah that went out a while ago, we'll cut you another one;" "We just sent them out yesterday, you should get it soon. Let us know if it doesn't reach you;" or "Oh crap. Yeah, it hasn't been sent it out yet, we'll get that in the mail first thing." Yeah it worked. I got paid. Drama over - at least on the payment side.
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Apr 17, 2014 12:53
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 11:30 |
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Golden Bee posted:The continual lesson of the freelancer: half on initiation, half on delivery. Protects both parties from total screwdom. And have a kill fee put into the contract too. I have a kill fee of $500 which is usually about 10-20% of my total fee. If I spend a month on something and a client just decides that the project is not a go anymore through no fault of my own, it's a huge waste of my time to have that month be for nothing. I could have picked up another project - and they need to pay for that opportunity cost, because I certainly can't afford to. You can also add in other little fees, like an up front, one-time research fee, depending on your field. It takes me a while to get ramped up with a new client because I have to learn about their customers, their brand, their personas - and roll that up into the time I spend on their project. If it's just a one and done project, it's a lot of sunk-time just getting familiar with that client. That's work and you should get paid for work. And it's something you can give back to them after you've done your research - you can deliver your "company brief" and they can use it for other contractors or add it to their wiki. If it's going to be a repeat client, it's great because it costs them less to keep me as a contractor for each project. Also consider adding in a contact-me-anytime fee. If you expect me to be on call 24 hours a day and pick up the phone on the 3rd ring no matter what - or if you expect me to answer an email 20 minutes after you send it instead of during the next business day - that's going to cost you. If you want me available on weekends, that's going to cost you. It won't cost much, but as a contractor you need to get paid for your time - and your clients need to pay for their expectations. In most cases, these fees are a tiny fraction of a percentage of a rounding error for your client, and if you run into major resistance, it's probably a sign that you don't want to work with them.
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Jun 4, 2014 18:08
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