Nothing beats the happiness of being able to work alone as a freelancer, without any boss. But being a freelancer has its own sets of disadvantages — one of the major one being, managing payments. A lot of times, freelancers do all their work and they are left hanging by fellow brands and clients. This creates a lot of stress and eats up your productivity as well.
However, there are ways in which you can ensure timely pay. Here are some of my personal tips to help you:
1. Your work speaks
A lot of times, the PRs know when a freelancer is a professional or not because of the reputation. If you’re rude to your clients or don’t do quality work, no one will want to work with you again. However, if your work speaks for you and your writing or photography is outstanding, a lot of people will want to work with you on their own! Make sure you have great testimonials and reviews to share with your prospective clients.
For example if you work as a Freelancer at People Per Hour: (which is a great website to get good freelancing offers), make sure clients leave testimonials on your profile.
2. Work out a Monthly Based Freelancer Payment:
Whenever you start a project, make sure that you clear the terms of payment beforehand. It’s important to know exactly when you will be paid. This way you are can solely concentrate on delivering good quality work rather than worrying about the payment all the time. This way, it’s better that you have a realistic idea of time and research that will go into the project. If possible, take half the money before starting a project; this way a client won’t back out at the last moment.
You can also use an app to ensure your timely payment and fuss-free account management.
3. Be flexible with your rates
When a client asks you what rates you usually take, make sure that you can be flexible with the rates. This doesn’t mean you undermine your worth, or get less pay than what you think the work is worth. It just gives a satisfaction to the client that you negotiated the deal and the ball is in their court.
Here’s a great video that you must follow while working on your freelance projects:
4. Raise an invoice
Whenever you finish your work or are done with a part of the project, make sure you raise an invoice. This makes you look professional and also seals the deal. If you just talk about the fees and nothing is in writing, the client might back off at the last moment. So, make sure that you have the fees written in a mail, before you start the work. You can use Book Keeper, an amazing Invoice keeping tracker that will help you immensely.
5. Use your email communication wisely
If everything fails, then be firm with your mails and calls. If you just sit around waiting and still keep working for that client, then you might never get your due. Be firm and keep following up with them. If you feel uncomfortable doing that, ask your attorney to send a formal mail. And most of all, stop working on the project till the freelancer payment is done.
6. Use Tools and Apps
A great tool to use while making contracts and generating invoices is Bonsai. Bonsai is the easiest way to create contracts for any type of freelance work, then e-sign them, create invoices, and get paid online. It saves a lot of time and automates the whole process!
Another great tool if you’re a graphic designer is Dribbble, a great place to make and share portfolios. If someone sends you an invite, it’s a great place to showcase your work and interact with other designers.
That’s about it, if you follow all these steps then you will be able to work successfully as a freelance writer. You will also be able to ensure that all your dues are paid on time!