payment

Hey how do all you freelancers get your clients to pay up?

Any forms you use? Any good books I should buy to make this easier and more professional?

I'm thinking of starting 2 things -

1) half up front.

2) a kill fee. (If the project is a bust, I still get paid a percentage).

any thoughts? thanks in advance!

definitely 50% up front. I've been screwed over several times for not doing that.

just get a good contract, 50% up front, that kill fee you spoke of, and say in the contract that you must be paid like 2 weeks after the work is done, or start adding on late fees. Or if you can, make them pay you before you give them the work. I make my web site clients give me 100% of what they owe me before I put the site on the live server.

thanks, dek

sounds like a good strategy for web design. I think I can use your methods with print or graphic design, too. I always try to stick to similar methods, but when they need the stuff yesterday, it gets really complicated.

what is a good rush fee?

The way we do it in work is payment in 3 stages. We get paid at the beginning before any design work...then we do the design. We get paid fr the programming, do the programming and then we get paid to finish, and we finish...all up front

This is why I posted this thread - I just finished (or so I thought) a freelance logo design. I screwed up big time. All spec work (the guy is 1000 miles away) and he hated all of them. Now, I have 9 versions of a logo that I will likely never get paid for.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

here's a good article I should memorize about not doing spec work...

Don't do work with people abroad, that would be my suggestion. (Unless you're absolutly sure he won't setting you up)
He probably just saved the work and used it anyway :s

i get 1/2 up front unless it is a small amount, then i ask for all up front.

Dude, I just got $10 for emailing a psd to a printing company! Yeah, always make sure there is clear communication and understanding between you and the client.

Boy, do I hope this thread helps some people out!!

"taking one for the team" is no $h!t. Because it's making me feel like a dumbass!!

*telling myself: you lost a pain in the ass client with a pain in the ass company and the pay wasn't nearly worth the trouble... repeat...*

Oh, well... I posted it, right?? What's a little fun at graphicsguy's expense?

:D:D:D:D:D