Lensmith
Member
I've got one, count 'em one, bread and butter client who is great about paying in thirty days.
Everyone else, which includes some well known broadcast company names, make empty promises or acknowledge it will be closer to 60 days (more or less) before a check arrives.
I saw suggested in another thread having clients sign an agreement about payment before the shoot. That's cool and makes good sense but the reality is paperwork like that is only as good as your ability to enforce it. Enforcing it costs more money, or time...which equals money to me ;o)
I'm all for freelancers holding clients feet to the fire to get timely payments for work but...is your reality like mine? I have come to accept the fact payments will be later than 30 days. I'm not happy about it at all, yet to preserve my sanity, I've adjusted my "cash flow formula" and live life with a longer delay built in.
I'm not talking about dealing with total deadbeat clients. I'm refering to rather good clients who supply steady work, thus in my mind, allowing me to grudgingly accept a longer delay in payment time.
Of course my location makes 30 days more difficult to enforce. Now I negotiate more often and give a discount on my day rate for work if I get cash at the end of the shoot instead of playing the invoice/wait for payment game. This method has produced positive results to some extent.
No, I'm not undercutting. I'm still meeting my expense needs in exchange for money in hand instead of headaches chasing down past due payments.
Does everyone here sign some form of agreement with a client before the job in hopes of protecting themselves? Does it really work or is it more akin to an empty threat which might pay off if you have the time and money to go to court?
Is there really any way for us to force clients to treat us like other business' which expect payment for services in 30 days...like the electric or phone company? ;o)
Everyone else, which includes some well known broadcast company names, make empty promises or acknowledge it will be closer to 60 days (more or less) before a check arrives.
I saw suggested in another thread having clients sign an agreement about payment before the shoot. That's cool and makes good sense but the reality is paperwork like that is only as good as your ability to enforce it. Enforcing it costs more money, or time...which equals money to me ;o)
I'm all for freelancers holding clients feet to the fire to get timely payments for work but...is your reality like mine? I have come to accept the fact payments will be later than 30 days. I'm not happy about it at all, yet to preserve my sanity, I've adjusted my "cash flow formula" and live life with a longer delay built in.
I'm not talking about dealing with total deadbeat clients. I'm refering to rather good clients who supply steady work, thus in my mind, allowing me to grudgingly accept a longer delay in payment time.
Of course my location makes 30 days more difficult to enforce. Now I negotiate more often and give a discount on my day rate for work if I get cash at the end of the shoot instead of playing the invoice/wait for payment game. This method has produced positive results to some extent.
No, I'm not undercutting. I'm still meeting my expense needs in exchange for money in hand instead of headaches chasing down past due payments.
Does everyone here sign some form of agreement with a client before the job in hopes of protecting themselves? Does it really work or is it more akin to an empty threat which might pay off if you have the time and money to go to court?
Is there really any way for us to force clients to treat us like other business' which expect payment for services in 30 days...like the electric or phone company? ;o)