In the freelance world you work with different clients. You came into contact with them through a mediation platform, through acquaintances or you approached them yourself via telephone acquisition. In many cases you have not met each other, but the contact was made via telephone or email. So you don't know what kind of person you have in front of you.
Unfortunately, this can sometimes put you in difficult situations, such as a client who pays too low an amount, is dissatisfied or where contact remains completely silent after handing in your assignment. And what do you do then? This blog gives you useful tips on how to avoid such a situation or how to act when the damage has already been done.
Don't promise too much. Don't take on too much by mentioning a whole bunch of skills that you are good at; after all, you have to be able to deliver on them. Ask yourself what you are strong at and what you excel at. What makes you special as a freelancer? The client then really understands that a higher budget or hourly rate is charged for this. Always remain available for questions and improvements. Make sure that clients have a good feeling about working with you, so that they will ask you again for the next time.
Before the assignment, always ask the client for more information. Simply communicating via a mediation platform or email address is not enough. So try to find out what the telephone number is and, for example, the name and address of the company. Do your own checking to see whether these can also be found in search engines. If the client does not provide this and you therefore do not fully trust it, be honest and ask for further explanation. You can ask a private individual for a copy of a passport or ID. Ultimately, make the choice whether you feel good about it or whether you should abandon the assignment.
Invoicing is very important. As a freelancer, you really shouldn't think about the fact that the client you have chosen not to pay or that payment is not possible. By sending invoices, there are many possibilities to ensure that the client pays on time, provided you prepare yourself well for this.
It is important to agree on the payment term in advance. Please note that both parties sign these agreements. Your invoice must of course comply with the legal rules. This means that certain basic information must be stated on the invoice. The client also sets a number of requirements. Perhaps the invoice may be delivered to a different address or may need to include a purchase number. If you do not arrange this in advance, the invoice will be returned and payment will therefore take longer.
Contact us immediately if the client has not paid within the deadline. Ask the reason and see when he can pay. If this happens a number of times, it is wise to start a conversation to discuss another solution. Then make sure that everything you agree on is noted down with a signature underneath. If you really do not trust it, ask for advice or seek support from a collection agency.
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