Maintain Leverage Until You Get Paid While Freelancing
When you are a freelancer, it is easy to get into a payout stalemate. Often times, you have to get the job done first before the person hiring you donates their money. However, you can still maintain some leverage to get paid.
As the creative professionals site 99u points out, many freelancers will give their jobs completely and hope their client will pay well. Instead of giving them everything you’ve done, show proof that you’ve finished your job, or withhold something until you get paid. For example, graphic designers can submit low-res versions of their work and then request payment before the full version is published:
Behance member Mustafa Aslan takes the same approach as Monteiro to transferring work / money. When Aslan informs the client of his payment terms, he notes that he will first send a preview of the finished work in low resolution for the client to approve and accept. After the client has accepted the job, Alsan requires them to submit the payment before he releases the original file. This is a smart way to complete a transaction, especially when dealing with a new customer. “This method is like the best way to secure a payment,” says Aslan. “It builds trust because every time you get paid, you send them proof of work done.”
This may be more difficult for some professions than for others. For example, you cannot offer a preview of someone’s lawn mowing. However, if you can hold onto what your client wants until you get paid and still prove that you got the job done, you can avoid the dreaded non-payment.
How creatives can deal with the excruciatingly slow payment process | 99u