Free Advice Friday: Your Freelancing Questions, Answered

It’s Friday, we’re all stressed, so let’s just keep it light today, shall we?

Over the 17 years I’ve been freelancing full time (plenty of part-time freelancing before that), I’ve received questions. I’ve asked them, too. Some are always the same: “How do I get started?” (Which, quite frankly, takes volumes to answer, so please, if you want to ask, ask about a specific aspect. Much easier to help you that way.)

There are also the smart questions, like “What’s your most effective marketing approach?” That’s easier because it’s specific, but it could have a million different answers, and maybe all of them are right.

Whatever your question, let’s answer it here as a group. Go on, post it in the Comments and we’ll tackle it for you.

Meantime, here are a few questions that have repeated over the years. Know that the advice is from my own experience. Don’t take it verbatim unless it fits who you are and what situation you’re in right now. Always modify something to fit you, okay?

Q: When do I drop a client who argued payment/took forever to pay?

A: Right after the check clears. That’s a client who doesn’t respect your time or talent enough for you to waste your energy on. Get payment and get out.

Q: What if it’s a long-time client?

A: Get in touch. Ask about payment. Then stick with your invoicing/collection process (and yes, you should have a process to follow — makes it easier to push for payment on your side). If they respond, great! If they don’t, secure that payment and lose their contact info. I had to do this not so long ago with a client I’d worked with for 16 years. The check was six months overdue. I kept calling and emailing (with no response) until it arrived. They’re now out of my orbit permanently.

Q: Should my new clients sign a contract?

A: I think yes in most cases. Especially in cases where your agreement was over the phone, you need it in writing. Most new clients are willing to sign them. If they’re not, that’s a red flag.

However, I don’t ask every new client to do so. Why? Because I’ve worked my way up the food chain and the larger companies are now my clients. They don’t stiff their writers. But I get in writing all assignments and their agreement to my fee. That’s a good backup to a contract, though not airtight.

Q: Can my client demand I don’t work for their competitors?

A: They can always ask, but you are under no obligation to do so. You’re not an employee. You are a business. Would a plumber’s last customer be right to demand that they don’t put in another bathroom in that neighborhood?

However, your client can compensate you additionally to be exclusive. That’s always a fair ask. But paying you your usual fee and then telling you you’re not able to work for anyone else in that industry is not cool. Besides, you could be already and they wouldn’t know, especially if you’ve signed a nondisclosure agreement with someone else. I know one magazine I no longer work with that required that exclusivity, but refused to increase the pay. Let’s just say that content started to get repetitive after a few months.

Q: How can I keep from doing too much work for the price I’d quoted?

A: This one’s a little easier than you’d think. In the contract, spell out how many hours that price buys the client. Then attach the per-hour rate they’ll pay if those hours are exhausted before the project is over. You might want to add a stipulation that allows them to sign an accompanying agreement for additional time, but that could stall things considerably. I stick with the per-hour overage charge.

Q: How do I know if that client’s a good fit?

A: Intuition. Seriously, listen to your gut. Ask smart questions that draw out a few things:

• Project details
• Takeaway message
• Relationship expectations
• Commitment to their side of the project
• Willingness to trust you

If you get an odd feeling about any of these areas, listen to that feeling. It’s your head telling you something isn’t right.

[bctt tweet=”Q: What’s the best way to get payment out of a #freelancewriting client?” username=”LoriWidmer”]

A: I’ve said it before — have a system. I send out three invoices: one at project delivery, another a month out, and the last at the three-month mark. That last one has a collection/litigation notice attached which reads “Please pay within 10 days to avoid collection (or litigation).” In every case, it’s worked to get the money to me.

Q: But won’t that hurt the relationship with that client?

A: News flash: That relationship is already damaged beyond repair. Why would you care if a client who can’t pay you what they owe you is upset? If you have to fight and threaten the payment out of them, they’re not worth wasting your time on.

Q: My client just refused to pay because they say there are many problems with what I wrote. What do I do?

A: That depends. If it’s at the delivery point of the project, get on the phone and get a clarification of what they want in that project. It’s not uncommon for people to say they want X but they really want C. It’s not uncommon that Debbie in marketing has no idea that her boss didn’t really want that spin, but this one.

However, if this judgment of your work comes as the litigation notice shows up, it’s a dodge. It’s a common dodge, in fact, used by people who are intent on avoiding payment. (I had it happen to me at least six times.) Ignore it. Repeat your demand for payment and the consequences for the client if they don’t pay. Don’t buy the “You suck” argument. Nor should you ever let a client walk away without paying when they say “We decided not to use it.” They still ordered it and you still delivered it. What they do with it after your check clears is not your issue.

Q: My client is demanding and talks down to me a lot. What should I do?

A: Fire them. If your client cannot extend professional courtesy to you, they’re not worth your time. And I’d bet nothing you do will ever be correct.

Q: I’m working with a client who clearly has no idea what he’s doing. How do I handle it?

A: That depends on the client’s attitude. If it’s someone who’s congenial, apologetic for his actions, or if he’s new to the job, you may want to say something like “May I make a suggestion that could help you streamline things?” If you see it as a situation you can create a process for that helps you both, go for it.

However, even that has its limits. I once had a client so bad at organization that she missed all but one of the 12 conference calls she herself had scheduled. She forgot payment. She forgot about things she’d assigned. She forgot to get permission from a company for a one-source article. I gave up when she blamed me for her ineptitude.

If, however, it’s someone who is editing out your content then complaining that it’s no longer there (yep, that’s happened to me), or a client who asks for specifics, approves them, then bitches when you gave them what they asked for, you’d be smart to drop them once you’ve met your current project obligations. Once I dropped a client who accused me of dropping her mid-project. I forwarded her last email that showed I’d delivered exactly what she’d approved. She still complained, but she had no leg to stand on. I’d done the job times 12 (literally, twelve iterations). The problem wasn’t me.

Q: How do I know if I’m really cut out for freelancing?

A: You’re still reading. You’re still trying to learn all you can. And you’re still trying. That’s a pretty good sign that you’re committed to making it work.

Writers, what are your questions?
What question do you get most, and how do you answer it?