How To Get Paid Up Front
When you get the money part out of the way at the start, it never becomes an issue. Plus, you have more control over your cash flow.
Are you familiar with the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin?
Hamelin has a serious rat problem - it's overrun with them. The mayor is desperate for a solution but has no idea what to do.
Then along comes the Pied Piper. He tells the mayor he can get rid of the rats in return for a payment of gold. The mayor agrees to the terms.
The Pied Piper picks up his pipe and plays, and the rats follow him out of Hamelin never to be seen again. The problem is solved, and everyone is happy. But when the Piper returns for his gold, the mayor refuses to pay.
Obviously, the Piper is not happy about this - he's fulfilled his part of the deal but the mayor isn't fulfilling his. So the Piper decides to take drastic action. He picks up his pipe and all the children follow him out of town, never to be seen again.
But what does this story have to do with freelancers?
Well, unfortunately, the Piper's story is all too familiar to freelancers. Not the stealing children part, but the delivering on a promise and then not getting paid part.
Almost every day, I see posts from frustrated freelancers chasing unpaid invoices and asking for advice on how to deal with non-payers.
And I don't know why it's such a common problem because the solution is simple: get paid up front.
When you get the money part out of the way at the start, it never becomes an issue. Plus, you have more control over your cash flow.
