Freelancing - Wobizzle

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How To Fire A Client: 8 Steps To Freedom

Do you have a client who’s perpetually pushy, mean, or just plain difficult to work with? Or perhaps one that pays you very little for the amount of time you are investing? It might be time to tell them goodbye. Here’s how to fire a client who’s making life hard, to make room for one you love working with.

Firing a client isn’t fun, but it can be the best thing to happen to both of you. Quite often, the discontent is on both sides of the equation. Part of the reason your client may be difficult is that they don’t feel a connection with you. And that’s okay. When this happens, firing a client can take a load off your mind and free up your schedule to work with other clients. Yes, it’s awkward to tell a client you don’t want to work with them in the future – but it probably won’t be as bad as you think.

How To Fire A Client

1) Make every effort to salvage the working relationship.

Just because a client grates on your nerves or asks a lot from you doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to fire them. Sometimes it’s easier to take a deep breath, minimize your contact with the client as much as possible, and wait until their contract runs out to stop working with them. Firing a client in the middle of a contract should be an absolute last resort.

2) Raise your rates.

If a client is taking far more of your time than they are paying you for, you will understandably feel less generous toward them. Consider raising your rates to get compensated fairly. If they refuse the rate increase, then you have a tangible reason to cut them loose. If they approve it, you feel a heck of a lot better working with them.

3) Set new boundaries.

If they are compensating you fairly but stepping all over your regular work boundaries (texting, calling, and emailing at all hours, for example), you need to set new boundaries. Have a talk with them about how they communicate with you and perhaps how you need ample notice on new projects (No last-minute projects on Friday afternoon!), or not to expect responses over a weekend. The ball is in your court here. What would it take to make working with this client better? Make a list and present it to them. If it goes well, you retain your client. If they don’t understand, then you know it’s time to move on.

4) Check the fine print.

Make sure you’re legally allowed to fire the client. Review the contract that you both signed when you started working together. Make sure there’s nothing that prevents you from dropping the client before the contract is up. If there is, you’ll have to grit your teeth and wait things out or hope that they fire you first.

5) Fulfill your obligations.

Maintain your high standards. Finish all the client’s work that you’ve currently got in progress. Get to a natural stopping point, like the end of a project, before you break the news that you won’t be working with them anymore.

6) Choose the right moment.

If it’s a retainer client, the year-end might be a good time to break it off. This often comes with the announcement from you that you are raising your rates. Never break things off with a client when you’re angry at them or fed up. Wait until you’re feeling calm and level-headed to have the conversation. It’s never okay to be disrespectful to a client. Make it your mission never to burn a bridge. You never know when you may need to cross it again.

7) Break the news.

Call your client and let them know that you will be unable to continue working with them. Keep your message short and concise – the less you say, the less they’ll be able to argue with. Instead of blaming the client for the break-up, try to find a neutral-sounding reason for why you won’t be working with them anymore. If you need some ideas for what to say, try something like:

• “I’m glad to have had the opportunity to work with you, but I don’t think our businesses are a good fit for each other anymore.”
• “You have a strong vision for your business. Unfortunately, I no longer feel that the work I do is meeting your needs.”
• “My freelance business has changed considerably over the last few months. I’m sorry to say that as of [date], I will no longer be able to work with you.”

In general, it’s more professional and polite to have this conversation over the phone. However, if you usually communicate with your client by email, it’s okay to break the news to them that way.

8) Refer your client to someone else.

It’s unprofessional to leave a client hanging, so while you don’t have to refer them to someone else, it’s generally considered the right thing to do. Send your ex-client the contact information for a few other freelancers who might be willing to take them on. This makes you look good, and it reduces the odds that your client will be angry about getting dumped.

Key Takeaway On How To Fire A Client

The way you go about firing a client has a significant impact on your reputation, so do it carefully. Don’t rush the decision. Finish all the work you owe the client if you can, and try to end things positively. There are exceptions to every situation, but it is possible to fire a client and remain in good professional standing with them. Just remember to NEVER make it about what you need, but rather how this change will benefit them in the long-run — even if it will help you as well.

Proven strategies to grow your client base as a freelancer

The very thing that draws many of us into a freelancing career is the very thing that we struggle with the most—the want of freedom and being our own boss. We became freelancers to enjoy life on our own terms. We want to set our own schedule and do work when it works for us, right?

To make a successful freelancing career, you first need to create a structure that works for you. For example, it might be that you work in the mornings early while your kids are asleep and then get back to work later when the kids are at school. The important thing here is to be consistent and give your work the respect and time it needs to flourish. Once you’ve created this workstyle structure, the following strategies will help you keep and grow your freelance client base.

Strategies to Grow Your Freelance Client Base:

Treat your clients well. Current clients are the very foundation of your future business. In freelancing, making clients happy creates ongoing and future business for you. The relationships and trust you build with your freelance clients will not only pay you now, but also in the future when they continually come back to you for your services AND (this is the big one) refer business to you.

Create a polished ONLINE brand. Develop a professional website that highlights your work experience and all of the services you offer. Be sure to have a contact form on your website so that visitors have a way of reaching out to you. Create social media accounts that link back to your website. Pay special attention to LinkedIn, growing your network and fleshing out your profile. If you need to get a professional photo headshot done, then do so. You are much more likely to get the project if they can connect your name with a face. It makes you much more approachable.

Create a polished OFFLINE brand. Have a physical business card on hand. You never know when you are going to run into someone who may need your services. Also, have talking points that answer, “What do you do?” You want this to be succinct, but also powerful. Include examples of measurable outcomes from one or more of your projects. For example, I could say, “I create social media campaigns. One such campaign recently generated a 30% increase in website visitors to my client’s website when compared to the same timeframe just before the campaign.”

Develop your network. As freelancers, your network is your tribe. These are the individuals you’ve come to rely on as a source of moral support and knowledge. Where people in a traditional workplace have co-workers, you have your network. Sometimes these are individuals that you just call up for a social chat; other times, these individuals help you with a project as your subcontractor. You need to keep these relationships strong and mutually beneficial and above all – genuine. The odds are good that when you run into a roadblock, if you have a robust network to call on, you will find a solution in no time at all.

By implementing the above strategies into your freelancing business, you will continue to cultivate and grow your freelance client base. This not only ensures a steady income but also helps you to stay true to why you become a freelancer in the first place—to enjoy life on your own terms!

A Guide To Creating A Client-Generating Freelancer Marketing Plan

Marketing plans aren’t just for large-scale businesses or retail operations. Anyone who is selling anything (products or services) needs a marketing plan. Psssst…that means you, you fabulous freelancer. Though it may seem like a daunting task, creating a marketing plan for your freelance business doesn’t need to be.

You can easily pull together a basic freelancer marketing plan in a few hours. It’s as simple as answering these questions: What, Who, Why, Where, How & When?

Creating A Freelancers Marketing Plan

I am going to use a freelance photographer named Jill as an example to help bring some context to the steps of creating a freelancer marketing plan.

WHAT

Start with the “What.” What is it that you are trying to sell? This, of course, would be your freelance services. Get specific here, particularly if you are trying to own a certain niche.

For example, Jill is a freelance photographer, but she doesn’t photograph anything and everything. Her speciality is corporate headshots that showcase the personalities of her subjects. So her “what” might be “extraordinary corporate headshots.”

WHO

Who is your target audience? Again, get specific here, because “everyone” is not a target audience. It’s really important to hone in on your ideal client.

Jill’s ideal clients are medium to large sized businesses, particularly professional services firms, located within the Wilmington, Delaware region.

WHY

Why does your ideal client need your service? What are the reasons that your service is a solution for your ideal client?

For Jill, her clients need her services to help humanize their brands and set them apart from their competitors. Her photographs are more compelling than ordinary headshots and breathe life into what might be considered bland brands like accounting firms, insurance agencies, and financial advisors.

WHERE

Where can you best reach your ideal clients? Social media makes a lot of sense for a freelancer marketing plan versus traditional marketing methods like radio, television and print, because of its affordability. You could also make a list of clients you’d like to work with and reach out directly via phone, email or snail mail.

If you want to pursue social media as a marketing angle, don’t be random about choosing the platform(s) where you are active.

Consider where on social media are your ideal clients are spending their time, and prioritize those platforms for your activity.

This step may take a little time and some research, but it will be well worth it.

For Jill, since she is trying to reach corporate decision makers, LinkedIn makes a lot of sense for her freelancer marketing plan. She could place ads on the platform or gain visibility by actively posting on the platform, following targeted firms and liking, commenting, sharing posts that are relevant to her target audience.

She could also make a list of all of the area accounting and finance firms, dig deep to find the best contact and send an email introducing herself and her services along with a link to her portfolio. Any outreach like this should include a plan to follow up on the initial email if it goes unanswered.

Jill also might consider a chamber of commerce membership as part of her freelancer marketing plan. That could open opportunities for her to connect face-to-face with her ideal clients at networking events. Networking is a longer game though. It likely won’t yield immediate results, but it might help her build visibility and relationships that could become very valuable over time.

THE HOW’S

This step of the freelancer marketing plan digs a little deeper. There are several “how’s.” How much money do you have to spend and how will you spend that money? If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you might instead consider how much time you will devote to social media activity, cold outreach etc. as your investment.

Write all of those specifics into your plan.

Also, how will you define your success and how will you measure it? Make sure you have a process in place to help you measure whether your investment of time and/or money was successful.

For Jill, that measurement might include the number of inquiries about her services, new photo shoots scheduled, etc.

WHEN

When will you activate your marketing efforts? Keep in mind consistency is important. Don’t just plan one big burst at the beginning of the year, then go quiet.

Create an annual calendar for your marketing outreach and use the decisions you made in the previous steps to build out a strategy for the next 12 months. Plan on some level of consistency throughout the year, but also consider investing more time/money during times of the year when your ideal clients would be more likely to be needing your service.

For example, Jill might spend more time reaching out to potential clients in the accounting industry after the busy tax season, when she will have more luck getting their attention.

Questions About Creating A Freelancer Marketing Plan?

Have questions? We’re here to help, and we’re growing a collaborative community of freelancers over in our Women of Wobizzle Facebook group. We’d love to have you join us there.

Have You Heard?

Season 2 of The Wobizzle Podcast is now available. Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Set SMART Goals To Grow Your Freelance Business

Take some time over the next few weeks to consider the kind of success you would like to see for your business in the coming year. It’s not enough to just say you want to increase your annual revenue or the number of clients.

Use the SMART method to help you get focused and increase your chances of achieving your goals.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

Let’s take that goal of increasing your annual revenue as an example.

SPECIFIC
Make it specific by stating how you are going to increase it – by selling existing clients on added services? By actively promoting your business? By adding a passive income stream to your menu of services? Perhaps you would do it through a combination of steps including raising your rates.

MEASUREABLE
Make if measurable by adding a dollar amount or percentage to it.

ATTAINABLE
But don’t get carried away. Make sure that dollar amount or percentage is attainable considering the bandwidth you can manage as a solopreneur, the marketability of the passive income stream you are considering, etc.

RELEVANT
Make sure your goal is relevant to your overall business goals. For example, if you are trying to grow your freelance graphic design business, setting a goal increasing your monthly income by starting a dog-walking side hustle may bring in some extra cash, but it’s not going to help you grow your graphic design business.

TIME-BOUND
Set a timeframe to achieve your goal. If your goal is to increase your annual revenue by 10% for example, you would be working on that for the full year. But don’t wait until the end of the year to see how you’re doing. Set some monthly or quarterly milestones so you can track your progress, see what’s working to help you achieve that goal and tweak what’s not.

One last thing – don’t set too many big goals. Focusing on one significant goal will be much more achievable and have greater impact on your business than multiple goals that spread your focus too thin.

Grow Your Freelancing Business In The Wake Of COVID-19

Things have changed. For many people freelancing, it’s tough out there.

Projects are paused. Future work is uncertain. And paychecks have been few and far between. Many businesses have been holding on to their money, waiting to see what happens next.

But local economies are starting to re-open. And things are going to be different from the way they were before the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Businesses will be anxious to make up for the lost time and revenue that resulted from community “shelter in place” orders.

At the same time, they will be looking for ways to be more efficient with their resources. As a result, freelancing will emerge as an even greater force in this new economy.

Our question to you – Will you be ready? There are things you can be doing now to rock the rebound and set your freelancing business up for success as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

We want to help you do it. If you’re ready to bounce back better than before, download our FREE 7-Point Rock The Rebound Plan, specifically for freelancers.

And don’t keep this secret to yourself. Share it with your freelancer friends so we can all Rock The Rebound together!

Earnings & Empathy: Getting Paid In A Pandemic

Who would ever have thought I would be writing an article titled “Getting Paid In A Pandemic?” But here I am.

I wrapped up a video project a few weeks prior to the onset of our local COVID-19 “shelter-in-place” order. I had pulled in voice-over talent to narrate the video, and there was a bit of a lag between the time he voiced the script and the time that he invoiced the client. By the time he got around to invoicing, nonessential businesses, including the client, were forced to shut down for an unknown period of time.

My voice-over guy contacted me, feeling a little uncertain about whether he should send the bill, or hold off until we were on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis.

Knowing businesses were going to be entering the unknown, he wasn’t sure if his timing was off – or in bad form. I applauded his empathy, but strongly encouraged him to invoice the client, which he did, and yes, he was paid.

While I was insistent that he invoice, I do understand why he was feeling a little tentative about sending the bill, and maybe some of you are feeling the same way.

There is no reason that you shouldn’t be invoicing right now, but you should take into account that you may have some clients who are experiencing a rough patch.

Don’t Assume Anything

If my voice-over guy had gone with his assumption that our mutual client was not going to be in a position to pay, he’d be a couple hundred bucks poorer right now. If you’ve done the work, you’ve earned the paycheck. And if it’s a good client, they have every intention of paying you.

One thing that is certain is that you most definitely won’t get paid if you don’t send the bill. Invoice as if it is business as usual, with a few caveats.

Acknowledge The Elephant In The Room

Whether you are sending the invoice for the first time, or following up on a past due bill, it’s important to acknowledge that you understand that your client may be experiencing some challenges related to COVID-19. Encourage open communication on the situation by letting them know that if they anticipate being slow to pay, to please contact you to discuss options.

A Softer Approach To Collections

We are typically hard-asses on the collecting payment front, but this is a strange time, and it calls for a softer touch and an open mind.

No one really knows exactly what to do right now, but an unabashed “where’s my money?” approach would likely be awkward and most definitely inappropriate. Your clients may be struggling, and if you care about them, you’ll show some compassion.

If you have a client that is running late with their payment, particularly if they usually pay on time, I recommend reaching out to them with a personal call. Check in to see how they are doing. Listen to what they have to say and respond with empathy. If they are having trouble, ease into your inquiry about the past due invoice and transition the conversation to discuss a solution that works for both of you.

For example: “I realize, like a lot of businesses, you’ve hit a rough patch that you couldn’t have anticipated. Would it help for you to pay my most recent invoice in installments?”

Give it some thought in advance of making contact with them, so you can lead the discussion with some options. I realize that you may need the money, but some is better than none, so open your mind to alternative payment terms. Follow the conversation up with an email that outlines the new payment agreement.

Slow payments are the bane of a freelancer’s existence. And collection calls are the worst, even in the best of times. But thanks to COVID-19, for the near future, you will likely have to deal with both at some level. Avoiding these conversations is not an effective strategy. If you think a client might be struggling, and you want to keep the relationship in good standing, approach them with honesty, empathy and understanding.

Too Much Work: A Solopreneur’s Guide To Surviving A Peak

Peaks and valleys. We talk about them a lot here on Wobizzle. It’s pretty much the norm when describing the workflow of many solopreneurs. A rough patch with too little work can be a pain in the purse. But a peak with too much work can be stressful in other ways.

Too Much Work Is A Good Problem To Have – Or Is It?

When you are experiencing a peak, everyone around you responds to your situation with a “too much work is a good problem to have.” Perhaps it is, but those intended words of comfort don’t make it easier to punch through to the other side of an extreme influx of projects.

Too much work can make you feel like you are in triage mode. I’m there right now. For the past two weeks, I have been over-scheduled on meetings and phone calls. Monday morning before breakfast, I already felt the urge to stress eat. Not the way to start the day – or the week!

I can physically feel the burden of several deadlines bearing down on me. The air in my office feels heavy. The endless meetings and phone calls suck time away from my ability to work on projects that are currently in play.

And, I know that all of those meetings and phone calls are going to result in more work and more deadlines that will all converge around the same time. That creates a constant state of underlying anxiety that stifles productivity and clear thinking.

I am also acutely aware that I am missing out on a chance to enjoy some outdoor time on a perfect spring day.

So here I am, just trying to maintain some semblance of control and sanity as projects, tasks, and deadlines are closing in on me. It’s happened before. I have survived it. It will no doubt happen again. Peaks and valleys are standard operating procedure in my line of work.

As I sit here enjoying the gift of 45 minutes given to me by a client who had to reschedule our call this afternoon, I am choosing to use it to write myself (and you) a survival guide for the next time this situation comes around.

Accept It As Reality.

As a freelancer, work is full of peaks and valleys. You often don’t have control over workflow. At least not completely. When the orders come in you need to fill them. That is if you want to eat and pay your house payment or rent and do all the other things in your life that require income.

Know that it is completely normal to experience a peak. It won’t last forever. You will make it to the other side.

Fight The Fear Of Famine.

I don’t know about you, but when I find myself with too much work, it seems like suddenly even more work starts flowing in. A full plate apparently attracts more helpings.

And, if you are prone to a “feast or famine” mentality, which a lot of us solopreneurs are, your fear of a famine next month may tempt you take on more this month than you can handle.

Don’t get caught up in that kind of chaos. When you feel that urge to take on more, instead take a step back. Be realistic about how much time you have available and what you can accomplish within that time. Don’t overschedule yourself. It’s not fair to you, your clients or the people you love. No one does their best work under duress.

It doesn’t mean you necessarily need to tell a client or potential client “no.” It may just be that you have to tell them “not right now, but here’s when I can do it.”

The bonus in that scenario is that you’ve just booked yourself some work for the future to help ward off that fear of famine that lurks in the back of your brain.

Stay Organized.

When you are in a peak, diligent (even militant) organization is critical to getting it all done.

I use lists to keep me on track and on deadline. It gives me a sense of control over what might otherwise be an overwhelming load.

Every Sunday (or Monday morning if I had a busy weekend), I create a master list for the week ahead. I organize it by client/project with the tasks under each client/project heading that need to be completed that week to move forward.

What doesn’t get done, gets rolled over to the following week. It took me a while to develop the right system for me. Think about your work flow, how your mind works and develop a system that will work best for you.

When I am in triage mode, I also make notes on my list of tasks that will take an hour or less to complete. Then, if a client reschedules a meeting or call, or I otherwise find myself with a little time to spare, I can pull something into that space that will fit, and boom! – I am ahead of the game.

And, if you charge an hourly rate, don’t forget to track your time! When you are crazy busy, bouncing from one project to another, it can be easy to forget to keep track of all of those hours, minutes and seconds.

Minimize Distractions.

When you are fully booked, you need to make the most of every minute you have. Minimize distractions by putting your phone in silent mode. Turn it face down to keep pop up notifications from catching your eye.

And by all means, stay off of social media. If you must be active on social media for your business, make a list before you log in of what needs done while you are there, and set a timer for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes tops. When the timer goes off, get the heck out of there.

Social media platforms are built to attract your attention and keep you engaged. It’s just too easy to get distracted and end up eyeballs-deep in someone’s high school reunion photos with no idea why you logged in to begin with.

Track Patterns & Anticipate.

Peaks are not always predictable, but if you have regular clients, you may be able to anticipate and plan for busy times by looking back at your history together.

Review past invoices to look for patterns of when they have needed you most. If you have projects that occur at a certain time every year and you see a log jam on the horizon, check in with those clients to see if you may be able to get started on their projects a little earlier than you typically do.

Let them know the blocks of time that you have available and when you anticipate your time to be more limited. Get them on your schedule so they can count on the same level of service they have come to expect from working with you.

Give Yourself A Break.

Self-care and enjoying a little downtime is always important, but it’s especially critical when you’re working harder and longer than you normally do. Long hours and deadline-oriented stress are hard on your body and your spirit.

Your brain can only stay focused on one task for around 90 minutes, so keep your productivity high by taking breaks every hour and a half.

Carve out a little time in the morning for a walk, a little yoga or some meditation. Find the time and space to enjoy a distraction-free cup of coffee or tea. Whatever helps you clear your head, make a little time for it.

When your work is monopolizing your time, something else is going to have to give. Empower yourself to say “no” in other areas of your life – social, volunteer work and other commitments. Ask for (or hire) help with the household chores. And, you absolutely have my permission (if you feel you need it) to order carryout or delivery for dinner.

Remember How It Feels To Have Too Much Work.

Work-related peaks can feel overwhelming, unfocused and chaotic. They can be downright uncomfortable. While they tend to come with the territory of being a one-woman show, there are steps you can take to make them more manageable. When the dust settles and the work is complete, remember how it felt to be overwhelmed. You will be more motivated to do what you can to make it a little easier on yourself the next time around.

Nine Ways To Get Paid Faster As A Freelancer

If you’re a full time freelancer, no doubt you have experienced the roller coaster ride also known as WAITING TO GET PAID. Symptoms include: being ready to pounce when the mail carrier arrives. You also know the fastest route to the closest branch of your bank. And, you are quite aware of the latest possible time to make a deposit that will be credited for the same day. It’s stressful. You can’t control when that check is cut. But there are some things you can do to get paid faster.

Get Paid Faster By Invoicing Immediately

When you have projects piled up on your plate, it’s easy to put off administrative tasks. Though you may not directly charge your clients for the time it takes you to create and send an invoice, invoicing is a revenue generating activity. If you don’t invoice, you won’t get paid.

Your clients won’t start the process of paying you until after they’ve received your invoice. So, invoice as soon as possible after you’ve wrapped up a project or your hours for the month. The longer you wait, the longer you will be waiting to get paid for the time you’ve put in.

Get Paid Faster By Knowing Your Clients’ Pay Cycles

Many businesses have specific pay cycles. If you are working with a client on a regular basis, it’s worth asking if they have a pay cycle that you could/should follow for invoicing.

For example, I have a client that I work with three or four times a year. This particular organization cuts checks twice a month. Checks are cut on a Monday. The invoices are due for processing on the Wednesday before the checks are cut. If I can get my invoice in by the Wednesday deadline, I can get paid two weeks faster than if I wait.

Get Paid Faster By Accepting Credit Card Payments

Many online time tracking and invoicing programs like Harvest, FreshBooks, etc. allow you to give your clients the option of paying invoices by credit card. You will need a PayPal (or similar service) account to make it work.

Embrace it. You may be surprised to discover that some clients prefer to pay this way. My experience has been that clients that do pay this way, pay faster. So far, record time is three minutes from the time I invoiced.

Get Paid Faster By Requiring Money Down

For me, this was a lesson learned the hard way. Long story, but about six months into my business, I got stiffed for 50+ hours of work.

I was naïve. And, since I had a good rapport with the client, I had no reason to believe I wasn’t going to get paid.

I wish I knew then that requiring a percentage down was a common practice among freelancers. It may not have resulted in me getting paid for all of the work, but I would have been paid something.

Nowadays, depending on the size of the project, I invoice for 20%-50% upfront for new clients and clients that I have worked with previously, but do not work with on a regular basis.

Get Paid Faster By Charging A Late Fee

Add a late fee to your invoices to motivate clients to pay on time. Some invoicing programs allow you to set this up automatically. Spell out the terms on the invoice. Clearly state when payment is due and how the late fee will be calculated.

It doesn’t have to be much – 1%-2% per month after the payment due date can be enough to get a client’s attention. It’s also enough to make you feel a little better about getting paid late if they are a slow pay.

Get Paid Faster By Working On Retainer

It’s great work if you can get it. Working on retainer typically means that you get paid at the beginning of the month for hours you will be working during that month. Retainers are typically longer-term agreements. For example, a client might sign on with you for 20 hours a month for six months or a year.

You get paid before you actually perform the work, which is great. But because the client has made an advance purchase of your time, you are beholden to them to be available when they need to cash in on the time they’ve purchased.

That said, it doesn’t mean you can’t establish some boundaries. You’ll want to have a signed contract or signed written agreement spelling out the terms and expectations of both parties. It would also be worth addressing in writing what happens if the client does not use all of the hours they have purchased. Are they forfeited? Do they rollover?

Get Paid Faster By Accepting Payments On Large Invoices

This is probably not a strategy you want to implement on a regular basis, but there may be times when you may want to consider accepting payments on large invoices.

For example, I have a client I have been working with for almost five years. He consistently pays within 7 days of receiving my invoice. About a year or so ago, he was experiencing some cash flow issues. At the same time, he was ramping up his marketing and needed more help from me (about twice as many hours) than he typically needs in a month.

When he received my invoice, he contacted me, explained his cash flow situation and asked if he could pay the invoice in payments. I agreed.

It was a good solution for both of us. It gave him a little time to recover from his cash flow issue and I was at least getting something, instead of waiting for the entire amount later.

I would not have done this for just anyone. He and I have a well-established relationship and I felt like it was a good decision that I could live with.

Get Paid Faster By Cutting Off Repeat Offenders

If you have clients that are routinely slow at paying their invoices, you may want to think twice about working with them.

If your “slow-pays” are creating a hardship for you, they may not be worth the stress you experience while you are waiting for their payments to arrive. It takes time and energy to follow up on invoices and rework your budget when expected payments don’t arrive. You could be spending that time and energy doing work for clients that pay you on time.

At the very least, consider pressing the pause button on any new work until you’ve been paid for the past hours you have put in. Be sure to communicate why so they understand what your expectations are.

Follow Up To Get Paid Faster

The simplest thing you can do when invoices go unpaid is to follow up.

Don’t just sit idly by. Yes, it can be awkward, but if you’ve put in the work, you deserve to be paid.

Think about it this way. If you just walked out the door without paying for a cut and color at your hair salon, someone would follow up. It would be immediate, and possibly with shears in hand.

As a freelancer, you don’t usually benefit from getting paid at the time of service. But, when your invoice is due, it’s due.

Decide on your payment terms, clearly state them on your invoices, and follow up when payments are overdue. My invoices are due upon receipt. I typically start follow up after 30 days.

A friendly email reminder usually works. Sometimes invoices just get overlooked or stuck on someone’s desk.

Do you have any strategies to get paid faster that I haven’t covered? Tell us about them in the comments below.

Six Ways To Achieve Better Work Life Balance As A Solopreneur

To the untrained eye, it may seem easy to achieve work life balance as a solopreneur. Your friends with “day jobs” may see the grass as being so much greener on our side. Sure, we often have the ability to set our own schedules. We don’t have to ask permission to leave the office to go to a dentist appointment. We can take time to go holiday shopping when the mall is less crowded.

There are a lot of perks to being self-employed, but those of us doing it also know it can be a juggling act that can lead to stress, anxiety, and frustration. Work life balance as a solopreneur can be difficult to achieve.

As a one-woman show, you are among the busiest of business owners. You are wearing most of, if not all of the hats. You are in charge of sales, marketing, inventory, bookkeeping…the list goes on and on. Plus, you are doing the work of providing the service that you offer or minding the store. And, that doesn’t take into account the family commitments and other obligations competing for your attention as you strive to be successful in every aspect of your life.

Achieving The Elusive Work Life Balance

I’m sorry to report that there is no magic formula to achieve work life balance. But here are some things you can do to help reduce your stress as you try to keep all of the balls in the air.

Keep Your Eye On The Prize.

Establish short-term and long-term SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for your business. Having SMART goals in place will help you maintain your focus on what you ultimately want to accomplish. Having that focus will make it easier to eliminate or avoid obstacles and other distractions that pop up in your way.

Keep A Calendar.

That means one calendar with everything on it. Whether you choose an electronic format or a hard-copy planner, your business meetings or deadlines, personal appointments, and other commitments should all be in one place so you can avoid double-booking. It will also help you foresee potential log jams, so you can take action to mitigate the stress of a work-related pile-up.

Prioritize.

Make lists daily to help you maintain focus on what must be done that day. Setting priorities will help you stay on track and avoid diversions. Inevitably, you may veer off your plan from time to time, but a daily priority list can get you back on track when you do get distracted.

Delegate.

You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. If you can do nothing else to improve your work life balance, at least try to delegate. Ask family members to pitch in to help with household chores and errands. Consider outsourcing certain business tasks or projects that don’t necessarily need to be performed by you.

Learn To Say “No.”

If you are able (or appear to be able) to balance your business and personal commitments, chances are you are the “go-to” person for a lot of people in your life. Give yourself permission to say “no” to anything that adds more to your already full plate. Likewise, take a look at your current list of responsibilities to see if there is anything you can give up.

Make Time To Relax.

Your brain and your body need downtime. Relaxation relieves stress and can help improve your concentration when you return to your tasks. Schedule yourself time to recharge your battery, the energy you gain from relaxation will make you more productive later.

Building and growing a successful business requires a time commitment that cannot be compromised. But if you maintain your focus, stay organized, and give yourself a little downtime once in a while you will experience less stress and be better positioned to achieve your business goals.

What tips do you have to achieve better work life balance? Share them in the comments below!

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