Get What You're Owed - Do This To Get Paid On Time

Almost every freelancer knows the feeling of not being paid on time. Many businesses or consumers will put off paying on time, and even try to pay late as it may help their own cash flow. However, this isn't fair on you when you rely on this money to keep you going. One of the biggest challenges of being a freelancer is inconsistent earnings, but that doesn’t mean you should just accept being paid late as part of the gig. There are ways you can make sure you always get paid what you’re owed. Read on to find out what you should do to get paid on time: 

Improve Your Invoicing Process 

Start by taking a look at your invoicing process to see how you can improve it. You could potentially ask for a downpayment, for example, which is a great idea if you want to improve cash flow and ensure the consumer is serious about working with you. 

Be sure to send the invoice promptly. The sooner after the work is completed, the better. Make sure you follow up to give them a reminder, too. Using professional invoicing software can take a lot of the burden away from you and ensure nobody ever forgets about paying. 

Offer An Incentive For Early Payment 

You may also like to give consumers and incentive for early payment. Maybe you could offer 10% off their total bill if they pay early, rather than just on time. 

Add Fees On For Late Payments 

Don’t be afraid of adding late fees on to your invoices for late payments. Simply set out your boundaries and expectations clearly beforehand so that there can be no disputes. If you don’t know how to set up an invoice for your specific company, it could be a good idea to do that first - you may be able to get a better idea of what sort of fees to charge this way, too. Look at how to set up invoices for landscapers to get a better idea of what you should think about doing.

Credit Check Your Customers

It’s so easy now to check the financial history of a customer before you agree to work with them. Doing this may seem strange, but it could save you a lot of hassle in the long run. 

Consider Offering Payment Plans

Offering payment plans means your customers can spread their costs and maintain repayments to you, improving your cash flow. This will give you regular, consistent payments rather than sporadic lump sums when the client sees fit. Many customers are far more likely to pay you on time when you offer options like this. 

Make It As Easy As Possible To Pay You

Allowing online payments will make it much easier for your clients to pay you. Make sure the process is simple, and they won’t put it off until a later date. Ensure all they have to do is click a link and put in a few details. The easier the better!