Every seasoned freelancer has horror stories about completing a project and having to chase a client relentlessly for payment. This can significantly impact your productivity and cause financial strain, especially since your cash flow is disrupted. 

Based on the stories we’ve seen and experienced, here are five sure ways to prevent delayed payments as a freelancer. With these tips, you’ll be sure to get paid easier and faster. 

Create Iron-Clad Contracts.

As a freelancer, your contract is the only legally binding agreement you have with your client. As a freelancer, it’s a great chance to protect yourself and set clear expectations from the onset. In your contract, you should have your payment terms. Break down the project into phases and add corresponding payments due for each phase.

Check here for : How To Make a Freelance Contract: 10 Clauses To Include.

Include your accepted payment method but most importantly, outline clauses for dispute resolution. Have set procedures and include potential termination terms if payments are excessively delayed. This will help prevent any risk of delays in your payments while giving you grounds for legal action in the worst-case scenarios. 

Be Professional with Your Invoicing.

Start by using professional invoicing software or online templates to create clear and detailed invoices. Include your business information, the client’s details, a breakdown of services rendered and the total amount due. We also recommend including several payment methods to cater to your client’s preferences. 

Check here for: How to Write an Invoice for Freelance Work Tips and Tricks.

If your client cannot make a fast bank transfer, use international money transfer services like OhentPay for faster processing. You could also include a payment link or a PayPal option. This gives them options to choose from, thereby further reducing the time that could be lost in correspondence. 

Also, don’t wait weeks or until the project is complete to send your invoice. Submit it as soon as the project is completed or when you’ve reached the designated milestones as outlined in the agreement.

Have a Good Follow-Up Strategy.

You need to have a consistent follow-up protocol for late payments.  Set up friendly reminders to begin with. For example, a gentle email nudge a few days before the due date can serve as a friendly reminder and prompt a timely payment. Then, you can start escalating the communication if necessary through phone calls and other channels. Just be sure to maintain a professional tone throughout your communication. Remember, you should be assertive, not aggressive. 

Check here for:What are the best ways to improve communication skills for freelancers?

Leverage Technology to Ease Up Your Work.

Several tools will help make the processes outlined above easier. One we’ve mentioned is using invoicing tools. In addition to this, you can set up automated reminders that get triggered once a client hasn’t responded to an invoice. Oftentimes, some invoicing tools have a reminder feature, so you might want to explore that too. 

We also recommend using project management platforms that will integrate with your invoicing software. This way, your clients can track the project progress and conveniently approve invoices directly within the platform. 

Check here for: A Freelancer’s Toolkit: 18 Tools Everyone Should Use.

Incentivize Your Payment Strategy.

Mitigate the risks of non-payment by incentivising your payment strategy. You could either use phased payments, late payment fees or both. For phased payments, you negotiate an upfront deposit. This could be anywhere between 20 to 50%. Some other freelancers use milestone-based instalments. So a delay in payment will cause an instant delay in the rest of the project. It’s also a great way to ensure consistent cash flow and discourage late payments. 

The other strategy includes outlining a late fee policy in your contract and invoices. The client then has to pay whatever price is stated which could be a penalty fee or a halt in the project. Be sure to use reasonable late fees as that’s the only way it’ll be incentivised. 

Wrapping Up.

Establishing clear expectations upfront can significantly improve your chances of receiving timely payments as a freelancer. Ensure you deliver effective communication, exceptional service, and high-quality work to foster faster payments and repeat business.

If you’d like to send money anywhere in the world and prefer fast transfers at great rates, we recommend the OhentPay money transfer service. Create an account to get started here.

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