More so than ever, I am receiving emails from writers asking for advice on dealing with non-payment. Why has this become such a problem as of late? Is it the economy? Are there just more “scammers” out there than ever before? Whatever the reason, it is an issue that every freelance writer has to deal with at some point in time.
Before we go any further, let me tell you that you are not alone. I am owed thousands of dollars related to projects that I completed as long as five years ago. While I don’t expect to receive these payments, it is still frustrating to look back and realize that I put so much time and effort into each project.
If non-payment has become an issue in your career, try out these three tips:
1. Don’t jump the gun. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to get paid, your client may have a good reason for being a tad bit slow. Before you begin to pester the client for payment, give them a chance to explain their situation. In many cases, it may be nothing more than an accounting mix-up. This happens more times than you could ever imagine.
2. Start with email, move to the phone next. Although sending an email reminder is the first step in the process, at some point you may need to pick up the phone to inquire as to the whereabouts of your payment. Is this something you want to do? No. Is it something you should have to do? No again. Unfortunately, if you want to get paid this may be the next step in the process.
3. Don’t give up. Although I have had clients stiff me completely, others have paid up several months late. I didn’t want to wait this long for payment, but in the end the money came through and that is what matters most. However, if you stop your collection efforts the client will forget about you.
Dealing with issues of non-payment can be frustrating. Hopefully these three tips can make things easier on you.
Web entrepreneurs face an uphill battle from the start. Some start off with a business administration degree, others with an idea and determination. With millions of websites on the internet today, the competition for viewers is incredibly stiff. Many web start-ups fold within a year of launching. Despite the odds, some young entrepreneurs over the last decade have managed to take nothing and turn it into some of the biggest websites in the world.
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg, at the age of 27, is one of the youngest web billionaires in the world thanks to his social networking site, Facebook. Zuckerberg started Facebook when he was still in college, with some of his classmates. Zuckerberg first launched what would become Facebook on Harvard’s network over the course of a weekend, but the website overloaded the school’s servers. He continued to work on the site and spread it to other schools, including Yale and Cornell.
Zuckerberg got his first investor, opened Facebook’s first office and launched the public website in 2004. In 2011, his fortune was estimated at $17.5 billion.
Simon Nixon
Simon Nixon, with Duncan Cameron, established the Moneysupermarket Group in 1993 while Nixon was a student at Nottingham University. The group’s website, launched in 1999, specializes in financial services, giving consumers access to information about a wide array of financial products, including loans and credit cards.
Nixon dropped out of school but managed to build the group into a leading online financial information provider. As of 2011, his estimated worth was $570 million.
Ariana Huffington
Ariana Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, is a web news and blogging pioneer. The website was launched in May 2005 as a place for liberal commentary and an alternative news source.
The constant aggregate of news stories from around the world and the commentary flow drew millions of users and Huffington sold the Post to AOL Inc. for $315 million in 2011. Prior to the sale, Huffington’s net worth was already estimated at $115 million dollars.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
You may not be familiar with the names, but you know the product. Larry Page is one of the co-founders of search giant, Google. While at Stanford in 1995, Page met fellow student, Sergey Brin and the two would form Google Inc. just a year later in 1996.
Page and Brin’s first investor, Andy Bechtolshei, gave them $100,000 and the pair used the money to lay the groundwork for Google as it is today. In 1999, the two entrepreneurs found themselves flooded with investor offers and finally took a $25 million investment from the Kliener, Perkins, Caufield and Sequoia Capital firm.
As of 2010, Page and Brin’s net worth was estimated at $15 billion each. Google has been valued at over $175 billion in recent years, with annual profits exceeding $800 million.
While I have kept in touch with many readers over the past couple of weeks, I have not made regular posts to the blog. I have a good reason for this, though. I have been in the process of starting a new website. Let me introduce you to:
As the name suggests, this blog is for anybody who telecommutes or works from home. From freelance writers to telecommuting sales professionals and everybody in between, if you work at home or have the desire to do so this blog is right up your alley.
What does the Content look like?
As of now, I am populating the blog with information regarding work at home efficiency, how to start a home based business, and other related topics. Additionally, I add news stories from time to time – you may be surprised at how hot working from home has become. With gas prices continuing to rise, I expect this trend to continue.
Subscribe to my Free Newsletter
One of the most exciting parts of my new blog is the newsletter. It is free to signup and upon doing so you will begin to receive weekly updates regarding job opportunities, product releases, hiring companies, and much more.
Although the blog is only about a month old, the number of subscribers has been pleasantly surprising. You can join the newsletter by visiting the site and typing in your email address in the “Free Newsletter Email Sign-up!” box.
That is all for now. I plan on picking back up with regular posts here while also focusing on my new blog.
