How to Collect Past Due Payments
As a freelance writer you will find yourself getting paid from a number of clients on a regular basis. This is a good thing, for the most part, but can also add stress and confusion from time to time. One of the worst situations you will face is a client who just doesn’t want to pay.
If you are attempting to collect a past due payment there are a few tips you can follow:
1. Don’t jump the gun. Even if you believe that the client is late, give them a chance to explain their situation. You may find that it is nothing more than a simple mix-up that can be solved in no time at all. Don’t ruin a client relationship by jumping the gun and making false accusations.
2. Call instead of sending emails. It is very easy for a client to ignore your emails. A phone call, on the other hand, is not as simple to put on the back burner. If you have your client’s phone number, give them a call – without warning. By catching them off guard you are putting yourself in good position to explain yourself and get their side of the story.
3. Become gradually more forceful as time goes by. As noted above, you don’t want to go overboard on your first attempt to collect. But by the fifth phone call you may be a bit fed up. There is nothing wrong with getting more forceful as you continue with your collection efforts. Just make sure you don’t “cross the line.â€
Collecting past due payments is one of the most difficult parts of being a freelance writer. Unfortunately, it is something that all of us have to do from time to time.
