Billing Reticence, Part 1
Talking with some customers it seems that some of them have what I would call “Billing Reticence”, an unnatural and unhealthy aversion to getting their bills out. Since PositiveWare has eliminated the technical and administrative difficulty of putting a bill together there has to be something else at play that keeps users from getting their bills out.
Here are some thoughts and tips to make you more comfortable with billing.
Before anything, now (I mean right now) get your calendar out and make an appointment with yourself to do your bills. Keep the appointment.
A new freelancer coming from a job is likely to be a little uncomfortable with the change in the magnitude of dollars at play. In the extreme case of a client who buys all your time, and perhaps that of one or more subs, you could be looking at an invoice that is ten times your last paycheck. So how do you handle a big invoice? For starters, the same as a small one.
-Make sure it is accurate, for rate, time and time period.
-Make sure it has the level of detail the client expects. (Don’t know what the client expects? Ask them. They will appreciate the question.)
-Including expenses? Make sure to supply supporting documentation. Here’s how to track expenses in PositiveWare.
-Make sure to include payment information (who to pay) and term (when to pay)
Ok, so the invoice is together. Why not send it?
-Is the client going to be surprised? This is never good. The best way to handle this is to call the client ahead of time, with a bit of a warning. Nobody likes surprises.
-Do you not deserve to be paid? A few of us out there are so self-deprecating and self-effacing that we don’t really think we deserve it. A little bibliotherapy is in order. Try The Virtue of Selfishness or perhaps Free Agent Nation.
-Don’t know how to handle the money? Solve this problem when you have the money, because until you send the bill you don’t have the problem.
-Think you’re above handling money, or in it for the art? Seriously? Get a job at the Post Office and pursue art as a hobby, because this probably won’t work for you.
Next Time: I hate tracking time, so my bills are late.
