How do you get paid on time?
The FFJ community share their tips for prompt payment
Last week we started a new little feature in our Facebook community. Every Friday we will be asking our members for their tips and advice on a specific aspect of freelance journalism. If there is anything you want their insight into then do please shout because we will add it to the list.
Of course we decided to start with the most burning question of all - what is your top tip for getting paid on time. We have written before about how this is the number one bugbear of the self-employed journalist. Even leaving the immoral practice of payment on publication to one side, invoices often seem to get stuck in lengthy payment systems.
Every so often I like to do a little game of how much am I owed at this particular point in time. The answer is currently about four grand and there have been plenty of times when it has been much, much more. I have a couple of clients who pay within the week so it is hard to be patient for those who take months to settle your bill.
Last time I needed a plumber, he was there with his little remote card machine. The roofer who came in March was more old school but he chased me for what we owed within a matter of days.
Our mantra at FFJ is that if we all push back together, all get annoying together, then there is more chance everyone will up their game (national newspapers are often the worst at this). You can find our podcast on freelance rights in which we talk about payment here. But here’s a little roundup of all the excellent advice our members had for getting that money into your bank account.
Invoice immediately as soon as you file the copy. No need to wait for some magical go ahead from the editor. You don’t need permission, just invoice.
If it’s a new client check if there is anything you need to do to meet the requirements of their finance system. This includes some who need a purchase order which can slow up the process. I had to fill in a ton of forms to get on the system when I did some work for The Sunday Times but I did it straightaway and they did pay within the month.
Don’t be afraid to be a bore and keep chasing. I have lost count of the number of times an invoice has gone missing or not being passed on to the right person. Better to find that out sooner rather than later.
Include the 30-day payment term and a note about the Late Payment of Commercial Debt (Interest) Act 1998 at the bottom of every invoice. You can find details on that here.
Work out if you can charge late fees. This handy calculator is good for that.
Always be polite but firm. If you are worried about damaging a relationship with an editor ask for the details of the person in finance who can help with your query.
Hope that helps and happy invoicing everyone! If you have any questions you’d like us to post in the Friday tips slot you can email freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com.
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Triumph of the week
Writing twice on the same topic. Efficient.
That feeling when
You need to find one more comment but instead get inundated
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Bye for now!
