Contract deal

[craig]

Joshmenzies thread got me thinking... Considering my clients... Most pay in a timely fashion. The big ones do not. Has anyone considered a "you must pay in 30 days" or something clause. I am sure there is one out there. Personally I do not think I will be brave enough to include one. Somehow I just like to present the bill and pray they pay in two weeks.

This may be a question thread. On the other hand it could be a discussion because I think everyone has a funny/bummer story of the deadbeats that did not pay.

 

[joshmenzies]

Very interesting thought. I guess I myself never really thought much of some sort of clause about timely payment. I take it that you've had clients that never paid?

 

[craig]

They do not never pay; it is just that they take 60 to 90 days to pay. If I was a real corporation that would not be a problem. Being a little guy... I have had to pawn some serious fishing gear (back in the day) to stay afloat.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

In the UK working in Advertising and Editorial the tradition always used to be that you got paid 6 months after the job. Photographers hated it but the Agencies attitude was 'those are the conditions and if you don't like it you don't have to work for us.'
Hobson's choice, really.

 

[craig]

That is right up there with "we are Vanity Fair! we will pay you a 100 dollars 'cause we will look really good in your client list" Newspapers and mags are the rare few that pay within the month. In my other clients defense; I should say that most the projects I work on are fairly large. They may not be completed for months. Maybe they wait until the job is completed? Sometimes I think they are just broke. Whatever, I mean I pay my bills when I get them.

 

[Vmann]

What about adding a interest charge of say 4.25% after 30 days. Im not a profesional photographer but if I dont pay my visa bill on the 30th of every month then I have to pay more next month. Its that simple... I wish. I do graphic design work and I've found sometimes the more I put into a contract within reason the more you can clinch down on a client. I think its because they get a feeling of the pen is mighter than the sword and the sence of business is present. They tend not to feel like they can take advantage of the little guy.

Good luck

 

[JamesD]

It's your contract. Demand what you will... they have the same option to accept or not as you.

You might also consider insisting on a certain percentage up front, and/or within a timely limit, and the rest on a timeframe they might consider more acceptable. Chances are that if they want your business, and they obviously do, since they're working with you, that they'll be willing to accept reasonable terms. Try negotiating; perhaps try a repeat customer first. Then, if a new customer comes along, you have something to the effect of "Other customers are accepting these terms!" to back you up (not phrased quite that way, of course). It's somewhat ironic that the big customers are the ones likliest to have the resources to pay immediately, yet take the longest to write the check.

Perhaps it's irrelevant, but in print magazines, articles are paid for upon acceptance, even if they don't appear til months later (or the next year...)

Basic point is: Photographers need to have food and a roof, too!

 

[Willc73]

You should use a standard estimating and invoicing form. The dilemma being, if they are late, what do you do? Personally, I just bug the Accounts payable department until they pay. So if it has been 60 days, do you take them to court? Not me! I would much rather keep or just not piss off a client rather than get paid on time. Sure you need to have all the legal stuff on your estimate, but rarely do anyone act on it.
As far as getting money up front. People usually don't have a problem if you ask for all or half your expenses up front. That depends on how much time you have though.