I'm new to freelancing and I'm struggling with clients not paying after I deliver my projects. I've had a bad experience where clients say they don't trust me to complete the job, but once I finish, they want to see the work before discussing payment. How can I protect myself from being scammed?
5 Answers
You don’t have to be an expert to handle this! Just show a preview of your work and retain ownership until you’ve received payment.
One solid approach is to ask for upfront payments. I've been freelancing since 2010, and for most jobs, I request 50% upfront and the other half before delivering the final work. Make sure you're also offering references to build trust with new clients!
Avoid clients who want to negotiate payment after the work is done. It rarely ends well—they either don't pay or offer a fraction of the agreed amount.
Don't deliver anything until you've received payment. Also, it's really important to use contracts for your projects. Having a solid agreement protects both you and the client. Check out this great video on contract tips.
That video is awesome! It really highlights how contracts need to be specific and clear.
If you're handling web projects, don't share the entire project folder until you get paid. You can manage the server and simply disable their access if they delay payment. They'll either pay up or have to start over with someone new.
But how do you get them to trust you enough to pay upfront?