By: Paul Golden (goldencomms.ie) is a freelance journalist specialising in finance, property and technology. Examples of recent articles can be found on his newly-redesigned website

You got the job – but will you get paid?

When I started freelancing, I assumed that the hardest part of the job would be getting enough work to keep me busy. It did not take me long to realise that finding work was the (relatively) easy bit and that the real frustration lay in getting paid on time.

Now bad debt is a fact of life for any business and freelance journalism is no different. Companies go to the wall even when times are good and the numbers will always be higher during a recession.

But as a freelancer you need to be smart about how you manage that risk. The first and most obvious piece of advice is not to rely too heavily on one client, although that principle is hard to maintain when your other contacts are quite and you are being offered a large chunk of work.

So the next best thing is to keep on top of your invoicing. If the client insists that invoices carry a purchase order number or job number, ask the person who commissions the work to provide this as soon as possible, ideally before you start the job. Request a detailed brief outlining the word count, word rate, deadline and publication date. Check the client’s payment terms and put a line at the end of your invoices stating that payment is due 30 days from publication. Invoice promptly on completion of the job and make sure you include all purchase order/job numbers and project references.

Finally, set up a system that informs you when payments become overdue. Many freelancers are reluctant to even mention the subject of payment to editors for fear of being labelled a troublemaker, but you are perfectly within your rights to pursue overdue invoices with the person who commissioned the work. Your editor should at the very least contact the accounts department on your behalf.

If they tell you to follow-up with accounts directly, get a name, number and email address and contact that person immediately. Attach a copy of your invoice to the email and ask for a confirmed payment date. Most clients will pay up, although very few will do so within 30 days. But once the payment goes past 60 days due you really need to make it a priority – credit control experts confirm that the older a debt is the less valuable it is, the harder and more expensive it is to collect and the less priority the debtor will give to payment.

In my experience, it almost always pays to maintain a dialogue with the client. While bombarding the accounts department by email may be cheap and quick, there is no substitute for the old fashioned phone call. Don’t give up if they fail to answer their phone – try calling at different times of day or from different numbers and if you still feel they are avoiding you, ask a friend to call.

If the publication has an editorial board, contact its members and ask for their assistance. If it is being produced on behalf of a company or organisation, find out who deals with the publisher and explain the situation to them.

If the client tells you a cheque is ready or that they will be doing a cheque run on a specific day, you should seriously consider collecting it from their office. In fact, turning up at their premises is also an option if they continue to ignore your calls – ask to see the person in charge of accounts and be prepared to wait.

Some of these actions may sound extreme, but you should bear in mind that unless the debt runs to many thousand euro the cost of pursuing it through the courts will be prohibitive. The client will probably be aware of this, so threats of litigation are likely to be ignored.

About the Author

Paul Golden is an experienced media professional offering a range of services to clients in the UK and Ireland. Over the last 20 years He has worked for national newspapers, online publications, trade magazines, marketing agencies and research companies. He has also managed a specialist public relations firm and undertaken direct client work.
www.goldencomms.ie