Getting paid on time can be a challenge if it isn’t your thing. Whether you are getting clients for the first time, refining how to talk pricing or collect payments, you may need help. Here are some suggestions to better communicate when it comes to discussing and receiving money. These tips will make getting paid less awkward.
1. Follow a script of what to say in person.
Marie Forleo presents in-person scenarios in her article and Youtube video How to Get Paid When You Hate Asking for Money. She offers up three tips to get more confident when it comes to asking for payment. Forleo also encourages her audience to practice vocalizing what to say when charging. Her content provides samples for role playing in different situations.
2. Follow a script of what to say via email.
What’s great about email is you’ll have time to think. You can reflect upon what to say without having the perfect wording down pat at the time. It’s more removed than an in person interaction. Facial expressions don’t come into play either. Turn the email into a canned response later. There will be no need to remember what to say in the future. The wording will be at the ready. Of course, you could customize it a bit and change the greeting, closing or tweak any other information as you see fit.
No matter if you are dealing with someone in person or via email, if someone doesn’t pay right away, it can still be awkward. You don’t want to sit around and wait for your money. At the same time, you might be at a loss for what to say.
Instead of vague booking the person on social media or making a voodoo doll out of them put on your grown up pants and be direct. It doesn’t mean you have to be rude in any way. If you’re not sure of what to say, look online for sample wording. Ramit Sethi’s site IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com provides some scripts for situations just like this.
In addition to providing samples of what to say, he also explains how you should send an email right after completing work. He also gets very specific regarding the subject line which has a significant impact on your email’s open rate. There are other pointers like emphasizing the use of a friendly tone and specifics for how to write the each part of the email. Sethi even presents other scripts for different scenarios and his article, How to Request Payment – and Actually Get Paid.
3. Outsource your invoicing.
If you still cringe at the thought of asking for money or even taking the time to come up with a script for getting paid, consider hiring a bookkeeper to do your dirty work. It’s a part of their job to ask for money and handle invoicing. They’re ready and able to take care of such matters for you. This way, you can outsource the dreaded part of managing your business and focus on getting paid to do the parts that you enjoy.
The Bottom Line
Knowing and practicing what to say in awkward payment situations can make all of the difference. Develop a few sentences for frequently asked questions regarding payment. If you take the initiative to email your client, you may receive payment faster than you thought.
