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Here's
what is
inside this
toolkit.
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PA I D I N F U L L
Introduction
PA I D I N F U L L
Introduction
Introduction
Payment Structure
The Invoice
Sending Invoices
Accepting Payments
When They Don't Pay
In Conclusion
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F OR M A L E DUC A T I ON W I L L M A K E
Y OU A L I V I N G ; S E L F - E DUC A T I ON
W I L L M A K E Y OU A F ORTUN E .
- J I M RO H N
I hope you
don’t need
this book.
It’s true. I hope that you invested in this material and it just sits on a hard drive
somewhere, waiting to see the light of day. I truly hope this doesn’t stay on
your desktop “Quick Access” folder.
But in all likelihood, you will. If you’re in business for yourself, even if you’re
freelancing, you will probably run into situations that will make you toss and
turn at night.
Doing work without concrete payment terms, negotiating with client legal and
finance teams, and waiting anxiously for that payment to come through are
just a few things that kept sleep at bay in my business history.
I started my design business as a side hustle while I chased down drug
dealers through the southeast United States (yep, I was a narcotics agent). I
was doing logos for fifty dollars, and full websites for a measly five hundred
bucks. And the first two years, I worked exclusively on oDesk (it’s called
UpWork now).
oDesk was great in the beginning. Plenty of clients, and they handled all
of the billing and collections for me. Good deal. Eventually I made enough
money to confidently take that next step and go full time.
When that happened, I realized I needed to get off oDesk. I needed to find
bigger clients. And that’s exactly what I did.
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Introduction
5
What do they say? More money, more...
Yeah.
When I landed my first project at a decent rate of $20,000, I confidently sent
out a PayPal invoice for the first 50%. Baller status. Ten grand, please!
The client, a successful VC investor, called me back a little while later and
asked, “Hey, Ben, do you really want me to pay this with a credit card?!”
The shock and disbelief in their tone popped my confidence like a balloon. I
remember realizing (as I slowly deflated) that I really didn’t know how business
was done.
See I just sent him a proposal. This thing didn’t serve as a contract. It didn’t
even have payment terms on it. We never discussed how payments would be
made.
Now, this slightly awkward situation was the wake up call I needed to start
researching how professional service providers did business. But that didn’t
stop the hard lessons from coming: as you’ll see by some of the stories in
these pages.
You don’t have to learn
things the hard way.
I wasn't always a designer (or
gifted with a magnificent beard). I
switched careers and carved out a
place in the world as a freelancer,
then grew a successful design
studio from those roots. If I can
do this, so can you.
That’s why I wrote this. My purpose is to help everyone who is breaking
through, achieve success as painlessly as possible.
When I wrote this, I knew it wasn’t going to be a splashy launch, or even
the most profitable product I could create. Payment terms, invoicing, and
accepting payments is not designer candy. It’s not sugar. But it’s certainly the
medicine you need to avoid some serious pain.
I want each and every one of you to get maximum value out of this kit, but in
doing so, realize that there are a LOT of action items on these pages. Once
you’re finished reading, just pick one thing to change, and see how it works.
Then add another.
Your confidence (and business) will grow with each step.
The early team hard at work at
Burnt Creative, my design studio
in Richmond, VA. Hiring employees
was one of those milestone steps
that really changed my trajectory
for good. My journey was a little
painful. Yours doesn't have to be!
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Introduction
PA I D I N F U L L
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A note about
pricing:
There’s a big difference between pricing and payment terms.
What you’ll
be able to do
with this
Paid In Full will help you get paid
on time. It’s that simple. By using
the tips, tricks, and tactics in this
toolkit, you’ll be able to prevent
client disasters by structuring your
payments, invoicing, and accepting
payments from your clients the right
way. You’ll also be able react to
uncomfortable situations and outright
disasters in a way that will help
improve your client relationships.
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PA I D I N F U L L
Introduction
If you’re looking at a client project
timeline, the content in this toolkit
starts in the middle of creating
your contract, and covers all things
money and transactions all the way
through the end of the project. It’s
a comprehensive look at how to
organize your payments, ask for the
money, and get paid.
Pricing, you see, is the what. It is how much you will charge
your clients, and why. There are many ways to price your
projects, from hourly billing all the way to the holy grail of
value-based pricing.
The founder of The Futur, Chris Do, is a master of pricing, and
he is currently working on a comprehensive course on how to
price your projects so that you maximize the client budget. I’m
excited for that masterclass.
It’s important to remember that this toolkit doesn’t cover
pricing. It doesn’t cover the what.
Paid In Full covers the how.
How you get paid impacts your entire business. From the
way you structure and organize your payment terms to
the way you accept payments, the how matters. There is
nothing more impactful to cash flow than the management
of money moving in and out of your company. This toolkit
comprehensively covers the inflow.
So, once you’ve determined how much to charge your clients,
let’s dig in to the next step: Payment Terms.
PA I D I N F U L L
Introduction
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PAYMENT TERMS
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Hit pause.
Take a long,
deep breath.
Seriously. Take a deep breath. Feel the air in your
lungs. Smile. You're alive.
As the air fills your lungs, your body goes to work, pulling the oxygen into
your bloodstream and circulating it to all of your muscles, organs, and tissues.
If your business is anything like your body, then cash is oxygen.
Without enough of either, your body or business will eventually suffocate and
die.
Keeping an eye on cash flow is a vital part of owning a business. And it's
something we don't typically consider, especially when we're freelancers or
solopreneurs. Well, it's something we don't typically consider until it's too late
and we wind up with no money in the bank.
Cash flow is a deep topic. While I can't get too detailed here, Errol Gerson
covers cashflow in a fantastic way in our course Managing Money - I highly
recommend checking that out if you want a deep dive.
One key component to cashflow for service providers that we're going to
cover in-depth here: Payment terms.
See, let's say you have a dry spell for a while, and wind up with a week's
worth of runway in the bank. But then, finally and miraculously, you land a
$100,000 project. If your payment terms aren't set up correctly, there's a real
chance you could wind up out of business before you finish the job.
So what do I mean by payment terms?
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TU G O F W A R
By understanding your
client's motivations, you
can develop an amicable
approach to structuring
your payment terms.
Loosely defined, payment terms are
the way you organize the timing and
amounts your clients will pay you
during the lifecycle of a project. It's
how much and how often your client
agrees to pay you.
job. And when you have a job, the
payment terms of that relationship
are pretty simple: you work for two
weeks, then the employer issues
you a check for the work you've
completed immediately.
Typically, payment terms are
negotiated in the contracting process
when you onboard a new client or
project. If you've purchased the Legal
Kit, you will find the payment terms
section of the contract under the
Statement of Work Appendix. We'll
do a deep dive into this section here,
but I recommend getting your hands
on the full Legal Kit for the complete
version of the contract.
It's a good system. For employees.
We as creatives don't often consider
payment terms when first starting
out. And I think I know why. See,
we typically transition into business
ownership from a full or part time
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When you're a business owner,
however, this doesn't happen. Getting
paid after the work is done is not a
great idea. And expecting your clients
to pay immediately when you're
finished is like expecting a toddler
to get their shoes on as soon as you
ask. Not gonna happen.
You must recognize the tension
between you and your clients when
it comes to payment terms. Let's talk
about it.
Your goal is to receive as much cash
as you can from your client as soon
as possible. Getting a large influx of
cash is what makes business owners
breath a sigh of relief. Your operating
cash flow is a key indicator of your
business success. When that rush of
oxygen hits the body, it just makes
everything work better.
Recognize the tension
with your clients about
payment terms.
Your client's goal on the other hand,
is to wait as long as they can to pay
you cash. The more they conserve
their oxygen, the longer they can
hold their breath—if they needed to.
Delaying cash going out is a great
way to impact their operating cash
flow in a positive way.
receivables (the payments you're
expecting to receive) and accounts
payables (the payments you're
expecting to pay). The two main
levers you can influence to control
how well your business looks on the
books.
So, naturally, when you sit down to
negotiate payment terms with your
client, you both want very different
things. There are many different
options for both parties, and it's
probably best to define the most
popular systems and terms before
making our recommendation.
So let's take a quick look at the most
common methods of structuring
payment terms we've seen in the
creative industry.
This, folks, is the game of accounts
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S I D E NOT E
Winter is your
season!
Common
Payment
Structures
B R E A K I T DO W N
Sometimes, your clients—especially the big
companies—will want to spend some money near
the end of the quarter or the end of the fiscal
year. This boils down to one of two things:
1. They have a budget set by a higher power
that needs to be spent by a certain date,
or the budget for the next period will be
decreased.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of payment
terms, and will likely be the one part of this toolkit that I
expand the most. But these are the basics.
2. They want to spend some cash in order to
reduce their tax burden for the year (when
expenses go up, taxes go down)
001 — Advanced Payment
Both of these things are great for you! It’s worth
reaching out to your clients in October and
November just to connect and stay top of mind.
002 — Installment Payments
003 — Immediate Payment
004 — Net Payments
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Advanced Payment
Due Upon Receipt
Also known as PIA or Prepayment
Also known as COD (Cash On Delivery) or “Just
invoice me for the hours you worked.”
The gold standard of payment terms. It’s pretty simple: your client pays you
100% of the project fee before you start. This swings the cash flow needle all
the way your way - you get paid for work you haven’t even done yet. To some
of you, this may seem like a pipe dream. I get it. But I’ve done this. And lemme
tell you: it’s awesome.
It can be tough to get this approved, but there are a few factors that can
help you win here. Project timeline and scope are the main ones. If either the
project timeline or scope was short or small, asking for payment in advance is
not unreasonable. For example, I had a policy at Burnt Creative to only accept
PIA for projects expected to last less than three weeks. If your client needs
things in a rush (which is always a red flag), they should have the cash to
back up the urgency.
Important: If you’re doing retainer or sprint agreements with your client (which
is a guaranteed scheduled payment for a specified amount of work during a
time frame), make sure the time frames are paid in advance.
Installment Payments
Also known as Percent Upfront or a Deposit.
Installment Payments are typically the most common and most successful of
all the payment terms. Typically, the project is chopped up (or chunked) into
segments, with a payment due at specific milestones.
We like Installments. They’re the best way to share the risk evenly with the
client. By spacing the payments out through the project, your cash flow
doesn’t tank in the beginning, and the clients still maintain some leverage.
The way we’ve seen it used most effectively breaks down to 50% of the total
(or estimated total) project fee due up front, before any work is done. Then
25% due at a specific milestone (for an identity design project, for example, it
would be when the logo is approved, but the style guide hasn’t been started).
Then the final 25% due when the project is completed, but before the work is
delivered.
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I have a three year old daughter. She’s awesome. But she does one thing that
bugs the crap out of me. We’ll get ready to walk out the door to somewhere
(ballet class, the grocer, etc), and at the very last minute, she decides to
change her shoes.
Now, the shoes that she has on are her favorites. I know this. But for some
reason, she sits down and switches shoes like we have all the time in the
world. Not to mention she does this with the intensity and ferocity of a fashion
designer making last minute changes on a model right before the runway.
I shouldn’t count on getting out of the front door immediately.
You shouldn’t count on your clients paying immediately either.
We see this a lot with solopreneurs who charge hourly. They’ll get the contract
signed, do the project, tally up the hours worked, and send in an invoice for
the total. Due upon receipt (read: immediately), of course.
The great fallacy of “Due Upon Receipt” is the belief that clients even have the
ability to pay immediately. Payments take time to process. Project deadlines
and delivery dates are often inflexible. The math just doesn’t work.
Put it into perspective: let’s say you’re working for a massive company like
Apple. You work with a Marketing Director, and send him a due upon receipt
invoice for $50,000. Do you think he can whip out a credit card and pay the
invoice immediately? Probably not. He has to create the purchase order,
send both the purchase order and the invoice over to the disbursements
department, they check and process the forms, then schedule a payment
with the next batch. These things take time.
This pay-on-delivery system sets the service provider up for failure. First,
there is a significant risk that the client will not pay the bill. Especially if they
have what they want (since you already delivered the project). Second, even
if they do pay, you’re basically financing the entire project for them. You’re
probably not a bank - let’s not act like it.
And remember: Even if you’re charging your clients by the hour, you can still
ask for some or all of the project in advance by using your best judgement.
Think it will take 100 hours to finish? Great. Send in an invoice for 50 hours
as a deposit for the project.
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Net Payments
Also known as “I’ll pay you later”
Ah, yes. Net. You’ll see this term on invoices a lot, particularly for bigger
companies. On its face it means that payment is due a certain number of
days after the invoice is received or due.
Net Payments are typically abbreviated to the word “Net” followed by a
number (typically 30, 60, 90, or God-forbid, 120). The number stands for
the number of days you’ll wait to receive payment. Net stands for Not Ever
Transacting.
That last part was a joke. But seriously, waiting on a $50,000 check from a
client you haven’t spoken with in three months (90 days), is a scary situation.
Especially if you waited until the end of the project to send an invoice for the
full amount. Yikes.
The thing you must realize about these “policies” is that everything is
negotiable. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve sent an invoice that is
due before work begins, encountered a “Net 30 Policy,” and have received
payments immediately when the client realizes that we will refuse to start
work without the invoice being paid.
Chris Do, the founder of Blind and The Futur, will literally walk on a
commercial set and shut it down if we haven’t received a deposit check yet.
Don’t let the word policy stop you from negotiating.
Instead, use policies against them. When clients have a Net Payment Policy,
they will often have another policy that you’ll never hear about. The discount
policy.
A discount policy (there are many names for this) is basically an internal
commandment that the payment or disbursement department must take
advantage of any discounts available to them.
Whenever you do work without getting paid, you’re giving your client a short
term line of credit. Net 30 on an invoice gives them 30 days to pay you. That’s
30 days that you’re not getting paid. It’s also 30 days for a client to lose your
invoice or allocate your money to someone else.
Instead of playing hardball, you can incentivize the client to pay early by
structuring your Net Payments like this: 2/10 Net 30.
Net 30 is common in the business world. For larger companies it can make a
lot of sense. Having 30 days to pay incentivizes new customers to come on
board. Large companies with steady cash flow can afford to take the risk of a
30 day payment period.
This payment term (2/10 Net 30) means that the client can take advantage of
a 2% discount if the invoice is paid in full within 10 days. Otherwise, it’s due
in 30 days of receipt. With larger clients, you’ll see payments quicker than
ever.
What we need to realize is that net payments is a two-sided coin and must be
defined during the contract phase of the engagement.
You can issue an invoice that is due in a specified amount of time (the term
Net 30/60/90 will show up on your invoice if that’s the case). In the case of
a Net 30 invoice, you can expect a payment within 30 days after the client
receives the invoice.
The client, on the other hand, can also have a Net payment “policy.” If their
policy is Net 30, it’s important to realize that they will pay you within 30
days of receiving your invoice. Even if you send them an invoice “Due Upon
Receipt.” These policies are built to ensure the client has enough time to
properly approve and process the transaction, but some longer policies are in
place to pad their cash flow.
Huh? Let’s break it down:
The bottom line:
Net Payments may be unavoidable. You could even see a net payment term
impact a starting/prepaid deposit - this simply means the client will have to
wait the net days to start the project.
What’s important is to make sure you understand their policies and make sure
you align in the contract. If they have a firm Net 30 policy, make sure you’re
sending the invoice 30 days before you expect to see payment!
There are a lot of different ways the client can interpret Net 30. Normally, it
means 30 days from when you issued your invoice. It could mean 30 days
from when your client received the invoice. It could mean 30 days from when
your client received the finished product or goods. It could even mean 30
days from when your client invoiced their client.
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S TRUCTUR I N G P A Y M E NT S
R E S OURC E
What We
Recommend
Now that you have a good grasp of your options,
here’s how I recommend structuring your payment
terms. This approach has served us well over many
years and millions of dollars of revenue.
Payment Terms
Contract Section
The Payment, Compensation, or Payment Terms section of
your contract is where these terms are surfaced, negotiated,
and agreed upon before the project begins. Here’s an
example of how that language should look in your contract:
Y OUR CO M P A N Y | A P P E ND I X B : S CO P E O F W OR K
I N S TRUCT I ON S
1. Check with the client for any payment policies they have. Let’s assume
they have a Net 30 policy in place, which is pretty standard.
2. Establish or estimate how much you will charge the client. Then divide the
full amount into installments: 50% of the total due before work begins,
25% due at a specific milestone near the middle or end of the project,
and the remaining 25% plus any overages (extra hours, additional scope,
etc) due at the end of the project.
3. Send each invoice 30 (or 15) days before it’s due. That might push your
start date back (but I guarantee the client will get that deposit paid asap).
4. Offer a small discount (1% or 2% - just plan for this when you price the
job) if the client pays within 10 days. Effectively, you’re sending 2/10 Net
30 invoices.
5. Make sure to list out the penalty for a late payment in the terms section
of your contract. Typically we charge a 5% finance charge which
compounds monthly.
E X E CUT I ON
Make sure to discuss with your clients before the project begins, preferably
before your contract is in place. Then map out your payment terms in your
contract. You’ll find an example of this contract language on the next page.
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3. Compensation
For all of the services described above, Client shall pay Agency
a discounted fixed price total of $110,000.00. Any additional
deliverables outside of the scope of this document will incur
additional fees. Payments will be made according to the following
schedule:
•
50% of the total due upon signing the Agreement
•
25% of the total due upon the completion of [insert an
applicable milestone here]
•
Remaining 25% to be invoiced upon project completion
Any undisputed amount not paid when due will be subject to
finance charges equal to 5% per month or the highest rate
permitted by applicable law, whichever is less, determined and
compounded daily from the date due until the date paid. Client will
also reimburse any costs or expenses (including, but not limited
to, reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by Agency to collect any
amount that is not paid when due.
L E T U S N E V E R N E G OT I A T E OUT
O F F E A R . B UT L E T U S N E V E R
F E A R TO N E G OT I A T E .
- J O H N F. K E NN E D Y
Chapter Recap
You should have a great understanding of how to
structure your next payment schedule. But just in
case, here’s a few key thoughts:
1. Payment terms is a tug of war between the seller
wanting cash as soon as possible, and the buyer’s
desire to delay payment.
2. The happy medium is to split up the project fees
into separate installments.
3. We recommend 50% up front, with 25% due at a
milestone near the end of the project, and the final
25% due at the conclusion of the project.
4. Consider incentivizing your clients with a discount
if the payment arrives early, and penalizing them if
they are late.
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INVOICING
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Invoicing
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Want cash?
You’ll have to
ask for it.
Your clients won’t send you a check without
something that prompts a payment process to
initiate. Enter: the invoice.
In basic terms, an invoice is a bill. It contains information about the work
you’ve done or plan to do, who you’re doing it for, and how much you’ll be paid
for it. Businesses of all shapes and sizes use invoices to facilitate and track
payments. You should too.
If you’re new to invoicing, the process can feel a little overwhelming. It may be
tempting not to bother with it at all. But if your goal is to be paid for the work
you do (which we hope it is), invoicing is crucial.
Think about the last time you went to a restaurant. When you were finished
with your meal, the waiter brings you your bill, which outlines what you owe
and why. Restaurants call this a check. We call ours invoices.
When you send an invoice, you take a step in a financial dance that started
millenia ago. From the clay tablets of ancient Sumeria to today’s latest
accounting software, tracking goods and payment has been an integral part
of mankind’s development. Now it’s your turn.
Timely, well-organized invoicing makes sure you get paid in a timely, wellorganized manner. Invoices reinforce your payment terms set forth in the
contract. They also send the message that you take your business seriously.
Both things are invaluable when it comes to getting paid.
So what goes into into an invoice, and how do you make them work for you?
How and when should you send them? What happens when a client receives
them?
Before we dig in, let’s take a look at the invoice itself.
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Invoice Anatomy
At first glance an invoice may look like just a smattering of names, columns,
and numbers, but there’s much more to it than that. Here are the parts that
you’ll bring together to make your invoice whole.
T H E W ORD “ I N V O I C E "
I N V O I C E NU M B E R
Don’t laugh - people can and
do forget to label top of their
invoices. Don’t be one of
them. Labeling this document
an invoice will often trigger
payment processes on the
client side.
Invoice numbers let you
keep track of the invoices
you’ve sent. This number is
always up to you. It’s your
call how you choose to
number your invoices, but the
general practice is to do so
sequentially. You might also
want to add the last two digits
of the year to the beginning of
your number.
DAT E
List the date that you’re issuing
the invoice.
P URC H A S E ORD E R
DU E D A T E
Purchase Order numbers
(sometimes referred to as
PO Numbers), are identifying
numbers that the client
generavtes that authorizes
a payment. It is vital to ask
your clients if they need a
purchase order referenced on
the invoice. One of the biggest
delays in payment occurs when
the client’s finance department
fails to match an invoice to a
purchase order. Make it easy
for them to pay you.
When do you want to be paid?
List it clearly near the top of
your invoice.
CONT A CT I N F O
Pretty self-explainatory.
Address the invoice to the
billing contact.
CU S TO M E R I D
You may wish to assign each
client an identification number
to help you organize your
invoices.
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D E S CR I P T I ON O F W OR K
TA X E S
This is your space to list
the work you’ve completed.
Depending on how you choose
to structure your payments,
this may involve listing the
individual tasks you undertook
on your way to completing
the project or the number of
hours worked. It could also be
a space where you would note
an invoice for an initial or final
payment.
Use this line to note any taxes
you need to collect from
your clients. If you are selling
physical goods (if you sold
someone printed brochures,
instead of charging them solely
for the design service), you
are required to collect and pay
sales tax in most states (in the
US). Typically, in the United
States, service providers do
not need to collect any form
of sales tax. But—and I cannot
stress this enough—make
sure you have reviewed your
state tax laws. There are some
states that define certain
services as products, and
require you to pay sales tax.
Q U A NT I T Y
Depending on how you
structure your payments, you
may use a quantity column
to note how many hours
you worked or tasks you
completed.
B A L A NC E DU E
The total amount your clients
will pay you. Subtotal + taxes
- discounts. Once your client
pays you, change the Balance
Due amount to zero, stamp the
word PAID on the invoice, and
send it back as a receipt of
payment.
UN I T P R I C E
If you are breaking your
payment down by individual
units (hours, tasks, etc), use
this column to note the price
per unit.
TOT A L
Use the total column to list the
total price for each line of your
invoice.
P A Y M E NT T E R M S
Remember those your payment
terms that went into the
contract? Outline them here.
An overview is fine.
S U B TOT A L
An invoice’s subtotal is the sum
of your total column.
NOT E
Be nice! Thank your client for
their business, and add any
other information they need for
you to get paid.
D I S COUNT
You may choose to offer your
client a discount if certain
criteria are met. You would
use this line to note the dollar
amount you’re discounting.
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Types of Invoices
Don’t get twisted on this section. You typically won’t see these terms out there
in the real world. But just in case, we wanted to cover the formal names for all
the different types of invoices.
Pro Forma Invoice
Recurring Invoice
Pro forma invoices are not a demand for payment. Instead, they’re an outline
of the product or service you intend to provide. They inform the client of how
much you expect to be paid for your work, and how that payment will be
broken down.
Do you do the same kind of work for a client on a recurring basis? Recurring
invoices might be for you. They’re a handy way to bill your client for the same
amount on a regular basis. Send one weekly, monthly, quarterly, or any other
interval that makes sense for you and your client.
Basically, it’s an estimate.
Recurring invoices are fantastic for retainer engagements and sprint-based
payment structures. Pro tip: retainers and sprints are prepaid. Before the
interval. Not after.
I’m a fan of using a proposal to accomplish this, but some people like to send
an estimate invoice (a pro forma invoice) along with the proposal in order to
prepare the client’s finance department to receive the full invoice.
Pro forma invoices are sent before a job begins, and their terms may change
as a project progresses. You may never need to use this type of invoice, but in
some situations they can be useful.
Interim Invoice
An interim invoice is a powerful tool. It lets you break down the payment you
receive for a project into multiple segments.
As I said before, we recommend getting at least 50% of your project fee up
front, and the other 50% when the work is completed but before delivering
your files.
Sending recurring invoices become even easier when you add accounting
software to the mix. You can automate the process from start to finish, saving
you time and ensuring payments keep coming your way.
I’ve used both Freshbooks and Quickbooks to automatically send my clients a
monthly retainer invoice. Both work great, but Freshbooks is just a little more
enjoyable to use.
Past Due Invoice
We all want to be paid on time. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. A
past due invoice is your next step if your due date comes and goes without
your bank account getting bigger.
However you choose to break down your payments, an interim invoice is what
you’ll send to get paid. It’s the type of invoice you’ll send at the agreed upon
points in the project, except for the invoice you’ll send at the end.
You’ll send a past due invoice as soon as the due date passes. This invoice
will let your client know that their payment is past due. It will include the
same information as your final invoice, as well as any late fees you decide to
charge.
Final Invoice
Hopefully your past due invoice will be the reminder your client needs to get
you paid. If it’s not, you have a few other options. We’ll get into what happens
when your clients don’t pay in a little bit.
Your final invoice is just what it sounds like: it’s the final invoice you’ll send to
your client for your current project. It will let your client know how much they
owe you for the work you’ve completed.
We recommend sending this invoice before delivering final files. This helps
ensure you receive your payment in a timely manner.
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H O W TO S C H M OO Z E
Sending
invoices
perfectly
Your invoice is complete. It’s a masterpiece. Let’s get it to
your client. Obviously, you can send it through the postal
service, email, upload them to Dropbox, or use your
invoicing software to do it for you. If you’re curious, I’ve
written out software specific instructions near the end of
this toolkit. Go check those out.
Regardless of the method of sending, three things are
vitally important to the invoice actually getting paid:
timing, packaging, and following up.
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Timing is
everything
One of my biggest mistakes? Sending invoices that
are marked "Due upon receipt."
I can remember sending out invoices the day they were due (due upon
receipt) and anxiously watching the calendar as the invoice became past due
day by day. Then, finally, fifteen days later, the payment clears and I would
breathe a little more easily.
I struggled with this for years before I realized that I wasn’t giving the clients
enough time to get the invoice paid. Even for the solopreneurs I would work
for in the early days, they had a lot going on all at once, and some people
would legitimately be too busy to process the invoice and payment for several
days. And their workload paled in comparison to a larger company who has a
separate finance department, payment
policies, and purchase orders to handle!
Send every
invoice as soon
as possible.
And even worse, I was literally training
my clients to pay me late, or past-due,
because I couldn’t in good conscience
penalize them for not paying on the
same day they received the invoice.
Once I recognized this trend, I started
sending invoices as early as I could - with a target of sending the invoice at
least 14 days (30 if possible) before it was due. That gave the client plenty of
time to process the invoice.
S I D E NOT E
Fast money.
And by sending your final invoice at least 14 days before it’s due, a beautiful
association happens. Because the invoice is sent while the work is still
being done, you’re psychologically associating the payment with the project
deadline. A motivated client won’t let something like an unpaid invoice get in
the way of a firm deadline!
But what if my engagements are shorter
than 14 days in length? If your projects are
less than two weeks, I recommend shifting
your payment structure to fully paid up
front. A turnaround time that short should
be compensated for.
Your takeaway? Try to send the invoice as early as possible, targeting 14 days
at minimum.
And remember, if you're having talking through payment terms during the
contract negotiation phase of the engagement, you should try and align your
timing to the terms in the contract.
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Always remember, doing things fast should
cost more, not less.
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People buy
packaging
If the invoice is the gift, then the email that
accompanies it is the wrapper. Here are a few tips
that will help you send the invoice most effectively.
Send it to the right person
Guess what? Most people who hire service providers are not going to pay
their own invoices. Unless they’re a solopreneur or tiny company, there will be
a finance department, bookkeeper, or an assistant that will handle small tasks
like paying bills.
One of the most important things you can do during the contract negotiation
process is ask your point of contact who should receive invoices and payment
instructions. You’d be surprised how often it’s not the same person.
That being said, make sure your point of contact is CC’d on all invoice emails.
That way, they know (and can help) when payments are due and invoices
are received. I can’t tell you how many times my point of contact (my internal
champion) went to bat for me to get an invoice paid.
Engineer the flow
Typically I open the email body with something very friendly, and if you’ve
met the person you’re sending too, a personal note. Then clearly state that
attached is an invoice [number], due on [date], and for [amount due].
Then I like to close with a question. Something like, “When will you be
processing payments next?” or, “When can we expect the payment to be
processed?” works wonders. You can even ask the recipient something
personal, if you’ve met them or sent them a gift: “Did you ever get to try that
coffee I sent over?”
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Drop that milemarker
Before we all started using our phones for directions, we relied on
milemarkers on the side of the highway to let us know where we were. Those
green signs flew by and we instantly
knew that it was two miles to the exit
(just hold it for two more miles...).
Milemarkers help
us understand
where we are.
Milemarkers help us understand
where we are. And clients need them
too.
I recommend composing the
subject line of your invoice emails
like a highway milemarker. Something like, “Invoice 1 of 3 — Due 8-22-19”
or, “Invoice: Initial 50% Deposit — Due 8-22-19” would help your clients
immediately identify what the purpose of the email is, when it’s due, and in
some cases, what action they’re expected to take.
Get some distance
If you’re a solopreneur or a freelancer who is not very confident around
money, sending invoices can be a little uncomfortable. Especially if the person
you’re sending it to is your main point of contact.. and you have to hound
them. It can be a little weird. I get it.
One way you can put some psychological distance in the relationship is to
create an email alias where all of your invoices and payment information are
sent from. Something like sales@youragency.com works great.
That way, when the client receives an email from that address, they know it’s
game time. And even if you’re a freelancer, that separation may put a shadow
of a doubt that maybe you have someone else in your corner. Someone with a
few more teeth.
Be nice, but firm
In the body of the email, the tone you should take reminds me of a relaxed
tiger. Think: I’m a living breathing thing, I’m cool, we’re cool. But I need you to
know that I can f*** you up if my line is crossed. If I wanted to. Which I don’t.
Remember, the payment terms have been agreed uvpon already. You’re not
there begging to get paid. You’re there to uphold the agreement.
Closing with a question elicits a response. Getting a response to that email
is confirmation that they’ve received the email, and the invoice. Confirmation
they received the invoice can be invaluable in case of a disaster later on.
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The squeaky
wheel gets it
Schedule those follow ups ahead of time. Staying top
of mind is vital to getting your invoices paid. Say it
after me: Top of Mind, Paid On Time!
It's a good idea to follow up on the invoices you send. Yeah, it can feel
a little awkward at first, but trust us: it's a lot more awkward to chase
down late payments.
Following up doesn't have to be a big deal. In most situations, 2 to 3
emails is all it takes. In the back of the book, you'll find all of these
templates that you can copy, paste, and get paid.
THE FIRST FOLLOW UP: INVOICE RECEIPT
Send your first follow up email two days after you send your invoice.
Write your own note or use our template to politely enquire if your
email was received. This step sets the tone for the rest of the invoicing
process: you're someone who keeps in touch and expects to be paid.
T H E S E COND F O L L O W U P : T H E DU E D A T E R E M I ND E R
You're seven days away from your due date and there's no payment in
sight. Now's the time for a due date reminder. Write a polite note or use
our template to remind your client that your payment will be due soon.
This would also be a great time to remind your client of their incentive
to pay early, if you went with that option in your payment terms. Keep
things short, friendly, and informative. Unless you have reason to
expect otherwise, assume good intent on your client's behalf.
T H E T H I RD F O L L O W U P : T H E T H A N K Y OU M E S S A G E
Service providers are used to being thanked by their clients, but how
often does it go the other way around? Thanking your client for their
business and prompt payment is a great way to cement a positive
relationship. Write an email or use our template to thank your client
after payment is received.
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I F Y OU H A V E A N I M P ORT A NT
P O I NT TO M A K E , DON ' T TR Y TO
B E S U B T L E OR C L E V E R . U S E A
P I L E DR I V E R . H I T T H E P O I NT
ONC E . T H E N CO M E B A C K A ND H I T
I T A G A I N . T H E N H I T I T A T H I RD
T I M E - A TR E M E NDOU S W H A C K .
- W I N S TON C H URC H I L L
Chapter Recap
You should have a great understanding of how to
create and send fantastic invoices. Want a shortcut?
Here’s a few key thoughts:
1. Invoices are formal requests for payment, but they
can also be used to give an estimate and follow up
on late payments
2. Send your invoices ahead of the due date,
targeting 14 days notice
3. Make sure you're sending it to the right point of
contact on the client's side
4. Remind the client that the due date is coming up,
and follow up after the invoice is sent
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04
PAYMENT T YPES
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P A Y M E NT M E T H OD S
Get paid
without a
headache
Now for the fun stuff. Getting paid!
Accepting payments seems simple, but there are
significant pros and cons to many of the different ways
your clients can get you paid. You'll want to truly evaluate
each option and develop a payment policy that fits your
business, risk tolerance, and customer service level.
Regardless of which method you choose, be clear with
your client about which types of payments you accept to
avoid confusion and frustration later down the line.
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Accepting
Checks
Easy and effective. Despite what the internets will have
you believe, most business (especially larger projects) are
typically paid via check.
RISK LEVEL
The risk level of receiving a check for payment is very
low. Once the check is deposited, there is very little your
clients can do to retract the payment. The biggest risk to
you is a client having insufficient funds in their account,
or for them to cancel the check before it's deposited.
CO S T
Checks present the lowest-fee option for getting paid:
one low payment of free ninety nine.
D I F F I CU LT Y
The one challenge that accepting payments by check
presents is the level of difficulty or effort on the client's
side. It's easier to swipe a card, especially at low
amounts. A worthwhile trade, in my opinion.
B E N ' S R AT I N G
ETFs and ACH
Transfers
Just to clarify, ACH is a name brand of an electronic
transfer of funds (ETF). ETFs are fully electronic, so
there's no paper to juggle. Very easy and clean.
RISK LEVEL
The risk level for receiving a transfer is very low, with the
same risks as receiving a check. As long as the client has
available funds and doesn't cancel the ETF before it's
processed, you're in great shape.
CO S T
ETFs haven't historically been the easiest thing in the
world to manage, but great platforms like Freshbooks
make them very simple for your client to manage.
Compared to other forms of electronic payments, they
offer lower fees, often around 1% of the transaction
value. But beware, some methods of transfer (like
international wire transfers) are extraordinarily expensive.
D I F F I CU LT Y
B E N ' S R AT I N G
Transfers are my second favorite on the list. If the client
doesn't do checks, I'd pursue these as a really great,
easy, secondary option.
If I were to go back and start over, I would take a check
over almost any other payment method.
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Credit Card
Payments
Now we're moving into murkier waters. Accepting credit
cards isn't a bad choice necessarily. Many of your clients
will use them and they can reduce hassles. However,
once a third party enters the picture you start to lose
authority. Your client's creditor is there to mediate
disputes, which won't always work in your favor. That
doesn't mean you should rule out this payment type, but
do use caution.
RISK LEVEL
CO S T
Setting up credit card payments is typically a small effort.
There are all-in-one products and services that you can
use to accept credit cards, like Square. There are add-on
services like Freshbooks Payments. And some companies
prefer to set up their own merchant account and payment
processor.
D I F F I CU LT Y
B E N ' S R AT I N G
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The risk level of accepting credit card payments is high.
According to BigCommerce, the average business loses
5% of their annual revenue to fraud in relationship to
credit card transactions. This could include a customer
using a stolen card, or submitting a fraud claim on a
legitimate transaction. Some customers will submit a
fraud complaint if their simply unhappy with the service.
PA I D I N F U L L
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I've even been a victim of this activity. The bank's first reaction is to remove
the funds from the merchant's account. Not a surprise I enjoy.
Also, the transaction fees are typically high, as much as 2.9% of the total
amount, plus a small single fee (usually around $.30). The worst is that some
credit card processors have different rates for different cards, which can vary
during the month.
Three percent may not feel like much, but it could be the difference between
being profitable and unprofitable on a difficult job. Think about a $100,000
job - you're giving away nearly three thousand dollars right off the top.
Unfortunately, swiping a credit card or entering a credit card number is one of
the easiest ways for your clients to pay.
Looking back, I would ask for a check, transfer or cash over accepting credit
card payments. But there is a time and a place to accept credit cards. If I
had to do it all over again, I would establish a maximum amount allowed on a
credit card transaction ($5,000 comes to mind), and ask the client to cover
the processing fee of 3%.
Structuring credit card payments like this would reduce the cost factor and
risk - but not eliminate it.
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Cash. Boxes
of Cash.
Cash is king, right? Kind of. It's simple, clean, and
effective. You don't have to worry about bounced checks,
fees, or dodged payments. A great option... if it works for
you and your client. And let's be honest, that's a big if.
RISK LEVEL
The risk level or receiving cash payments is extremely
low. But you should be aware that depositing large
amounts of cash may put you and your business on the
government's radar. In the United States, depositing any
cash amount over $10,000 triggers a report to the IRS
(Internal Revenue Service). While the report just serves
as documentation, I'm sure we all want to stay out of the
spotlight. And breaking up the deposit into a pattern of
smaller amounts isn't a great idea either - this is called
"structuring" and may put you on an even hotter radar.
CO S T
D I F F I CU LT Y
B E N ' S R AT I N G
Obviously there aren't any fees for accepting cash as a
payment. But you may need a cool-looking suitcase with
a handcuff to carry it around. Those aren't cheap.
Cash may not be the best way to request payments from
a professional client. I couldn't see asking Microsoft for a
box of cash for our next commercial.
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PayPal
Payments
This should be your last resort. Account freezes, huge
fees, and an unpredictable dispute process make PayPal
a risky choice. Use it only with clients that you trust, and
only when no other options are available.
RISK LEVEL
The risk level with accepting PayPal Payments is
extremely high. Their dispute resolution is heavily
weighted towards the buyer, and their policies are mostly
centered around the sale of physical goods.
CO S T
PayPal is just as expensive as credit card payments, with
fees for online payments currently set at 2.9% plus a
$.30 transaction fee.
D I F F I CU LT Y
For smaller clients, PayPal is typically easy. But when
you reach an average engagement size of $10,000 and
up, most professional businesses will prefer to go with a
check or electronic transfer.
B E N ' S R AT I N G
Everything
Else
There are a ton of payment processors out there.
Freshbooks, Quickbooks, Harvest, Dubsado all have
built-in payment systems that you can use. There are
also platforms like Zelle, Venmo, and even Facebook
Messenger that you can use to collect money
RISK LEVEL
CO S T
I'd suggest looking underneath the hood on these
platforms. Many times, these are just easy ways to
process credit card payments - which puts you back in
that higher risk column. And often you pay more.
D I F F I CU LT Y
What about crypto? You know, I wish I knew more about
accepting cryptocurrency for payment. I have friends
who were paid in BitCoin a few years ago, which made
them very happy. What's particularly intriguing about this
method is that payments can't be retracted. Or traced.
And may wildly improve in value over time.
B E N ' S R AT I N G
If you know more about accepting crypto as payment reach out. I'd love to add more content in this section for
those forward-thinkers in the group.
Listen, I used PayPal when I started out. It was an easy
way to get paid quickly. Many of you probably use PayPal
right now! I get it. I get the love. But I would recommend
growing out of PayPal as soon as possible.
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Set yourself
up for the
next payment
Once your payment is processed you'll want to
say thank you. But the way you do it could yield
dramatically different results.
It finally happened. The check cleared. The deposit was made. The
transaction cleared. Crack the champagne, turn on the cash hurricane
machine, and celebrate!
But let's not forget to say thank you.
If you're using a bookkeeping and invoicing software like Freshbooks, the
system typically will reply to an electronic payment with a copy of the paid
invoice, marked paid. If you've accepted a manual transaction like a check,
make sure that process happens. A Paid Invoice is what the client's finance
department will use as a receipt.
But let's take it a step further.
First, you'll want to let your point of contact know that you've received
payment if they aren't the ones processing the payment. Sometimes their
internal communication isn't great, and as your internal champion, they
deserve to know. It may come as a relief, especially if a deadline is in play.
Then, let's get some bonus points. See, working in a finance or disbursement
department is a thankless job. If you know who your billing point of contact is
within the department, consider sending them an individual thank you note.
An accompanying gift is also well-received. A $10 Starbucks card attached to
a "Thanks for looking out for us" note could go a long way!
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C H A N G E H O W Y OU ' R E P A I D ,
Chapter Recap
You should have a great lineup of payment options for
your next project. Just in case you missed anything,
here are the highlights:
1. Pick your payment method wisely. Checks and
electronic transfers are best.
2. Use credit card payments with caution, set a credit
card maximum amount, and pass the fees on to
the customer if required.
3. Avoid PayPal if at all possible.
4. Say thanks to both your point of contact and the
billing point of contact.
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C H A N G E Y OUR L I F E .
- R I C H I E NORTON
05
DISASTER ZONE
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When they
still haven't
paid... yet.
The more you work, the more likely it happens. Your due date is here and you
haven't gotten paid. Or worse: your client completely ghosts on you! What's
steps can you do to get paid and maintain the relationship?
I know the gut-wrenching stress and righteous anger the stems from a
client who just blew past a due date. Do you confront the client? Are you
overreacting? It sucks.
What I found is best is to arm yourself with a process for handling overdue
payments to fall back on. Having a process in place will help navigate through
the emotional hurricane. Here's what I recommend:
Payment Due Reminder
Your first course of action should be to send a payment reminder notice
on the day the invoice is due. We recommend reminding them of the 10%
financing fee for payments later than 30 days (or whatever your payment
terms are). Keep your tone polite and assume good intentions. It can be
frustrating to not get prompt payment for your work, but it's always wise to
remain professional.
Switch it up
Your clients are human too. Sometimes, things happen to people. I had a
client once who completely disappeared on me for months, leaving five
unpaid invoices and two open projects. I tried everything I could to get ahold
of her, to no avail.
I eventually threatened legal action via a sternly written email. I was on fire.
This was not going to happen on my watch!
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Well, it turns out, she had been in a particularly hairy accident, and wound
up spending a month or two in the hospital. Open mouth, insert foot.
She read all of my emails when she got back to the office, paid the
invoices and closed out the projects without
finishing. When she finally called me back,
I apologized profusely, and told her that if
I had known, I wouldn't have gone off the
deep end.
Find someone
else to contact
She asked if I had thought to email her team
mates, who I had exchanged one or two emails with very early on in the
project. Nope. Slipped my mind.
Had I simply reached out to her employees, I may have maintained the
relationship for much longer.
There are a few lessons here. One, make sure you get a few contacts (think
emergency contacts) when you onboard a new client. Then, when you
haven't heard from your main point of contact for a while, try the others just
to make sure everything is OK.
And if you're dealing with a separate finance department, be sure to CC
your point of contact on anyunpaid invoices.
Stop Working
Don't keep working for a client who's not paying. Seems obvious, but you
wouldn't believe the number of freelancers we see who continue to lend
their talents to clients who don't pay consistently (or at all).
Use your best judgement here. You wouldn't want to stop cold if a normally
punctual client is off by a day or two. But if something seems fishy, don't
just keep working. Call off the dogs and see how long it takes for them to
care.
Overdue Invoice
Well, they've done it now. If a client fails to pay their invoice within 30 days
after the due date, it's time to send a new invoice. Add a financing fee to
your previous invoice in accordance with your original contract and send it.
Be firm but polite. Since you've been following up regularly before this, your
client will know that it's coming.
One of the invoice templates in the bonus materials within this toolkit is
preloaded with the information needed for an overdue invoice.
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When they
refuse to pay
Alright, let's be honest here: this happens. If you're in business, it's going
to happen to you at some point. The key is to be prepared, and to try and
prevent this from happening. But when it does, you have a few options.
I want to stress that many of these options are nuclear. And to be honest,
may incur stress and energy better spent on pursuing new clients. Before
moving forward with one of these, really ask yourself: is it worth it?
Hit the kill switch
If you're dealing with a completely non-responsive client, a way to trigger at
least a bit of conversation is to hit the kill switch on the work you've done.
If you've delivered the files via a file sharing system like Dropbox, remove the
client's access to the folder. Nine times out of ten they don't transfer the files
over to their own system. Losing your source files the day before printing is a
rude awakening.
If you're in the website game, consider putting a (nice) maintenance screen
up and removing client access to the backend. Obviously there will be a
workaround if they own the hosting, but hey, it's a wake up call.
Hitting the kill switch on project files will also hit the kill switch on the
relationship - so don't do this unless you're ready to burn a bridge.
This is also one that you'll want to check with your attorney and have your
contract reviewed to make sure you won't be in breach of contract by hitting
the kill switch. Breaching your contract or disrupting their business in certain
ways could open you up to a lawsuit.
Negotiate the price
Remember, everything in business is negotiable at a certain point. Sometimes
clients hit hard times. Sometimes your point of contact and approving party
gets canned. Sometimes the business goes under.
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In these situations, I would rather get some money than none. Now, this
should not be your first resort. But if your clients are good people (they
usually are) who are in tough situations, negotiating a lower rate or a
scheduled payment plan (several smaller payments) may be a good way to
get paid - even if it's not the full amount.
About Factoring
Keep this in mind if/when you wind up in a tough situation. Even banks will
negotiate debt if it means they can make something instead of nothing.
While technically not a loan, if your client refuses to then pay the factor,
you could wind up having to pay back the amount they advanced to you (or
replace that invoice with a different invoice of the same amount).
Take or threaten legal action
What's nice about this is that you do get cash pretty quickly, and it takes the
collecting/hounding off of your plate. But the downside is that it's expensive
(the factor takes a big chunk of the amount due), and you could end up
having to pay it all back if the client still doesn't pay.
Ugh. I hope you don't have to do this. But legal action is a viable option to
get paid. The first step would be to send a collections letter. I've included a
collection letter template in the back of the book. It was my policy to wait 90
days before pursuing this route, but the length of time to wait for payment
before this is completely up to you.
Factoring is where you sell your unpaid invoices to a factoring company.
The factoring company pays you a reduced amount from the invoice then
attempts to collect the full amount from your client.
This is out there, but please, please, unless you are in dire straights for the
money... do not do this. This can lead to some really uncomfortable financial
situations.
If the client still doesn't pay, you do have the option (in the United States)
to sue. For smaller amounts (normally starting at $2,000 but no more than
$10,000), you can sue the client in Small Claims Court. For larger amounts,
you can sue in Superior Court.
An alternative to suing would be arbitration. Arbitration is another word for
dispute resolution. A third party-known as an arbitrator-hears both sides of
the story and makes a judgement that is enforceable just like if you sued the
client.
It's worthwhile to check your local area for arbitration groups that specialize
in working with artists and art professionals. In our area, we have California
Lawyers for the Arts, who are fantastic people.
The key to arbitration is to make sure you've outlined this preference in your
initial contract. If you've purchased the Legal Kit from The Futur, you'll have
an arbitration clause built right into your contract.
See if you can write it off
Alright, this is another tip for those of you in the United States. As with
any information in this toolkit, I strongly recommend checking with your
accountant and/or attorney before pursuing this route.
While the rules are very complex, it's possible to write off an unpaid invoice if
you've met the criteria. This is not typically allowed for service providers like
designers - but it may be possible under certain circumstances. Click here to
read an article that explains this in detail. And here's another one.
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Chapter Recap
You should have some ideas about chasing a late
payment from your clients. But if you had to take just
a few things away, here are the highlights:
1. When your clients haven't paid yet, try several
follow up emails, calls, and overdue invoices.
2. If they haven't paid for a while, add a financing
fee of 10% to the unpaid balance. Then add 10%
each month.
3. If they refuse to pay, consider pulling the work
back or negotiating a lower price. The other
options are pretty nuclear, but worth knowing.
T H E UN F OR G I V A B L E CR I M E I S
S O F T H I TT I N G . DO NOT H I T A T
A L L I F I T C A N B E AV O I D E D ;
B UT N E V E R H I T S O F T LY.
- T H E ODOR E ROO S E V E LT
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CONCLUSION
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I F Y OU W ROT E S O M E T H I N G F OR
W H I C H S O M E ON E S E NT Y OU A
C H E Q U E , I F Y OU C A S H E D T H E
C H E Q U E A ND I T D I DN ' T B OUNC E ,
A ND I F Y OU T H E N P A I D T H E
L I G H T B I L L W I T H T H E M ON E Y,
I CON S I D E R Y OU T A L E NT E D .
-STEPHEN KING
Go out there
and get paid.
How you get paid is a direct reflection of your
professionalism, your business savviness, and
your priorities. Your business, your needs, and
your preferences all play a role in how you
handle every step of the process.
Take a little time to think about how you want to handle payment terms,
payment structures, payment types, and follow ups. Create a strategy
that works for you. Don't be afraid to adjust it as time goes on.
The more cohesive your approach is, and the more it reflects your
needs, the more likely you'll be to get the money you've earned easily
and right on time.
I wish you only the best: to explosive business growth and creating
lives worth living!
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Thank you.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for investing in your
futur. Your support means the world to me.
I speak to so many people every day who are following in my
footsteps and learning things the hard way - and my heart
goes out to each and every one of them. That's why I moved
across the country (from Virginia to California), uprooted my
family, and joined Chris Do at The Futur. I'm actively fighting
to make the road of creative entrepreneurship easier for you.
The fact that you've invested in Paid In Full means that
you're one of a select few. You identified a knowledge gap
and worked to fill it in efficiently and quickly. Congratulations
on your head start - you are one step ahead of the crowd.
By striking out on your own, by daring greatly, you'll never
be counted among those "cold and timid souls who neither
know victory nor defeat."
By investing in things I create, you are supporting our
mission at The Futur to democratize creative and business
education and reach one billion lives. But you're also
supporting my personal journey. And for that, my family and I
thank you.
All this being said, please continue to check back in the
coming months as I improve this toolkit. As I get feedback,
conduct more interviews, and gather more information, I will
expand this kit—updates that you'll always receive for free.
I want you to go out there and crush it. You got this. We love
you. And we're here if you need us.
Thanks again,
Ben Burns, Author
I help growing businesses increase
revenue, expand brand awareness,
and earn happier customers.
Currently, I serve in a dual role as
both the Chief Operating Officer of
The Futur and as Digital Creative
Director at Blind.
The Futur helps creatives, artists, and
entrepreneurs develop personally and
About the
author
professionally by providing premier
digital educational content. I lead the
talented marketing and operations
teams, who have succeeded in
PA I D I N F U L L
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increasing revenue 300% year over
year for the past three years.
Blind is a brand strategy consultancy
specializing in technology, real estate,
and entertainment. I lead a team of
designers, writers, and technologists
and participate in select projects.
Balancing responsibilities between
these two incredible companies is the
adventure of a lifetime.
I have also produced and starred?
in an incredible (and ongoing)
docuseries called Building A Brand.
You've probably seen us on YouTube,
but we'll be making some big moves
here in the next year or two. To keep
up with the show, visit our website
and sign up for the newsletter.
I'm an entrepreneur at heart and in
practice, and I have a few projects
that I can't wait to unveil for all of you.
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As always, it
takes a village
I didn't accomplish this alone. Special thanks to Chris Do, Matthew Encina,
and Greg Gunn, who help me on a daily basis with pretty much everything.
And of course, thanks to the entire Futur Team, who are amazing to work
with. Especially the folks who contributed to Building A Brand: Stewart, Kevin,
Jon, Ricky, Jona.
And thank you to the amazing photographers listed here, who put their work
out on Unsplash for free, for everyone, forever. If you're not using Unsplash,
you should be.
All the Unsplash
photographers
1. Photo by Christian Grab
12. Photo by Bogomil Mihaylov
2. Photo by Robin Benzrihem
13. Photo by Micaela Parente
3. Photo by Nathan Dumlao
14. Photo by Jessica Arends
4. Photo by Tanner Mardis
15. Photo by Drew Coffman
5. Photo by Nynne Schrøder
16. Photo by Nathan Dumlao
6. Photo by Kelly Sikkema
7. Photo by Maddi Bazzocco
8. Photo by Alvin Engler
9. Photo by Vitaly Taranov
10. Photo by Manuel Cosentinoh
11. Photo by Eder Pozo Pérez
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CONN E CT W I T H B E N
EVERYWHERE:
@MrBenBurns
Ben@TheFutur.com
Want to help
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I would love to hear your honest, direct feedback about Paid In Full, and
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