Enough was enough; so Yesterday I dismissed one of my clients.
Update: I haven’t charged clients for a few years now, I have, however, left this post as it was as there is a quintessential message in it somewhere!
This was because they failed to pay me on time; it was not the first time they had done this and they where fully aware of my terms and conditions.
Now I know that business owners will think I am mad; but am I? If I do work for someone as an employee, they will pay me on a set date; why is it different if I am a sole trader?
Like employees; I have bills to pay, mouths to feed and accommodation expenses; however, additionally, I have business’s expecting me to pay for their services as well. Most of these are not via invoices where I can pick and choose a payment date; they are due immediately.
So any late receipt of fees for my work causes me no end of problems; I am now making a stand.
I don’t go seeking clients; every client I have done work for has contacted me mainly based upon results I have achieved for others. Others have come through via contacts.
These clients need to understand that they chose me; not the other way round. They wanted me because, in their businesses, they don’t have the expertise to do the job they require me to do.
So treat me with respect; pay me on time, and we will all live happily ever after; fail to pay me, and well, I will not be the one losing sleep.
Now I could go on and on, but I won’t; neither will I name the company out of respect. I had stopped their recent fall thanks to others and regained their lost ground. Once again, they are in a good starting position. That’s not bad for one month’s work. (One year later and I have just looked, and they are once again nowhere.)
I tend to only work with a couple of clients at any one time, however, I think now is the time to shut up shop to clients wanting me to a full SEO service for them.
I will continue to do some SEO consultancy work for people; but will be spending most of my time helping my one and only client rank for their primary term. Unless they fail to pay me on time.