Had a client’s payment bounce last week. First time it’s happened in three years of freelancing. Sent a polite follow-up, but no response yet.
Anyone dealt with this before? Wondering if I should keep following up or just write it off as a loss and move on.
Been down this road a few times. It’s annoying, but usually fixable.
First off, don’t panic. Most times it’s just a mix-up, not a scam.
I usually give it about a week, then send another email. After that, I’ll try calling. If that doesn’t work, I’ll send one more email with a firm but polite reminder.
If it’s a bigger client, I might even drop by their office if they’re local. Did that once, brought coffee. Felt weird, but it worked.
After about a month of trying, you gotta decide if it’s worth the stress to keep chasing. Sometimes I’ve had to eat the loss, but it’s pretty rare.
Oh, and I always ask for a deposit now for new clients. Saves a lot of headaches.
Don’t write it off just yet. Give it another week or two. Send a couple more follow-ups, maybe try calling if you have their number. Sometimes people just miss emails or have temporary cash flow issues. If you still get radio silence after that, then you might need to consider stronger action or cut your losses. But in my experience, most clients aren’t trying to scam you. They’re just disorganized or hit a snag. Stay firm but professional. You did the work, you deserve to get paid.
Been there. It’s frustrating, but usually fixable.
Give it another week. Send a friendly reminder email, then try calling if you have their number.
Most times it’s just an honest mistake or a temporary issue. People forget or their accounts get messed up.
If you still get nothing after a couple weeks, then you might need to consider next steps. But don’t stress too much yet.
Been there, done that. It’s a pain, but not the end of the world.
Here’s what I’d do:
Most times, it’s just an honest mistake. People forget, or their accounts get messed up.
If you still get nothing after a month, you might need to get creative. Once I showed up at a client’s office with donuts. Awkward, but it worked.
Last resort: small claims court. But that’s a whole other headache.
Bottom line: don’t stress too much yet. Keep at it for a bit. You’ll probably get your money.
Don’t give up yet. Had that happen once. Keep trying to reach them for a bit. Maybe they just forgot or had some bank issue. If no luck after a few tries, then yeah, might have to let it go.
Happened to me once. Called the guy twice. He paid up after that. Just keep bugging 'em.