I have a few friends who are on their own and said they are starting to charge retainers because too many people do not pay their bills. It seems a bit aggressive to me - especially as someone starting out - does anyone else use them?
This is not something I have done myself. I wouldn't want to place another obstacle in the way of a client choosing to use my services. I think a better strategy is to do background research on the client first, before performing any work. A strict credit period will also help keep slow or non payers to a minimum.
If it's a relatively small project that won't take much time, I usually give clients the benefit of the doubt and don't charge a retainer.
But if it's a large project that requires a significant commitment of time, I usually ask for 1/4 of the fee in advance, 1/4 when I have completed half the project to the client's satisfaction, and the rest when the project is done. Most clients understand that I'm doing this to protect myself and have no objections.
I have to wonder about the ones who do have a problem with it...one of my friends agreed to write 50 articles for a client. They took her work and slipped away into cyberspace without a trace.
I can't afford to waste that kind of time on someone who doesn't plan to pay!
