I’ll let you in on a little secret I discovered on how to make sure clients always remember your full rate. Always charge them your actual rate... and then discount it.

Let’s say you normally charge $500 per day for your services on a three-day job. Your client says, “Look, I need a favor on this project. (This is when they panhandle from us.) Plus, if you give me a good deal on this one, I have a four-picture deal and I’ll make it up to you on the next one. I’ll even give you a home to live in.” Maybe you decide to believe this line of crap and give them a deal for only $200 per day. (Giving clients a deal now and then is good business; just make sure it’s for the right reasons.) Ten times out of 10, they will call you on another job and offer you the same $200 per day because they know you will work for it.

To help keep this from happening, invoice them for the entire $500 per day for a total of $1,500. Invoice them for the total $1,500. The shock of the huge number will be seared into their brains. Then subtract a $900 discount from the sub-total to equal the $600 amount you agreed upon. When they call you again, they are more likely to remember your actual rate. Even if they don’t remember, you can point them to your old invoice as a reminder. Don’t lower your rate. Discount the total. This trick works better than begging for more money.

Besides your fee, don’t forget to charge clients for applicable, and agreed upon, expenses. Do not send an invoice with just one figure on it. Separate your fees from the expenses. It will make a difference on your taxes and theirs. You don’t get taxed on repayment of expenses. The tape I bought to hold my shoes together should be considered a clothing expense, not a fee. You can also mark-up expenses you pay for to cover overhead and help maintain a healthy cash flow. Customary mark-up rates range from 15-25%.

Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists.

When your invoice hits 30 days, feel free to call or walk up to your client’s accounting department while they are stopped at the light and ask about your payment. You may find that it had gotten lost or misplaced in their system. Funny how that happens. The longer you wait to call, they longer it could take to get paid.

Don’t feel hesitant to send an invoice. You’re not asking for a favor. We all expect to pay people for their work. Most of us even get checks that clear. But if you don’t ask, you won’t receive. So, can I have a dollar?

Mark Simon is an award-winning animation producer and lecturer who is also the author of Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists, Producing Independent 2D Character Animation and Storyboards: Motion in Art. He can be found lurking around at www.FunnyToons.tv and may be reached at Mark@FunnyToons.tv. Mark’s books may be found and purchased online at www.MarkSimonBooks.com.