Thursday, July 31, 2008

Getting Paid by Delinquent Clients

I recently have had the joy of having two invoices over 90 days overdue for payment. I have called the client, begged them, threatened them, and everything else that you imagine. So what do you do when you work a job and they don’t want to pay you? I can’t exactly just brush it off. They owe me $1000.00! As freelance artists it’s bad enough that we live from paycheck to paycheck, but why do we have to fight them for the money they owe us? I have rent to pay and my landlord isn’t going to understand that I’m owed the rent money! I’m not a large corporation with a high-end attorney, so what exactly are my options for getting paid?

Then I discovered prepaid legal. What exactly is prepaid legal, might you ask? Basically, it’s like insurance for legal services. I selected a plan that is only $16.00 a month! For that amount I have legal advice at my fingertips as well as identity theft protection. They can also draft legal documents, and even send over a nasty letter to clients who refuse to pay. So now, if the client doesn’t pay me the $1000.00 in seven days they will be hearing from my attorney! Let’s see how seriously they take me then. Personally, I think it’s worth every penny! It sure beats not getting paid.

If you want to learn more about prepaid legal, check out www.hmartistsnetwork.com/legal_prepaidlegal

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Diversify Your Income as an Artist

Not too long ago I learned a very hard lesson, "never put all faith into one great client". When I first moved to Los Angeles eight years ago, I had to start my freelance business all over again. I had to take a day job and build an entirely new client base. Bit by bit I built a solid client base.

I had one great client in a studio that called me all the time, but the trade off was that I took less money for a larger volume of work. Every year my income grew with this studio. I thought, "yes, I'm finally making progress". Until one day they came to me and wanted me to take a pay cut so they could make pocket the money. I was already making well below the going rate. So I had to ask myself, "do I just keep saying yes to keep the work"? I decided to stand up for myself instead. I took a chance and stood my ground. I really felt that what they were asking for was just wrong. Suddenly, my worst fear happened, they quit calling me. They found someone with less experience that would work for less. Just like that, sixty percent of my income was gone.

I was not prepared to lose that much of my income. I was like most artists: the more money I made, the more money I spent. It was a very difficult time for me to say the least, but I got through it. I learned some very valuable lessons from that experience:

  1. Never be dependant upon one client (no matter how great they are)
  2. Have a financial plan. Make sure you have plan B in place for tough times
  3. Diversify your income! This means to find many streams of income. Don't just rely on your freelance income (the entertainment industry is too volatile).

It was a tough choice for me to make at the time, but I refused to be taken advantage of. I survived a freelance artist's worst fear, saying no and losing the client. Although, I'd rather lose the client or the job and keep my dignity. I will never be a "yes person" again. I realize now what my time and skill is worth and I ask for more. After all, my worst fear has already happened and I'm still standing.


The bottom line is be prepared. Never be dependant upon one client or one source of income, and always always have money in the bank if the gravy train does dry up for you. New stars come an go everyday, production companies open and close, and union strikes happen. Have a plan for those times.

- Makeup Maverick
http://www.hmartistsnetwork.com
http://www.myspace.com/hmartistnetwork
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1067623896

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Roadmaping Your Hair or Makeup Career

You are probably thinking, "I'm an artist, why would I ever write a business plan"? As an artist, you have to remember that the business plan is for you and not for future investors. It gives you a clear plan as to what your career goals are, who you are marketing your services to, how you are going to get your name out there, and how much it will cost you to advertise each month.

I so often hear Hair & Makeup Artists complain that they "don't have the money or that there isn't enough work". Well there are a lot of shows on television, movies in the theater, and ad campaigns out there, so someone in this industry must be working! The truth is that most people fail in this business because of either poor planning or a lack of networking. Create a clear career plan for yourself and decide how you're going to get there.

So ask your self the following questions:

1. What type of career do I want to have? Do I want to work in film/television or print/ celebrity? Would I rather work in a salon or the bridal industry?
2. Make a list of people you admire and find out how they got to where they are.
3. Decide what gives you the competitive edge above all the rest. What do you do that makes your work unique?
4. How much competition do you have?
5. How are you going to get your name out there? Will you send out your book, will you email you website, take out ad space on LA411, will you go to networking events, will you join networking organizations, will you need comp cards or business card, or will you hire a publicist?
6. How much advertising will you be doing a month or a year?
7. How much will it cost you to advertise your services?
8. How are you going to finance you advertising without going into credit card debt?
9. How do you plan to recoup the costs and still make a profit after taxes, advertising, and bills?
10. What are the trends in the market place or economy: how will you prepare for slow months, recession, or a union strike?

These are the important questions that all Artists should ask themselves. If you plan well you have a stronger chance for success. And it's never too late to start planning your success.


Makeup Maverick
http://www.hmartistsnetwork.com
http://www.mymakeupart.com