I've been providing consulting work for a company in the business services field for about 5 months now, e-mailing back and forth, occassionally speaking on the phone, etc. This morning, Gillian and I were running through all of the contracts we have and, mysteriously, couldn't find this particular client's contract. So, I dug back through my emails, found the ones where we had initially discussed pricing and discovered that, low and behold, we had never come to an agreement.
For the last 5 months, I've been providing consulting for free to this firm, mistakenly confusing them with another, simliar client who had paid for consultation. Of course, I feel like a complete dolt.
Sadly, I've read on forums and heard the rumor passed around that us "SEO types" love to talk and are easy to trick into giving free advice. Typically, I don't think of it as a trick but in this instance, I feel taken advantage of. Certainly, the firm had no legal responsibility to inform me that they were getting the consulting for free, but looking back over the emails, I can see that after the email correspondence on the contract (with one individual at the firm) fell through, the individual I had been speaking to about the SEO work continued emailing back and forth and calling for advice and I, foolishly, presumed that finances had been taken care of (as I don't usually manage these, but let Gillian handle it).
In any case, let this be a warning lesson to everyone out there - when you start getting very busy, it's wise to have strict project management and tracking. Otherwise, you'll wind up like me... wondering what to tell the firm next time we speak. Any ideas?
That happened to me when I was working for another company. When we were in the middle of developing a custom-branded technology for them, our team leader asked me where the contract was because he wanted to show it to our CEO. GREAT. I didn't have it and to top that, I have bickered to our programmers that we need to get the web app ready ASAP. I was able to get the contract signed and payment, but it's not something I want to do again. [They are still working with my previous company, so I'm guessing they weren't really pissed off.]
What you can do is call for a chat about the mysterious 'missing contract' ["We can't seem to find it and Gillian just reminded me about it. Do you still have a copy? No? Can I just fax/e-mail it to you now?"] and that you'd appreciate it if he would have it signed, seeing that the services has been rendered. Tell him that your finance department (whathaveyou) would also be sending him a copy of the invoice for his review. After the call, send an e-mail of the detailed list of the services you provided, the (positive) results, and the charges. Add a note to say that you are pleased to work with a reputable firm, and hope they are satisfied with the results (increased revenue, etc.) and "Please let me know if you have received the invoice from Gillian."
It's tedious work but if it's a lot of money you don't want to lose, I think that's a decent way to do it. Business is business. ;)
Genious advice and I guarantee it would work 9 out of 10 times unless they KNEW they were taking advantage of you on purpose.
I think your only way to deal with this is to say to the 'client':
"Heh, I messed up with our accounting. All this time I've been thinking you were a client who had signed the contract, but your team never did. Which means we've never invoiced you for the consulting I've been providing.
What I'd like to do is this: sign you up as a client, invoice you for the work already done (includng a bonus/discount/whatever) and get things back on track.
Is that good for you?"
If no, chalk it up to experience and walk away. You don't want them as a client.
If yes, great. They're the sort of client you want.
Good luck!
This is great advice too... although it admits you were unorganized and messed up... which kind of is a black mark on you...
It's a good lesson to learn early. With fast a growing consulting business, project/account management becomes as much or more important than the consulting. See stuntdubl's post for more on that specific to SEO.
BTW, don't they read your blog? :)
Just start promising work by a deadline, then when it comes, make an excuse, then repeat next deadline, and repeat again. When they finally get the shits and start making threats, you will be able to say, "Hey, you can't discontinue our services, you aren't evena client. Of course, the threat to ditch us implies. legally, that you are a client, and therefore Iam sending you a bill for 6 months of consultancy. Have a nice day"
Send a bill first and see if they pay it.
I like that last, as well. It's honest, straightforward, and no secrets to withhold in the future.
Brendon - that's very solid advice. Thanks.
Ha, I remember the Daily Show anchor and the $19 SEO advice from back in the day.
I would tell them that their check bounced and you need another form of payment. Hopefully they have as bad inner-company-communication as you guys, and he will provide a credit card number without checking with the others.
If all else fails you can send them over to Skitzzo in the unemployment line, he'd probably really take them in for $19.
These folks have obviously found your consulting helpful. So, I would just let them know that you have enjoyed the relationship thus far but now it is time to formalize it and that beginning today, your rate is $x per hour.
btw... whatever happend to your $19 SEO. Maybe I should start calling you a few times per week.
Send them a bill for $19.
:)
*darn... ac112 beat me to the punch by five seconds on the $19... looks like rand has a reputation for that deal* lol
now they should make link bait out of the story, "Free SEO From RandFish?"
And all this time, they probably thought you were just being really helpful.
Bummer.
The $19 price is all over the internet already... $19 SEO
Wow, that's gotta suck. Next time you speak, I guess you have to tell the guy that the free ride is over (in a nice way). You can't really ask to be paid for the past consultations, but you sure don't have to give away anything in the future.