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Is it pushy to ask for a deposit or does it just filter out bad clients? Had a weird one in Denver last month
So I had this client in Denver last month, a small business owner wanting a basic website. We had a good phone call, agreed on $1,200, and I asked for a 50% deposit to start. He got weird about it, said he'd rather pay the full amount after delivery. I went against my gut and started anyway, then he ghosted me after I sent the first draft. Now I'm out 3 days of work and wondering if demanding a deposit upfront would have saved me the headache. On the other hand, one of my best regular clients also pushed back on a deposit in the beginning and now pays $4k projects no problem. So does requiring a deposit actually filter out the flakes or does it just scare off legit people who are cautious? Has anyone else found a sweet spot with how much to ask for?
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fionamurphy4d ago
Yeah @alex820 nailed it, deposits are just a basic boundary.
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the_robin4d ago
Friend of mine skipped a deposit for a "sure thing" client and ended up chasing payment for 3 months. @fionamurphy nailed it, boundaries save headaches.
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alex8204d ago
Read a piece from a freelancer group that said deposits are basically a "pain in the ass tax" (love that phrase, honestly) and it stuck with me. You're not being pushy, you're protecting your time and energy from people who treat it like it's free. Sure, you might lose a good client here and there, but it's better than doing free work for flakes.
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