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Client Contracts?
I'm just starting out with Real Estate video - my primary business right now is legal and wedding video. So my question is, do you have your clients sign a contract before working with them? Also, what's your payment set up? Do you provide the finnish product and send an invoice or do you require payment up front. Real Estate is a different beast and I want to make sure I'm going at this correctly.
Thanks for your help!
Leslie,
Always require payment to be made before you film...if you make this your policy from day one then you will never have any problems collecting in the future. You are absolutely correct when you say that real estate is a "different beast" and you will quickly see it in all it's splendid glory. We send a Paypal invoice right after a tour is ordered on our website and if an agent would rather pay with a check, as most do, then they can meet me at the home with a check in hand...no problems. As far as a contract, we have a release that we make the realtor and homeowner sign that allows us to use the footage any way we want and they can't come back and make us take it down...also it spells out who owns the footage, etc.
Real estate video tours are finally beginning to become popular in my area (Indiana) and business is really picking up. Good luck in your new adventure !
Charles
Have no contracts, require no payment before filming.
I take credit cards onsite (with SquareUp.com), or I will bill the agent (I use Freshbooks.com).
I have never had problems collecting - biggest problem until I started using Freshbooks was to remember to actually INVOICE them.
It's never been an issue getting payment. Some are slower than others, but I'll work with people.
Thank you both for your comments. You've definitely given me some things to think about and some ideas on where to go from here. Now, off to get more clients!
