Do You Treat Your Blogging Business Like an Amateur or Professional?

I enjoy observing how I felt about my blogging business in the past versus now. I also observe how I treated my blogging business in the past, from a rates-prices and receivables viewpoint. Expanding business feels interesting as you go the pro route; on one end, you feel confident and prospering so you do not worry money-wise but you also have enough posture to set clearer terms. Find the balance. Be a serious pro. Allow business to expand.

But most bloggers treat business like an inexperienced, green amateur. Examples include charging dirt cheap rates-prices and doing work for clients who pay months down the road. Don’t get me wrong; I do work sometimes knowing clients generally make payments 4-6 weeks forward. Why? I enjoy working for them and payment eventually arrives. But of course, as my blogging business grows I need to be even more of a serious pro. This means I tighten up payment terms as far as receivables windows. Point blank; pay me fast or I cannot do future work. Or, I do not do future work until you pay me for past work.

Ultimately, blogging business and how you treat it is your choice. No hard and fast rules exist but in general, serious bloggers who eventually go pro, charge premium rates, premium prices and set tight payment windows as far as receiving money. Pay close attention to how you treat your blogging business. Some poverty conscious bloggers fear losing money, opportunities and clients SO much that they allow cheap clients to barter them down to ridiculous prices. Imagine accepting $5 for a 1000 word article? Are you nuts? This is amateur hour stuff. Know your worth. Build posture. Treat blogging and your business seriously to move higher in circles and to make more money.

As for receiving money, I work off various payment terms for different clients. I understand we all have different needs and if I enjoy working for you, we work something out. But as I get busier and note a delayed payment pattern, I tighten up both the payment period and the fact that I do no more work unless I am paid for prior work. For example, imagine you write 4 posts for a client before the client pays you. Cool. Picture receiving 4 post’s worth of payment anywhere from 1 week to 5 weeks, depending on the client’s funds for payment. Even though you know the client always pays – eventually – you need to receive payment for 4 articles before writing the next article. Why? Time is money. The 40-60 minutes you set aside for writing their article, you could set aside for faster paying clients in terms of freelancing, coaching, consulting and advertising. Factor in writing 1-3 guest posts in those 60 minutes drives immediate eBook, audio book and course sales arriving through the next monthly commission payment.

Do you see what I mean? Time is money in this regard. Nothing personal, but you run a business and emit a professional, serious image by the services you offer and how you conduct yourself in terms of receiving payment. I cannot set aside 60 minutes to research and write an article for a payment 4 weeks from now if I could use the 60 minutes to create content and promote eBooks that net instant, or, 24-36 payments. Of course, if you enjoy doing something and helping someone and it nets quick payment, do it! This is called being a serious entrepreneur. This is called having posture. 

Remember; both parties need to be clear on work and payment going forward for a harmonious, prospering business relationship. Seek harmony before all else. Work for resonant folks to enjoy the process. But if non-resonance arises, gauge if both parties can proceed with the business terms. If so, awesome. If not, wish them the best, and go your separate ways, both parties finding better matches business-wise.

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