We highly recommend using a digital resource to collect payments. Unless it's a friend or family member, using cash or checks won't be a problem. But in any case we encourage getting a digital card reader or an online payment system to make collecting charges more efficient. This will make your life a lot easier, provide a digital and paper trail for tax purposes, and you won't get caught up trying to chase clients down for checks or cash. A convenient online payment method also helps you make a better client conversion. During a consultation, if an agreement is made or a contract sign, it’s much easier to have a card reader to collect down-payment on the spot, instead of having to wait for a check or cash payout - which can actually lead to losing business. You can also track your spending and profits with card charges better than you would with cash.
There are a lot of great programs you can use. The two digital card readers we recommend are from Squareup.com and PayPal.com You can request to have a (FREE) card reader mailed to you. It's a small device that attaches to your phone and allows you to run credit card payments. You download the PayPal or Squareup app, attach the card reader to your phone or tablet, and run the charge whenever you need. It has basic credit card processing fees that range from 2.5% to 3%. A small fee to sacrifice for the convenience of the tool. The money goes directly into your account, then can be processed into your bank account at anytime. A really great tool that can be carried around in your purse and used as you need. If your client has to wait to pay, you can also use SquareUp and PayPal to send an invoice to your client's email, so they can pay for the project when they have the funds and are ready to start. Other payment methods come with having a website. If you open a website with companies like Wix or Squarespace, you can connect it to Stripe, which is a very secure payment processor. We highly recommend our members have a Squarespace website - it’s not only beautiful, but very efficient in starting a portfolio of your designs and makes setting up payment collection pretty easy. There is a monthly fee to a variety of different plans, but view it as an investment - not an expense, because it will make a world of difference in how efficiently you run your business. If you want to succeed in today’s day and age, you have to have an online presence and an easy payment collection system.
Having a digital payment source will be the best thing you do for your design and staging business. Aside from the convenience, it shows the professionalism of your company. No one feels comfortable handing someone over a big wad of cash these days. Visit the websites below, and order your free card reader today. Get it shipped to you right away so you don't forget. If you don’t take the time to get a payment processor and a website set-up, you’re already losing precious time and money before you even get started in the industry.
