Click here to get in the $$$ mood! Who doesn’t LOVE getting paid? Anne and Gabby sure do! This episode they go over all the different options out there, what you should be using and how you can make sure you get paid FASTER! Trust us, your clients will thank you for listening to this episode!
Takeaways
Quick Concepts from Today’s Episode:
Make it easy!
Fees are a cost of doing business AND 100% deductible!
First time clients should pay in full – electronically.
If you haven’t already, jump on the mobile banking bandwagon.
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Full Episode Transcript
VO: Today voiceover talent is more than just a pretty voice. Today’s voiceover talent has to be a boss. A VO B.O.S.S. Set yourself up with business owner’s strategies and success. With your host, Anne Ganguzza. Along with some of the strongest voices in our industry. Rock your business. Like a boss. A VO B.O.S.S.
Anne: Hey, everybody, welcome to the VO B.O.S.S. Podcast, I’m your host, Anne Ganguzza, along with my beautiful, lovely, intelligent, amazing co-host, Gabby Nistico.
Gabby: Oh my gosh, thank you. Hi.
Anne: Hey, Gabby! Gabby, today I’m super excited to talk about something that I LOVE!
Gabby: Is it my favorite thing too? Is it? Is it?
Anne: I think so. Ways to get paid! Whoo-hoo!
Gabby: Squeeze! Money. I love money.
Anne: Squee! Money money money, mon-ey. Mon-ey!
Gabby: All the money. Yes. Yes!
Anne: Okay.
Gabby: Oh my God. Love ways to get paid.– Anne; Oh my God, I’m not a singer, I just want you to know that.
Gabby: Just the topic, it makes me so happy.
Anne: I know, it makes me very happy too. And I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed to tell all of you how much I love money.
Gabby: No.
Anne: Because that keeps me doing what I’m doing, and what I love to do. And to get paid for it is just…
Gabby: How could you be a B.O.S.S. and not love money?
Anne: That’s true. That’s true.
Gabby: Like, really? I mean, come on.
Anne: I think that’s probably one of the main parts of the definition of a BOSS. So we need to talk about how we are going to get paid in our VO business because if we don’t get paid, guess what, we really are not a business. And we really cannot–
Gabby: It’s hobby.
Anne:–hope to continue. Right. Doing voiceover for a living. So, I think we should discuss all of the different ways that we can get paid. And…
Gabby: Yes, please.
Anne: Yeah. And, I think, first and foremost you wanna make sure that you make it easy for your client to pay you. That’s number one. Make it easy.
Gabby: And I’m gonna add to that. Yes. Make it easy.
Anne: Yes.
Gabby: Most definitely. But here’s what I love about that: we see this all the time in social posts—
Gabby:–and conversations. People go, “Should I have this way to get paid? And should I have this…” and my answer, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes again. And yes to that one. And yes to that other thing. And tomorrow, if there’s another thing, then yes to that thing too.
Anne: And if it’s painful to implement, it’s okay. Do it anyways.
Gabby: Right? Because if it means that my client has more ways to put money in my hands faster?
Anne: Absolutely.
Gabby: Yes! Yes. And more yes. Oh my God.
Anne: And so many people are so co–“Well, okay but there are so many fees here and so many fees there.” And, honestly, here’s the deal: I’d rather get paid and pay a fee then not get paid.
Gabby: Right? Thank you.
Anne: And if that fee is 3%, if that fee is 4%, if that fee is 8%, I’d still rather get paid.
Gabby: I mean, okay. Fees. Guess what? A) Cost of doing business.
Anne: Yep.
Gabby: B) Totally, 1000% tax write off.
Anne: Yep. Absolutely.
Gabby: Fees are calculated at the end of the year, you tally them all up and you lose nothing. Because you had to pay them. And, yes, I’m with Anne, I want my money faster, not later. I will pay 2.75% or 3%, or whatever it is, as long as it’s within reason, to have my money NOW!
Anne: But–but wait, Gabby. Why not just build that into your price?
Gabby: Because I feel like that’s cheap and weird.
Anne: To bill it in your…
Gabby: Do you know what I mean?
Anne: Sometimes I do. Sometimes I will, but that is only because I have a client who says, “How would you like to get paid?” They, themselves, want avoid a bank fee or a transfer. And I’m like, “Whatever’s convenient.”
Gabby: If I go to a store, right? And I go to buy something with my debit or credit card, I understand that, that merchant is being charged a fee. Kay? That merchant is loosing anywhere from 50 cents to, like, 3 bucks. on every transaction where I swipe my card. Now, if, okay, now, like, granted, like this is one of the reason why, and I just think this way because this is my boss brain, my business brain, at work in the day to day world. Like, if I go into even a convenience store to buy something and that item is under 5 bucks I feel guilty swiping a card, because I know that the fee is gonna be large in comparison to the transaction price. So I always feel weird about that, so I try not to do it. But that being said, if 7/11s suddenly wanted to start charging me a 50 cent surcharge every time I use my debit card, I… “NO.” Taking my business somewhere else. That’s craziness. Like, you know, so–
Anne: But, Gabby, that’s if they’re saying it. Do you see what I’m saying?
Gabby: Yeah…
Anne: Right? They’re like, “Yeah, we’re gonna charge you this fee…” Here’s my thought, if you charged fair rates anyway, your prices are already built in.– Gabby:–It’s not a big deal. Yeah. It’s so not– Anne:–It’s already built in. You’ve already adjusted for rates. That’s just the way I think. Like, if you’ve got your baseline that you’re going from, I’ve already adjusted for paying fees. Anyway. So… Not, like, I’ve actually sat down and calculated it. But, literally, I’m like, “No, this is what I can get per hour” and, you know, if I have to pay that up to 8%, I’m cool. I’m fine.
Gabby: There is only one exception to that, that I will make. There is only one caveat. If the job has already been deducted a commission. In other words, I will not accept an electronic submission from, let’s say an agent, whereby I’m then going to loose fees on top of it.
Anne: Oh, yes, yes, yes. Yes. Agreed.
Gabby: Because if 10% has already been taken from that money, and then I’m going to lose even more percentage?
Gabby: No, no. That’s okay. You can cut me a check, thank you. But that’s it. Outside of that, I see no issue with it. So, let’s talk about ways. Let’s talk about–
Anne: Yeah. Gabby:–options. What should you have? What are the musts?
Anne: Digital, for goodness sake. You’ve got–
Gabby: Well, let’s talk, like, what are the actual services? Yeah.
Anne: Well, I think PayPal’s been around for a very long time. They’ve kind of–
Gabby: I love… Love me some PayPal.
Anne: Right? They’ve definitely been around the longest from what I can understand. I think they’ve been around the longest. People have been able to pay–I know that there are a lot of people who complain about PayPal fees, but, again, I’m like, “Are you kidding? Look at how conveniently I can get paid form an international client?
Gabby: Do you have the PayPal debit card?
Anne: I… You know what? I actually don’t. But I have so much great–
Gabby: But you know about it.
Anne: I do know about it. I do know about it.–
Gabby: Yes. Anne:–Because you can get perks, right? In your PayPal account.
Gabby: Well that, but also what I love about it, ’cause I see people sometimes complain bout this, they go “Oh, yeah, PayPal, okay, so if somebody pays me then I have to transfer the money to my bank account, and it takes a couple of days and it’s a whole process. So because I have the PayPal debit card, what I can literally do is take that debit card and because it’s all business, it’s under my business name, it’s a business card, I can use it instantaneously, the minute I’m paid, to either spend it make a transaction or I can take it to the bank, swipe it, pull out cash.
Anne: Yes.
Gabby: And then deposit that cash directly into my business checking account.
Anne: I’ve noticed in the last year PayPal has done that without me having to get their debit card, so I’m able to actually pay people, and then I have the choice to go from PayPal balance or my bank balances, that I’ve had linked up, which I think is something new in the past year or two, which is phenomenal because all I do is link it to my business account.
Gabby: Right. But that’s to pay out. I’m talking about when it comes in.
Anne: Oh, when it comes in. Absolutely.
Gabby: It reduces the time or the gab between you having access to the money and it being able to get into your bank account. You know longer have to worry–
Anne: Mmm. Yes. Yes. Gabby:–about that if you have the cards. Just a fun little tip there for people. But PayPal, I think, yeah, is critical and essential, and I also think buyers are more comfortable with it. If they see a PayPal link, if they see a PayPal option, people are receptive to it. They know that it’s secure.
Anne: There’s a new one that’s coming out for banks. Oh, gosh, is it…
Gabby: Zelle.
Anne: Zelle. There you–I was gonna say LO I don’t know why LO, but Zelle. And Zelle is really cool because it links up directly to your bank account.
Gabby: Fantastic. Yep, I’ve–
Anne: And there’s no transaction fees.
Gabby: No. None what-so-ever. At least not at the moment. I’ve been using Zelle to do my payroll and I pay all of my people with Zelle, super easy.–
Anne: Me too. Gabby–Instantaneous, literally. There’s no– there’s no check cutting.
Anne: I think all you need is their–they just need to set it up with their email address and/or their phone number.
Gabby: There’s–they can do that way and/or, if you guys happen to use the same banking institution, it can be direct to direct.
Anne: Yeah. Zelle is great. I have to say.
Gabby: So, love that.
Anne: Now,–
Gabby: Venmo. Venmo is another one.
Anne: Venmo is good to. The only thing is I don’t have Venmo connect to my business account right now, so I actually use Venmo for private, you know, busin–friends. Personal. So–
Gabby: That’s okay. Anne:–that’s connected to my personal account. There’s–so there’s Zelle, Venmo, PayPay, Stripe. Which I love–
Gabby: Yeah.
Anne: Stripe–
Gabby: Stripe. Stripe is another one. Square
Anne: Yep. Square. Square as well. I have all of it.
Gabby: Square and Stripe, for folks who don’t know, Square and Stripe allow you the ability to take a credit card in person or over the phone.–
Anne: Yes! Gabby:–Which is really nice, because for a lot of us–You know, sometimes I’ll have this happen where if a client’s behind in paying me or maybe they missed a check and I have to do a collections phone call, I can have my Square reader right there. It’s on my phone, it’s an app, I pull it up and I can go, “I can take a card from you right now.”
Anne: Absolutely.
Gabby: And I can type in their card number, and the expiration date, and the CSV and be done with it right then and there.
Anne: Gone are the days of being complicated.
Gabby: Yeah! And both of those methods connect directly to most billing programs. Like I use my Fresh Books account and– or even a Zero account. You can link directly to them. And that’s one of the ways too where in your digital accounting when you send and invoice you should have those automatic options that people can access right from your invoice to pay you electronically.
Anne: Exactly. And that could even be an electronic fund. I know that through–I use Quick Books, so when I send an invoice through Quick Books I can hook my bank right directly. So then Quick Books becomes– becomes the Stripe or the PayPal and they charge me also a small fee for any transaction. But it’s actually–
Gabby: Yeah, but it’s tiny. Anne:–the cheapest. Yeah, it’s a tiny fee. So, yeah. So we’ve go PayPal, Stripe, Zelle, Venmo, goodness…
Gabby: Square.
Anne: Square. Electronic fund transfer. So, I say–
Gabby: And, and, there is actually one more–
Anne: What? Gabby:–which is direct. A direct bank transfer. A lot of people are scared of this. Now–
Anne: A wire transfer. Gabby:–I don’t know why wire transfer is so creepy. I think people have this bad impression that if–
Anne: I have to give my bank information out.
Gabby: Right. That if I give you my bank information somehow you can, I don’t know, withdraw money. Like, no. It’s one way, guys.–
Anne: Yeah no. That isn’t gonna happen.
Gabby: It’s completely a one way transaction. They don’t–they can only put money in, they can’t take money out.
Anne: And, you know what? I have to tell you that I even, long time ago, I asked my bank. I said, “Shouldn’t I be concerned about giving out this type of information to my clients?” They’re like, “Oh gosh no. Like, they would have to know passwords. They would have to be able to identify…” There’s no way that there can be anything but money going in to this account.
Gabby: Right, so, it’s beautiful for us.
Anne: There’s no way they can steal. Yeah.
Gabby: And with all of that at your disposal–Now, I know, like, I have a couple of clients who pay me regularly. It’s almost like–they’re not retainer clients, but they have their own automatic billing system, that’s usually they pay on the 15th and 30th–
Anne: And it’s connected to your bank.
Gabby: And it’s connected right to my bank, and it’s like–it’s literally like a direct deposit. And I’m like, “I love you. I love you, guys, so much.”
Anne: Yeah. Yeah. Those are the best.
Gabby: It’s so great. We joke in my office, almost everyone is on the Pandora roster and we joke–we call, “It’s Pandora pay day!”
Anne: Yep! There you go!
Gabby: It’s fantastic! So, these things–
Anne: I love direct deposits. Gabby:–are so easy. So convenient. And again, I don’t know, I think–
Anne: I think there’s a lot of– Gabby:–they legitimize us as business owners.
Anne: Oh, I agree.
Gabby: That if you don’t have them, it’s kind of–
Anne: If you’ve taken the time to figure out how to implement them into her business so that you can get paid, I think people, yeah, I think it validates that you are a professional entity. It validates that you’ve, you know, at least they took the time to allow me to pay easily. And that is, you know–please stop complaining about how difficult it is to integrate a payment method to your website.
Gabby: Seriously.
Anne: Or, you know, for goodness sake, I just say you don’t even have to worry about it if– if you don’t want to. You can hire somebody to implement that. I have multiple website that accept payments-Stripe, PayPal-however it is, my own voice talent, you know, “click here to pay”. And it just–or through your invoicing system. It’s just it’s something I think is very rudimentary, very necessary, for you to function and to survive as a business.
Gabby: I’m not the tech girl that you are, Anne. And I think everybody knows that. You know, you are our reigning tech queen. You have that crown, it is all yours, baby. I remember, though, the days when I first got started in voiceover, you know 15, 20, years ago, prime example was the month of December, because everyone’s closing out their fiscal books and the holidays and everything that goes on, I remember December was heinous. I would have to, like, twiddle my thumbs, because no money was coming in. No checks were being cut.–
Anne: Because everybody was doing the books. Gabby:–I had to–Right. I had to prepare extensively for the lack of income that was gonna be there. It was really bad. I mean, it was, like, depressing and devastating, especially for the time of year that it was because I would have to look at people and go, “Yeah, guys, I can’t spend any money right now. Like, I am lean.” Now? It’s a totally different story. Now with all of these digital things, December is a breeze. I don’t have any of those issues anymore. I don’t ever feel stressed out–
Anne: You know,– Gabby:–about waiting on checks to come.
Anne: And that’s so interesting that you just mentioned that, because I’m thinking back too, now. You know what? There was definitely slow periods. There’s still–
Gabby: Yeah! Anne:–you know, you’ll still have ups and downs in terms of business volume, but, honestly, you right, it’s not as prevalent anymore. The slow times. Because–
Gabby: Unless you haven’t gotten the times and you’re still relying, exclusively, on check payments. That’s when you can really–you’ll feel–
Anne: Exactly. Gabby:–those times. And they’ll hurt, a lot more, than if you have some of these newer methods in place.
Anne: But now on the other side of the coin, I don’t want you guys to think though, that there aren’t still companies that need to have purchase order in place, or they need to cut a check. Although I haven’t noticed that so much–
Gabby: Plenty. Anne:–this year, but still, there’s a lot of companies that will pay me, that will cut a check and there is a period of time, I think, gosh, one of my companies operates on a oh goodness, a 90 day window now. But they’re–and they’re a huge company. I’m like, 90 days, really? To get paid?
Gabby: Ninety days, yep.
Anne: But they’re a big company. They’re not going anywhere. And, so, I’m like, “Okay, fine, I’ve just built that in.” But still they will be the people that used to pay me, believe it or not, PayPal, but then they went back– like, backwards in time, I think. And now, they’re cutting checks, which is really interesting and it’s just a large, you know, process that has to go through for me to get paid.
Gabby: I think we will always have check cutting clients, and what we are seeing now more of those that even the check cutting process, though, it’s not as lengthy as it used to be.
Anne: Correct.
Gabby: Because more and more clients are doing more of their own check cutting direct through online banking.–
Anne: Yeah. Gabby:–They don’t have to literally process checks anymore. The whole thing is done automatically online. And so, much much easier. Much much more efficient. I mean, we’re always gonna have those, but having all of these other digital means…very important for a function business now-a-days. And also, when we get down to things like those clients where you have to secure a deposit. Where you have to secure that first job upfront. These are the ways to do it. These are–
Anne: Yeah, these are the ways to get your payment.
Gabby: easy, simple way to get your payment and never have to worry about there being an issue.
Anne: And as a matter of fact, when I have client that I am not familiar with, a first time client, I almost always encourage them to pay online. Digitally, PayPal. Because that way I’m–
Gabby: Don’t encourage, demand it. Anne:–assured to get the money. Especially,–
Gabby: Yeah! Anne:–I am that type of person where built in to my quote system is prepayment is greatly appreciated. So,–
Gabby: Right. But your adorable.– Anne:–every time I ask for it, I get it. I get it. Gabby:–Encourage… You’re so nice. Yeah, I don’t–yeah, I demand it. I say, this is how it goes.
Anne: Payment…well, payment in full. I say payment in full. I don’t even say 50%, I say payment in full is recommended.
Anne: Payment…
Gabby: I say it’s mandatory. And…
Anne: There you go. I’ve never have someone deny me, actually, so–
Gabby: Nope. Nope. Anne:–which is great. You know, to get paid in full. And they way they pay in full, right a way, is PayPal or Stripe or any of those.
Gabby: Exactly. Any of those. And one other quick thing on this whole digital topic of payment, you’re not already using it, guys, get on with mobile banking. Holy Moses.
Anne: Oh, Please.
Gabby: I haven’t been to a bank to deposit checks in I don’t know how long.
Anne: I know, right?
Gabby: It is the greatest thing in the world to be able to snap a picture of a check. Hold it for a couple of days. I’m like, this is just yeah.
Anne: The bank people must be like, the Maytag. You remember the Maytag Man?
Gabby: Yassss.
Anne: He was always the loneliest guy because he never had a repair. Well guess what, the bank people must be really lonely these days.
Gabby: Yeah, the only time I have to go there is when I’m withdrawing a large sum and you can tell they really want to talk. And I’m like, “Guys, I’m busy. I gotta go.”
Anne: They do. Like, they don’t shut up. Actually, that’s too funny. And I wanna tell people, I mentioned this in a previous episode, for those of that are–think it’s–you’re scared to give away your bank information and all that, I, you know, back in when it wasn’t even cool, I was using check free in 1990 to pay my bills online.
Gabby: Oh that’s right! Yeah!
Anne: Yeah. And, God, for years, since 1990, you know, we’re going on, like, 27 years now, I have not– I have not had a problem. And I’ve been doing online banking for years. So, guys, if you’re careful and your street smart, right? You know, nothings going to happen that couldn’t happen in person.
Gabby: Just remember, at the end of the day, should I get this payment method? The answer is always–
Anne: Yes.
Gabby: Yes.
Anne: Yes. Get paid. Getting paid is always the best. Well, I don’t think–I don’t– That was great, Gabby. I mean, what else do we need to say.
Gabby: I don’t think there is much else to say, right? Just get– Go get your money! Go! Go get it!
Anne: Get it done. Get it done. Get it done. Go get your money, Bosses. Okay, big thanks to our sponsor, ipDTL, for our quality connection. You can find out more at ipdtl.com
Gabby: Check us out on all the socials: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course, Twitter at–and of course on iTunes–
Anne: We do have so many.
Gabby: We do have so many. And Stitch for all the podcast, and make sure to get with us on our website, guys, voboss.com. Ask us questions, submit your listener content. We wanna hear from you guys direct.
Anne: Yes. We have some great classes that are there online as well as some great new marketing product. So, get yourself a B.O.S.S. Blast today. Thanks guys! Have a great week, kick butt, stay focused. Bye.
Gabby: Bye!
VO: Join us next week for another addition of VO B.O.S.S., with your host Anne Ganguzza and Gabby Nistico. All rights reserved. Anne Ganguzza voice talent in association with Three Moon Media. Redistribution with permission. Coast to coast connectivity via ipDTL.