Getting paid these days! Geesh!

In the past few months, I've had a second job (like being self-employed isn't 50 jobs mixed together already), which has been chasing down schools and some other places I've worked for to get the money I've been owed. Many of them seem to have a more flagrant attitude of late about making sure the check comes, post show. Others, post show, pull this non-sense about, "oh, we don't have a check for you tonight, we'll mail you one, OK? (Yea! The checks coming in the mail!!! Like I have a choice). Let's not even bring into the mix, lost checks, stop payments, and new checks being issued.
I have always had the attitude, I need to eat and pay bills the next week too, but watching mailboxes like a hawk is not much fun. I have been patient, but in the past 6 months or so, seems there were a great deal of delays about folks owning up to pay for my work, the shows were hits, so that's not an issue. Sort of like they want what they want when they want it, and then, well, you can wait until we get to you. The last check I was waiting for was dated almost a month earlier, someone evidently was messing around about mailing it for the school where I worked.
At the present moment, all my checks are in, but from what I've seen from other entertainers, years back who hosted concerts back in the day, Johnny Cash (you had to love his last name for the sake of this discussion), BB King, Tito Puente, the Neville Bro's. and on, they get cash or certifed bank check before they ever walked on, as you cannot take back a performance once you've done it.
Any insights, or were the planets out of allignment, which hopefully have realligned?

Tags: checks, paid, pay, shows, stage

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Permalink Reply by Rita Ballard, C.H. on January 14, 2010 at 6:38pm

As a matter of fact, John, Mercury has been retrograde since just after Christmas. This can greatly effect all kinds of communication. It goes direct on Jan. 15th - finally.

Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on January 14, 2010 at 7:48pm

Wooo-Whoo!

Rita Ballard, C.H. said:

As a matter of fact, John, Mercury has been retrograde since just after Christmas. This can greatly effect all kinds of communication. It goes direct on Jan. 15th - finally.

Permalink Reply by Richard Rumble on January 15, 2010 at 8:12am

Its YOUR contract Bro.... make it the way it works for YOU..... WE have done the " pay in advance or I don't go on" bit with some clients.... We have done the " 50% deposit and Balance at the show" thing as well... We also have clients we trust and forgo all of that and they pay after... or in two weeks.. or 4 weeks.... and we KNOW that they are going to be good for the money.

Here is a nice little add in your contract...... " you have received a discount price for this show. Payment is due prior to performance. In the event that payment is not made to the performer prior to the show, all discounts are void and the price reverts to our regular retail rate..." paraphrased of course.. but I am sure you get the drift. In fact... when Sandee calls the company to let them know that nobody paid me last night.. and that the discount is void.... and they owe a bunch more than what they thought they owed.... a check magically appears and is often hand delivered by them...

Second thing... is you need a "Sandee" to do this phone calling for you... its fine for the client to be mad at SANDEE... but they still LOVE Richard.... the show was great.. bla bla bla.... Good Cop.. Bad Cop... and Sandee is a Bulldog on payment....

Richard

Permalink Reply by John Bates Childress on February 7, 2010 at 12:29pm

Richard makes some excellent points, and I really like his idea of making discounts contingent on prompt payment. I always discuss payment terms when booking a show and put those payment terms into my contract. I make my expectations clear at the outset and so far that has worked for me. For new clients that I have no prior relationship with I usually ask for a 50% deposit with the signed contract. If it is a new client that I do have a relationship with, for instance an organization I'm a member of, or a personal friend's PTO for a high school show I don't require a deposit. BUT I always insist that they agree to pay me the night of the show. Luckily I've never been stiffed. I've only made one exception and that was for a government agency that was being reimbursed by a private foundation after my presentation, and they did pay me.

A couple of times I've been a little leery when I've arrived about whether I was going to get paid that night. Usually the new client will make some small talk and almost always asks "Are you ready for the show?" or "Are you psyched for tonight?" which is a great opportunity to ask (as if you are kidding around), "That all depends, do you have my check?"
If you have a contract you are in your rights to walk out the door if they say 'no.' I'm glad I've never been put in that situation.

I thank my early teachers, Don Mottin and Jerry Valley, for sharing their hard learned lessons so I didn't have to learn them first hand. In my non-hypnosis business life I book entertainers and day laborers all the time. I always treat them with the same respect that I expect - payment at the time service is rendered.

Permalink Reply by John Bates Childress on February 7, 2010 at 12:34pm

Ha! Just remembered a sign that I saw many years ago. It said:

Our credit manager is Helen Waite. If you want credit you can go to Helen Waite.

Permalink Reply by Tommy Vee on February 10, 2010 at 4:36am

John-

I agree with what Richard Rumble & Jim Szeles have said. Payment information must be in the contract, although many clients don't even read the contract! They just sign it.
I know some hyps who do not even ask for a deposit. I always do and I have increassed that amount lately. Then, the balance is due proir to the start of the show. It is not a bad idea to make contact with your client the week of the show to go over final details. You then can ask, is it you that will have my check?
Another thing I do is when I arrive, I may say to my client, I have to leave right after this show. I don't want to disturb you later, so would it be possible to get the check now? Then thank them.
I can't remember the last time someone said, we forgot the check. If it is happening often, I would try to find out why.
Good luck to everyone in 2010.

Tommy Vee

Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on February 10, 2010 at 7:39am

Thanks for the insights all!!! It is on my contract, so Tommy, quite right, most no-one reads what they sign anymore.
A few times too many, nonsense starts when you arrive. You are informed they wil catch up to you, so then your dilemma is do the show and wait, or pack up and leave. In one case, it was a fund rasier, with a door split. Maybe it's the face of today's off the wall business model, more motley and disordered, don't know. In any event, as this thread was started almost a month ago, the checks are in, and life goes on.
My last show, after some additional effort on my part, I got paid before I went on. LOL

Permalink Reply by Richard Rumble on February 10, 2010 at 11:07am

Nobody reads the contract.... I had a contract with a lady for a magic show... and our contract has a no cancellation clause. Once you sign the contract it is written in stone and you owe the money for the show. ( because I could have taken another show at that time that would have gone through and by taking YOURS you have cause me to lose money if you cancel. ) This lady decides at the last minute to cancel the show.. and MOVES THE PARTY to a different park so I would not show up at HER show to embarrass her in front of her friends. I show up at the park.. with no knowledge that she canceled... and low and behold.. there is nobody there. I give her a call.. she tells me she canceled and I tell her that's fine.. but she will need to pay the balance in full anyway. Long story short.. I have a cashiers check in the whole amount in my hands today... and did not lose any income nor sleep over her decision to cancel at the last min.

Contracts... Live or Die by them... write them the way you want them.. and always uphold YOUR end of the contract.

Richard Rumble
Mister Hypnosis

John Cerbone - The Trance-Master said:

Thanks for the insights all!!! It is on my contract, so Tommy, quite right, most no-one reads what they sign anymore.
A few times too many, nonsense starts when you arrive. You are informed they wil catch up to you, so then your dilemma is do the show and wait, or pack up and leave. In one case, it was a fund rasier, with a door split. Maybe it's the face of today's off the wall business model, more motley and disordered, don't know. In any event, as this thread was started almost a month ago, the checks are in, and life goes on.
My last show, after some additional effort on my part, I got paid before I went on. LOL

Permalink Reply by kirby vonshouse on March 1, 2010 at 12:13pm

i like the idea of the discount, it motivates! my friends in the music biz told me "contract" or forget it, you cant take back a show. you CAN however take the stage, tell the crowd the situation, and let the club owner/agent dealwith disgrunteld rock'nrollers I.E. GUNS N ROSES - ST. LOUIS. and the pay regardless of show or not clause locks them in. but final payment before show = always. "checks in the mail" ok, the band is in the truck, band on stage when money is in my hand. you cant twist an arm you dont have a hold on. ps collection/handling/B.S. fee is additional 35%
IF THEY HAVENT READ THE CONTRACT, READ IT TO THEM, NOT YOUR FAULT, if its a non profit split the door agreement have a door counter on your team. its common to"miscount" otherwise. and no reason to wait for cash.
we have gotten biz for walking out on sleazy promotors, from promotors who laughed at their coleague.

Permalink Reply by kirby vonshouse on March 1, 2010 at 12:16pm

btw=one rock group puts a claue in the contract that the dressing room will have a 5# bowl of mm's with the yellow ones picked out, just to see if the contract was read lol

kirby vonshouse said:

i like the idea of the discount, it motivates! my friends in the music biz told me "contract" or forget it, you cant take back a show. you CAN however take the stage, tell the crowd the situation, and let the club owner/agent dealwith disgrunteld rock'nrollers I.E. GUNS N ROSES - ST. LOUIS. and the pay regardless of show or not clause locks them in. but final payment before show = always. "checks in the mail" ok, the band is in the truck, band on stage when money is in my hand. you cant twist an arm you dont have a hold on. ps collection/handling/B.S. fee is additional 35%
IF THEY HAVENT READ THE CONTRACT, READ IT TO THEM, NOT YOUR FAULT, if its a non profit split the door agreement have a door counter on your team. its common to"miscount" otherwise. and no reason to wait for cash.
we have gotten biz for walking out on sleazy promotors, from promotors who laughed at their coleague.

Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on March 1, 2010 at 3:26pm

I love that story, it was VanHalen, and all the brown M&M's removed, and then the Rolling Stones added they wanted VanHalen's Brown M&M's - I like M&M's. Can we take out the brown ones? LOL

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on March 8, 2010 at 5:53am

I used to jokingly tell my music fans that I wanted a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed--and then some of them came to my show with just that!

As for contracts, for most of my music gigs, I get paid on the day, but when it comes to weddings, there is a non-refundable 50% deposit. You'd be amazed how many people cancel weddings. :-)

James H

John Cerbone - The Trance-Master said:

I love that story, it was VanHalen, and all the brown M&M's removed, and then the Rolling Stones added they wanted VanHalen's Brown M&M's - I like M&M's. Can we take out the brown ones? LOL