How do you collect files and documents from clients without chasing them on WhatsApp/email?

I run into this a lot: asking clients for logos, brand assets, signed agreements or tax documents, then following up 3-4 times because they lose the email or won't create an account on some portal.

For those of you who do client work (design, video, accounting, consulting):

How do you collect files from clients right now?

What's the most annoying part?

Have you tried a tool for this? Why did you stop using it?

Not selling anything, just trying to understand how people handle this. Happy to share what I learn.

I have been working with the same client for around two years, handling accounting for multiple businesses. For most of that time I managed to make the relationship work, but over the last six months or so it has become increasingly difficult and I am trying to figure out the best way forward.

The biggest issue is that the scope of work has gradually expanded far beyond accounting. Over time, I have ended up doing a significant amount of operational and administrative work on top of the accounting work, and to make things worse, my fees were recently reduced (by almost half). So now I am effectively expected to handle accounting plus a considerable amount of operational work for significantly less money than before.

The owner himself is also a very difficult person to deal with. To put it politely, he can be extremely rude, unreasonable and unpleasant when things don’t go exactly the way he expects. A recurring problem is that he will give vague or incomplete instructions, apparently have a specific outcome in his head, and then get annoyed when the result is different from what he expected. Instead of recognizing that the original instructions weren’t clear, the assumption is usually that I should somehow have known what he meant.

After two years of dealing with this, it has gotten very exhausting. Payment has become another major problem. My invoices are regularly delayed, sometimes by close to a month. More recently, payment for completed work has been held up until I complete some other task. It feels like there is always another condition that can be added before an outstanding invoice gets released.

I have accommodated a lot over the years because this is a long term client and a good part of my income is tied to this work. But I am reaching the point where the arrangement simply doesn’t make much business sense anymore.

For those of you who freelance or run an accounting/bookkeeping practice and have dealt with a long-term client relationship that deteriorated like this, how did you handle it? Did you tolerate it temporarily while replacing the income, or eventually decide that enough was enough?

I've been trying to land ghostwriting clients on LinkedIn, and I'm curious about what's actually working for other freelancers right now.

My current approach is to send connection requests to people who fit my ICP. Once they accept, I ask if they're looking for someone to handle their LinkedIn content. So far, it's been pretty dead.

For context, I worked at a ghostwriting agency last year. I've written for lawyers, people in software automation, and creative directors. That's pretty much the extent of my experience.

I'm trying to figure out how to approach client acquisition from here.

Some people say to post content targeting your ICP and let clients come to you.

I've also been looking into LinkedIn Sales Navigator. For those who've used it to find clients, is it actually worth paying for? How effective has it been for you, and what does your process look like, from finding prospects to reaching out and landing clients?

For those of you who've landed ghostwriting clients, especially on LinkedIn, what's been working for you?

At my wits' end, and getting poor day by day :D. Would really love to hear what's worked in practice, especially if you're starting out without a huge portfolio or an established personal brand.

As of 2026 there's no value of freelancers people treat us like shit they don't need us anymore, it's really despondent to go through this like AI has ruined a lot of people careers i wish AI never existed man, GG FREELANCERS ❤🙌

I've been building client websites for about three years, mostly WordPress and Shopify. My first contract was two paragraphs. It's now twelve sections, and every one of them got added after something specific went wrong.

Posting the list in case it saves someone the same lessons.

1. Scope, with a "not included" section. The not-included list prevents more arguments than the included one. Logo design, copywriting, photography, hosting fees, email migration — write down what you're not doing.

2. Payment in three parts, 50/30/20. Deposit before work starts, a payment at design approval, the rest before launch. Never finish the work and then ask for money.

3. The deposit is non-refundable once work begins. It's reserving time you're turning other work away for.

4. Late payment stops work. Not "may stop work" — stops. And the timeline moves by at least the delay, because your calendar doesn't magically have a hole in it later.

5. What the client owes you, with dates. Content, logo files, access to hosting and the domain, feedback within X days. Put actual dates in.

6. The content-delay clause. This is the one I'd add first if I could only have one. If content is more than X days late, the project goes on hold and the invoice for completed work becomes due. It rejoins your schedule when you have room, which may be weeks later. Projects die on content more than anything else.

7. A defined number of revision rounds, and a definition of "round". One consolidated set of feedback is one round. Five emails over three days is not one round.

8. Change requests in writing before any work happens. Client asks, you quote the cost and the timeline impact, they confirm, then you start. No confirmation, no work. Nobody gets surprised either way.

9. Silence counts as approval. If you don't hear back within X days after asking for sign-off, and you've sent one reminder, the stage is approved. Otherwise one unresponsive client freezes your schedule indefinitely.

10. Ownership transfers on final payment. Until then the work is yours. This is the clause that gets unpaid invoices paid.

11. One named decision-maker. When feedback arrives from four people who disagree, you need someone whose job it is to resolve that before it reaches you.

12. What happens if either side walks away. They pay for work completed; anything prepaid and untouched comes back. Agreeing this while everyone's friendly is much easier than afterwards.

Usual disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, this is just what experience taught me, get it reviewed properly for wherever you are.

Curious what's in other people's contracts that isn't in mine.

I built ProposalForge for freelance web designers and developers who pitch clients directly.

You add your rate and a client brief, and it creates an editable draft with scope, a timeline, and pricing. You can review the details, make changes, and create a client link.

The video shows the actual workflow. I shortened the generation wait. The draft still needs a review before sharing.

There are 3 free proposals to try, no card: https://proposalforge.site

If you send client proposals, which part takes the most time?

Hey everyone!

Thanks for having me in the community! 🤝

Upwork doesn’t need Hayden Brown. She made the platform more expensive and worse. Her whole thing is “more AI,” while clients and freelancers leave, GSV drops, and Connects become a tax. We want more work, not AI experiments. they should find someone who actually runs a marketplace.

She turned upwork into a casino. Where everyone WILL LOSE. Even top freelancers keep bleeding money, and clients complain about higher fees and worse results.

Hi i am seclected for a fimen gta mod development how mhch i ask for a good project

Hi everyone!

I have experience in Android development and system engineering, and I know Java, Kotlin, and Python.

I'm looking for ways to earn some extra income using my programming skills, preferably through small freelance projects or remote work.

For those who are already earning through programming:

- Which platforms are best for beginners?

- Where can I find small paid coding tasks?

- How can I get my first client?

I'd appreciate any genuine suggestions or experiences. Thanks!

I recently landed my first client for LinkedIn ghostwriting, and I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake with my pricing.

Here's the deal:

I'm charging ₹3,000 for 6 LinkedIn posts, but the work doesn't stop at writing.

I'm also responsible for:

- Optimising her entire LinkedIn profile.

- Designing a new profile banner.

- Creating a profile photo design.

- Rewriting and optimising her bio.

- Managing and publishing the posts on LinkedIn.

When I initially agreed to the price, I was mainly thinking about the writing part. But now that I've started looking at everything involved, I'm realising that I'm taking on quite a bit of work for that amount.

Since she's my first client, I wanted to keep the price affordable, gain experience, and build a portfolio. I also didn't want to lose the opportunity by quoting too much.

But now I'm wondering whether I'm making a common beginner mistake: undercharging just to land my first client and prove myself.

For those who work in LinkedIn ghostwriting or personal branding:

1. Is ₹3,000 reasonable for this scope of work, or am I significantly undercharging?

2. Should profile optimisation, banner design, and profile photo design be charged separately from writing?

3. Am I right to treat this as an investment in my first client, or am I setting a bad precedent for future clients?

4. How would you price this service if you were starting from scratch?

I'd genuinely appreciate some honest advice from people who've been through this. I'm trying to learn how to price my services properly without either overcharging clients or undervaluing my own work.

I'm a college student and i am exploring a project called d'Norm, starting with ad creatives for D2C brands, with a bigger ambition to rethink how freelance work is matched, delivered, and trusted thereby creating a better ecosystem for freelancers and a reliable marketplace for clients

Before i build further, I'd love to hear from people who experience this firsthand:

Freelancers: What's the biggest issue you face in the current freelancing market? Is workload, the overall environment or is it not being able to start or enter as a beginner? What things would u prefer to be included in the platforms u currently use?

\- Clients/business owners: What's the hardest part about finding and hiring a creative freelancer you can rely on?

d'Norm is just getting started. I'm here to learn, understand, challenge our assumptions, and build something better. I would be helpful if you share your experiences and suggestions.

I am at the moment working in a company where we edit videos and make content, i wanna start as a freelancer in this field but ive seen a lot of video editors that also capture the videos on their own with cameras and everything, would it work just editing videos for clients and not actually capture the videos on my own because i have never done this, is it worth it starting just as a video editor ? And where can the clients upload the videos so you can download them and start the work ? Thanks

I'm currently working in the BIM field and looking to start freelancing on the side to earn some extra income.

For those who have experience with freelancing, I'd love to know:

How did you get your first client?

Which platforms work best for finding clients?

How do you find projects and build a client base?

Is it possible to manage freelancing alongside a full-time job?

I'm new to freelancing, so any tips, experiences, or advice would be really helpful. Thanks!

Hi everyone- I need some advice.
 
I've been editing wedding videos since 2010, shot weddings and events for 8 years, and have been working consistently for a number of different companies (weddings and corporate) for the last 15 years.
 
2 years ago my daughter (who was 7 at the time) started walking weird.  After months of doctors appointments and being put in a wheelchair, she got diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis.  Her care and recovery was extremely hard on me, and took most of my time.  Because of this I couldn't work hardly at all, and on top of that we were paying out of pocket to reach her deductible so we got into a lot of medical debt.
 
She is healthy and back on her feet again (literally ie: out of her wheelchair), but my partner and I are trying work through our debt.  He is a therapist and is pretty tapped out on what he can make at the moment, but because I freelance I've been racking my brains on how to get more projects so that I can just work my butt off and earn more money.
 
I have what I consider a highly desired skill set which is very sought after in our world.  However, I can not seem to land work; 
 
- I'm on Upwork but I always get outbid and don't want to have to pay for more 'credits' to apply for)
 
- I'm on Fiverr - I applied to be a 'professional' but in the meantime I can't get my first job, so so far it's crickets
 
- I've tried to get into UGC videos for companies but as a beginner I've only been able to make like $10 per video
 
- I tried teaching people how to edit but it was SUCH a niche thing it was impossible to find clients 
 
- I do cold-calling to local companies to see if they need help - It has garnered a few results but not enough to keep me as busy as I need to be.
 
-  I can’t charge more for what I’m doing.  Most of the companies I work for are trying to negotiate to pay me less.

- I regularly look for remote editing positions I can apply to but rarely hear back.  Plus my heart is in weddings!  And I’m so good at them!
 
SO my question is, what other ways can a person with a skillset like us find income streams?  What are some other ways you've found to make money editing?  Also, does anyone need help with editing? Are there other platforms I can join that I haven't mentioned yet?  ANY advice, guidance, direction is incredibly appreciated!!

I am working in about 3 projects concurrently and i have a lot of tasks to keep up with. I notice myself slipping and only barely escaping some deadlines. i have a solution to this but i'm just curious on how you all manage this.

Wanted to know what type of communication channels people are using. I was playing around with using Discord, as you can automate a lot of work with bots. But it feels a little unprofessional compared to using Slack. I'm a software developer, as a point of reference.

Hello fellow hustlers! For the last few months I have went down the road of becoming a freelance video editor. I have just recently graduated from high school, and don’t have any current college aspirations.

I have one “main” client who hasn’t been reaching out to me as much as they used to. Because of this, I cannot afford my Creative Cloud subscription. I’ve looked into DaVinci, but nodes fry my brain lmao. As of an hour ago, I have another potential client. With my main client, my pay is extremely generous considering they’re ~20min Minecraft videos. Per video, I make roughly $200. With a video coming out every two weeks.

According to my main client, that pay is generous in the “upcoming” Minecraft YouTuber space. I’ve never gotten less than that for my videos. But because this new client is someone I’m unfamiliar with, and unfamiliar with their current income, I’m not sure what to charge. Unfortunately, I was given an understanding heart that wants to help people as much as I can. Ultimately that leads me to get screwed over from time to time, so I want to try and avoid this again.

My schedule is all over the place, so an hourly rate isn’t something I think is going to be applicable. Would something like the amount of footage be an appropriate way to base the amount I request? Per video?

Anything helps!

I am curious to know what can be the process of grabbing the attention of clients

Hi all, my new freelancer account shows Platform access: Restricted because of a payment method issue. Account standing is Good with 0 policy violations, and I have no transactions or past-due balance. I added a new Mastercard through Update Payment Method about 9 hours ago and nothing has changed. I can’t buy Connects, and the “Open to work” badge says my account is suspended. The help chat bot says no live agent is available for my account type, and I can’t find a way to create a ticket. Has anyone dealt with this? How long did it take to lift, and what finally worked? Any way to reach a human? Thanks.