Payment setup belongs in onboarding, not after the fact

Waiting until after the work has started to sort out payment details creates awkward conversations that are easy to avoid entirely. I fold this into my own intake now, and it has removed an entire category of awkward conversation I used to dread. Getting this handled as part of onboarding, right alongside the rest of the intake, means it's simply done before it can ever become uncomfortable for either side.

Build payment setup into the same flow as your other intake steps. Ask for what you need to get paid at the same time you're gathering everything else, so it feels like a normal part of getting started rather than a separate, awkward ask that comes later.

This also protects your own cash flow. Chasing payment details after work is already underway puts you in a weaker position than handling it cleanly up front, when everyone is still in a getting-started mindset together.

Try this today: check where payment setup sits in your current process, and move it into the same intake step as everything else if it's currently happening later.