PR to Paid: Contracts & Invoicing

This week’s topic in PR to Paid developed when Jasmine Duarte, Senior Influencer Manager, and Dermalogica, and I listened to a conversation about how to invoice as an influencer. We thought that you should know why the timing of your invoicing process is also important when working with brands. Contracts and invoicing should not be overlooked when working with brands. It is an important part of the process that allows you to be paid, uphold your contractual agreement, and strengthen your professional relationship with your client or brand. Let's get into:

- Payment Times

- Invoices

- Payment Methods, and 

- Terms you (influencers) should know

This week's panel, 

- Jasmine Duarte, Sr. Influencer Manager at Dermalogica 

- Veronica Ramirez, Content Creator Attorney

- Kafi R., Content Creator

- Florence Williams, Content Creator, Social Media Strategist, and Influencer Coach

- Funmi Ford, Editorial Stylist, and International Fashion Blogger

- Jeanette, CEO, Beyond Influence, Influencer Marketing Agency

To learn more about the panelists click on their names in the above section to learn more on their social media platforms.

Disclaimer: This is a recap and is not to be taken as legal advice or business advice.

Payment times:

Net 30 (which means payment is due in 30 days) is usually what is stated in a campaign arrangement. Typically brands do not pay in advance. Special circumstances do exist where influencers may request payment in advance such as a large partnership involving 6 figures or at celebrity level. 

INVOICES

When is the most ideal time to send an invoice?

Payment terms are usually in your contract. You should negotiate your payment terms before signing the contract. Depending on your payment terms, you can outline the method in which you prefer to be paid.  Once your content has gone live, that’s a good time to send your invoice. Some might wait 24 to 72 hours to gather analytics, but sending your invoice after it has been posted is a good time.

What happens when you don’t send your invoice on time?

This affects both parties. It affects you because you will not be paid on time and it affects the brand since they will not see your invoice on time which will likely be interfering with their budgets for upcoming campaigns.

Payment Method

What if you only want to be paid via PayPal?

Your payment methods should be outlined in your contract. You can negotiate to have this option before signing your contract. Please note that large complex brands may not have this option available as their accounting may not be set up in a standard way that will be inconvenient to change for your request. Large complex brands usually pay via check or direct deposit.

Terms Influencers should know

Indemnification, a clause usually placed on a contract to compensate a party for harm or loss arising in the connection with the other party’s failure to act.

Perpetuity, a clause usually speaking to ownership of the right to your likeness or image, to use in advertising campaigns or however they see fit without obligation to compensate you.

Usage, this determines who owns content produced, where it can be used, and for how long.

Whitelisting, allowing brands access to advertise on social media accounts with the content created.

Let me know in the comments if there are any terms or concepts that you will like to know more about or topic ideas you will like us to discuss.