How to Avoid the 90-Day Payment Wait (And Get Your Money Faster)

One of the biggest gripes I've heard about the sponsorship process is that brands can sometimes take forever to pay.

But seeing as visiting the brand's headquarters wielding a crowbar with a cocked eyebrow isn't considered "acceptable" these days, it's critical you're crystal clear about the payment terms.

The common language you'll see is "Net 30," which means the brand or agency will remit payment thirty days after "completion of services" (after you finish or publish everything).

But more and more companies are listing Net 60 or even Net 90 on contracts.

I don't know about you, but that feels like a long time to wait to see a single dollar.

No, no. Put the crowbar down, remember?

It's perfectly reasonable to request 50% of the total compensation (at the brand's standard Net terms) upon contract execution and the remaining balance after the Completion of Services.

By the way, nothing is stopping you from asking for even more aggressive terms like Net 7 if the brand will go for it! The worst they can say is, "No."

Also, one universal truth I've learned after hundreds of sponsorships is that brands have wildly different processes for paying invoices.

Some prefer paying via ACH, some prefer sending a wire, and some might even ask for your PayPal details.

And yes, a few will insist on mailing you a paper check. Sigh.

Oh, don't forget the lengthy vendor and tax paperwork you'll have to fill out.

It's a losing battle to complain and ask why it's necessary or if they'll change their process.

Just grit your teeth, smile, fill out the forms, tell them the payment method works great, and move on.