A lot of coaches I know are intimidated by the idea of setting up a system to receive payment from their clients by credit card. They either assume it will be difficult and overwhelming, or they think, “I only have ten clients – is it possibly worth it?”

My answer is a resounding YES!

As the saying goes, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

Here’s how I do it: when I start with a new client, I put his or her credit card number in a secure system (you want to make sure you are PCI compliant when taking people’s credit card info!). Then, on the 1^st and the 15^th of the month (depending on when they start), I charge the card for the next month’s coaching. The client receives a receipt and we go on with our work.

I love this process because it removes all the weird energetic baggage that can come with invoicing. I never have to remind a client to pay me or wonder why they’re late, which can shift the way you feel about the client in an awkward and perhaps not-so-positive way.

Besides all this, being able to take credit cards feels very professional. I suggest looking into Square (which charges a 2.75%-3.75% fee) or Paypal (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) as a way to receive credit card payments in an easy, low cost way.

Trust me, the minimal fee is well worth the amount of time and energy that goes into wrangling clients. These days, I can run all my clients’ credit cards in less time than it takes to create and send invoices.

It’s a cinch! If you’ve read this far, I encourage you to go ahead and take the plunge. You’re ready for it. If you are doing it already, I’d love for you to share below how taking credit cards has impacted the experience of your business!

With Appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch