How to Ask for a Deposit (AU Freelancers)
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Asking for a deposit is not greed. It is how Australian freelancers stop funding client experiments with unpaid weeks. The awkwardness usually comes from no script + no default in the proposal. Fix the artefact first; the sentence gets easy.
When a deposit should be non-negotiable
- Projects over your personal threshold (pick a number; many solos use A$1,000–2,000+)
- New clients with no payment history
- Rush / weekend / “need it Monday” work
- Creative or strategy work that cannot be resold if they ghost
Retainers can invert the model: invoice on the 1st before the month starts. Same principle — cash before effort.
What to put in the proposal (defaults)
- Deposit percentage (commonly 30–50%)
- What “kickoff” means (access, kickoff call, first milestone start)
- Payment due date for the deposit (e.g. within 3 business days)
- PayID / bank details or payment link on the page
- Work-pause if deposit is late
Use a clean proposal artefact: Proposal & SOW Pack (A$19).
Scripts that stay professional
Email / DM after they say yes:
“Great — next step is a 40% deposit (A$X) so I can lock your start date. PayID is on the proposal. Once it clears I’ll send the kickoff checklist same day.”
If they push back:
“Happy to discuss milestones. I don’t start unpaid discovery on new projects — the deposit protects both of us and keeps your dates firm.”
If they want Net 30 on everything:
“I can do Net 14 on progress invoices after the deposit. Full Net 30 upfront isn’t workable for a solo operator.”
Ops checklist (Notion)
- Proposal status: Sent / Deposit invoiced / Deposit paid / Kickoff
- Deposit invoice number + due date
- Kickoff blocked until Status = Deposit paid
Pair with client onboarding checklist and ABN invoice checklist.
Products
- Proposal & SOW Pack — payment schedule on the page
- Freelance Cashflow Pack — invoice + late-payment emails
- Client Onboarding Pack — run after deposit clears
- 30-Day Cash Runway Tracker — if deposits slip and you need calm numbers
Not legal advice. For large contracts, use a lawyer-reviewed agreement.