In general, all work that has been agreed upon and is performed to benefit the client is billable work.
In general, all work that has been agreed upon and is performed to benefit the client is billable work. If your client asks you to do something outside of the initial scope of the project, it’s always good to verify that they understand that it will be billable work.
For example, your client might ask you to review and comment on sales materials, attend internal meetings, or go through a list of leads. This kind of work shouldn’t be done for free, and can be added to Sellai Workspace as Key Activities on the to-do list. Put a timer on and make sure you’re on the same page with the client about estimated time needed.
Managing expectations is important: don’t spend 10 hours reviewing a sales deck if the client just asks for a quick comment.
Are kick-off workshops billable hours?
Yes, for the whole duration of the workshops plus a reasonable amount of preparation time. If you’re spending 6 hours preparing for a 3-hour workshop, there needs to be something to show for it or justify it.
I usually think about a client case in the shower / before going to bed / while watching my kids play. Can I invoice that?
It's understandable that work-related thoughts and problem-solving can occur outside of traditional working hours, such as during personal activities or downtime. However, when it comes to billing clients, the general rule is to invoice for time that is directly and actively dedicated to working on their case or project. This typically includes tasks like research, communication, actual work on deliverables, and meetings.
Thinking about a client's case during personal time, like in the shower or while watching your kids play, although valuable, usually doesn't count as billable hours. This is because it's hard to quantify and prove, and it's not a standard practice in most professional fields. However, if this thinking leads to a significant breakthrough or is part of a structured problem-solving process, it might be justifiable to include some of this time, provided it can be explained and justified to the client.
The key is transparency and fairness in billing. Always consider if you would feel comfortable explaining and justifying a charge to your client. If it seems like it might not be well-received or understood, it's probably best not to include it in an invoice.
I’ve been cold calling all day, but nobody has answered. Can I invoice that?
Yes, you can generally invoice for the time spent cold calling, even if no one has answered. In sales and business development, cold calling is an integral part of the job. The effort and time you invest in making these calls are part of the process required to potentially secure new clients or sales. Therefore, it's considered a legitimate business activity that can be billed.
However, clients typically appreciate tangible results, so there are a few important considerations:
Agreement with the Client: Ensure that your client agrees with this practice. Managing client expectations is an essential part of succeeding in Sellai client cases.
Transparency: Be transparent with your billing. Clearly document the time spent on these calls and what was involved. This transparency helps build trust and clarifies the value you are providing.
Reasonableness: The time billed should be reasonable. If you're spending an excessive amount of time on cold calls without any results, it might be worth reassessing your strategy or discussing with your client.
How much should I invoice for creating an email outreach campaign that sends 100 emails?
Invoicing the client for 15 minutes per email is not justifiable. Instead, you should agree on a fixed price or an hourly rate based on the real time spent on setting up the outreach campaign.
Put a timer on and make sure you’re on the same page with the client about estimated time needed. You can use free tools such as Toggl Time Tracker to track your time easily.