[brudgers]

First, distinguish between clients and potential clients. Clients are people who are paying, potential clients are people who might or might not.

Work only for clients. Make this happen by requiring a retainer to be applied against final invoice. This also means that you have set a rate and terms and put it in writing...if you're going to work for free work for yourself at drafting a contract.

Requiring payment filters out people who weren't planning to pay and it filters out many people with unrealistic expectations in regard to your rates. These are the people you don't want as clients.

[fsk]

Retainer, not such a bad idea. After getting stiffed on a short project that went nowhere, I should start using that one.