Need to set up client accounts - Help!

[PPC]

So I have been working as an in-house PPC specialist for the past 3 years. Just yesterday I was contacted by a potential client who wants me to do freelance work - account set up and campaign management on Google, MSN and Yahoo. His site is ready to go and he wants me to set these campaigns up "yesterday" as he put it. So I have to set up his campaigns tonight, assuming he accepts my proposal.

My problem is I am not quite sure how to set up billing. What are my options for billing the client directly through the search engines? In other words, I want his company to pay for the clicks, I am not going to pay for the clicks then charge him after. I have set up a Google "My Client Center" account and a Yahoo Ambassador account. What are my options now in terms of payment of these accounts?

How would you recommend I set these accounts up (i.e. whose email should I use as the account login, etc.)? Also, does MSN have a similar system to manage multiple client accounts that I should sign up for?

In the future I will probably do more freelance business like this with other clients so keep that in mind. Any help, tips, ideas that you can help me with getting started with this are much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Toure]

Prepay or use the clients credit card and bill management fee at the end of the month.

[PPC]

Thanks, thats what my client agreed to. I wasn't sure if that was how most do it, but certainly the easiest way for me!

[shilly]

Definitely use their credit cards! This best for you AND the client.

You wont have to deal with billing or floating money between the time the engines charge your credit card and you get the money from the client. You can also have the engines invoice the client directly. Google is pretty easy to set up (talk to your rep), Yahoo has a minimum spend (I think about $10k a month) to qualify, and I have no idea what MSN's restrictions are on invoicing.

The client gets to keep the accounts if they decide to leave because they technically will belong to them not you.

Everyone is happy :)

[AussieWebmaster]

The MCC accounts in Google are easily set up and you can limit access to the individual accounts to the respective clients... Yahoo is generally done account by account though this is changing with Panama.... and MSN can be set up somewhat the same.

[The Generator]

Also a heads up if you are planning to start freelance work as you said. I'm not sure if you know this yet but the IRS considers freelancers as "independant contractors" and you would have to pay the following come April 15th:

Taxes for independant contractor = (normal taxes)x2 + independant contractor flat fee

So heads up because your taxes as a freelancer are going to be an expense such as one that you've never seen ;)

[AussieWebmaster]

Also a heads up if you are planning to start freelance work as you said. I'm not sure if you know this yet but the IRS considers freelancers as "independant contractors" and you would have to pay the following come April 15th:

Taxes for independant contractor = (normal taxes)x2 + independant contractor flat fee

So heads up because your taxes as a freelancer are going to be an expense such as one that you've never seen ;)

you doing freelance now mate?

[The Generator]

Nah, I'm working for an ad agency in the Empire State Building. I did freelance before but it's not really my cup of tea...

[jimbeetle]

Taxes for independant contractor = (normal taxes)x2 + independant contractor flat fee

Huh? I'm going to have to talk with my accountant ;-).

I've been an independent contractor in different sectors since 1984 and have never paid more than normal taxes.

[CarrieHill]

Using the client's credit card to buy advertising is a great way to do it - unfortunately it violates the client's credit card agreement and if anything happens and their CC# is hacked - the CC company could hold the client liable because they violated the user agreement and gave their number to you to buy advertising with.

We've worked around this by getting purchasing cards for our clients and having them pay in advance monthly. We have a lot of clients so this works well - if you have 1 or 2 clients this is unrealistic. My other suggestion would be to get a cc strictly for PPC, make them pay ahead and take a mgt fee off the top. Then use the remaining money as their budget for the month/6 month, however long they've paid for.

Good luck - some don't worry about the user agreement and I wish we didn't it's a hassle.

~Carrie

[awolski]

Using the client's credit card to buy advertising is a great way to do it - unfortunately it violates the client's credit card agreement and if anything happens and their CC# is hacked - the CC company could hold the client liable because they violated the user agreement and gave their number to you to buy advertising with.

We've worked around this by getting purchasing cards for our clients and having them pay in advance monthly. We have a lot of clients so this works well - if you have 1 or 2 clients this is unrealistic. My other suggestion would be to get a cc strictly for PPC, make them pay ahead and take a mgt fee off the top. Then use the remaining money as their budget for the month/6 month, however long they've paid for.

Good luck - some don't worry about the user agreement and I wish we didn't it's a hassle.

~Carrie

Very good piont, Carrie!

[CarrieHill]

Very good piont, Carrie!

Thanks - another thought I had in the middle of the night was to buy a prepaid amex or visa that you might be able to reload every month - less risk to your credit that way.

~Carrie

[PPC]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input.

[The Generator]

Huh? I'm going to have to talk with my accountant ;-).

I've been an independent contractor in different sectors since 1984 and have never paid more than normal taxes.

I may be exaggerating with the "x2" part but not by far, because in my experience (nowhere near since 1984 though) taxes under that status were ufortunately pretty steep...