How to pay a freelance closer
Define what the fee covers, how commission is calculated and when it becomes payable. Use a worked example to check the economics, then review the terms under the legal status that applies to the mission.
I develop ClosR, which is mentioned in this guide.
In this guide
Choose what the pay covers
A retainer can cover briefing, preparation or prospecting; commission can reward defined sales outcomes. A combination may suit a mission with substantial work before payment. There is no universal rate: workload, offer margin, payment delay and lead quality all matter.
Write the calculation in plain language
- Define the base: invoiced or collected amounts, tax treatment, discounts and instalments.
- Define attribution: which leads, shared deals, renewals and sales after the mission ends.
- State the trigger, reporting evidence, invoice process and payment schedule.
- Address cancellations, refunds and disputes without assuming that any clawback is legally valid.
A calculation, not a market benchmark
Suppose 20 attended calls produce five fully paid sales of €2,000 excluding VAT each. At an illustrative 10% commission on those receipts, the base is €10,000 and commission is €1,000. A €400 preparation retainer would bring total fees to €1,400 before any applicable VAT on the closer’s invoice. Neither the conversion rate nor the fee is a market recommendation.
Deal with instalments and exceptions
For a sale collected in three instalments, specify the reporting and payment treatment of each instalment. Record who approves a discount and how it affects the base. Keep an audit trail of lead, sale, invoice, receipt and commission. Do not confuse the client’s VAT with VAT treatment of the closer’s own invoice.
Check the applicable French regime
The applicable status can affect commission and termination rights. See the legal-status section in the related role guide and have your actual arrangement checked in the relevant jurisdiction.
Explore ClosR
See the ClosR product page for the mission workflow, supported features and access options. The product does not replace legal qualification of the working relationship.
Explore ClosRFrequently asked questions
Must commission always be calculated excluding VAT?
Define the agreed base clearly and check the applicable regime. The example uses amounts excluding VAT for readability; it is not a universal legal rule.
Can I automatically reclaim a commission after a refund?
Do not assume so. Contract terms and any mandatory rights attached to the actual status must be checked.
Is 10% a normal commission?
This guide uses 10% only for arithmetic. It does not establish a market rate.