Pre-paid expectations

When I started SEO-Playbook, I decided that it made sense to work on a pre-paid basis for a couple of reasons:

1. The projects I am working on aren't going to be that large (usually less than $1,000) so I figured people wouldn't have a problem with it
2. I offer a 100% money back guarantee if they aren't satisfied, so I figured that eliminates any anxiety on their end
   
3. And the biggest reason - I hate feeling like a debt collector. Even if I do the "half up front, half upon successful completion" thing, I've gotta worry about when I'm going to get payment. I've done enough projects to know that even well-intentioned clients can stall for a month or two. I believe that if I do a good job, than I deserve to get paid immediately for it. I don't like having it hanging over my head.

Sounds great right? Well now that I've had several clients pay up front (not one has complained or questioned it), I feel a pressure to come through that is somehow greater than normal. I'm used to doing my best to do a great job because I want to impress the client or boss, and then getting paid for said good job. Now, it's like, I'm more worrying about screwing up and them asking for their money back than I am focusing on doing a great job.

I've made the choice NOT to do anything with the money - not to spend it or transfer it - until the client is 100% satisfied, so ultimately I think I still made the right decision...it's just something different that I'm going to have to get used to.

In a perfect world (in my mind), no one would get paid until they did their job. Unfortunately it isn't a perfect world, so I think the right move is to "simulate" that by not touching the money until I do my job.