Break your projects up into milestones for example: Milestone One (Prototype, wireframe, database development (if it's dynamic, or just design) then make them

Break your projects up into milestones for example: Milestone One (Prototype, wireframe, database development (if it's dynamic, or just design) then make them pay up front before you start this. Milestone Two (Slicing and Integration, programming, etc) break that up into another payment. and usually I make a final milestone for launch like: Milestone Three (Testing, debugging, content integration, etc) and have them pay you before you launch the website on their server. Some clients request contracts, use docstoc.com to find "standard web contract" or have a lawyer. As you get better at giving new customers a sense of trust you don't really have to bother, if they don't bring it up.