Do’s & Don’ts for Freelancers While Signing the Contracts

singing contract

Of all the mistakes you make in your freelance career, not signing a contract is the biggest one that most of us does. Trust me, most of us don’t sign contracts. Though writing a contract seems a tedious task, it is highly required even for the small projects. Unfortunately, there are no certain rules and regulations outlined for freelancers.

On the other hand, freelancing requires a new set of terms and conditions to make the process flow smoothly. However, a freelance contract should be comprehensive, clear and concise. It should include the scope of the job and expectations of both parties. To help you out, we’ve outlined a list of do’s and don’ts that will help you know what you should and shouldn’t do while signing a freelance contract. By understanding the rationale behind various elements, you can better customize the contracts to fit your job role.

The first thing is to keep it simple and clear. Make sure you include all the details about your role & be specific about your job responsibilities.

Time Frame

This will include the time that the project takes and the duration of the contract. Mentioning the time frame and formalizing the terms and conditions of the contract will make sure you are not taken advantage of.

Do’s & Don’ts

Whether you like it or not, including deadlines in your contract is extremely important. Don’t overlook this factor because it simply gives you pressure. Give yourself enough time to complete your tasks while keeping the clients expectations in mind.

Delivery

Including this in the contract clarifies expectations at the outset. The client knows completely about the product and how you will be delivering to them. Once you got to know the clients requirements, don’t send them compressed ZIP files. This will overwhelm clients instead of impressing them. Keeping your job simple will not only make your client happy but also make help you move on to your next client.

Financials

Billing by the job rather than by the hour is easy for everyone. Though you have already come to an agreement on financial matters, better you include them in the contract. Client may change the terms or forget the amount at any time.

Do’s & Don’ts

Convince the client to make initial deposit before starting any work. This will ensure that both the parties are committed without being sidetracked by others. Include a Cancellation Clause in the financial section of the contract. It will actually protect you, if your client backs out by stating the financial obligations of both parties.

Revisions & Alterations

It is better to include a clause that states the number of alterations and revisions to the product. You can also set the pricing for changes requested by the client that go beyond the specified number in the contract. Sometimes, your ideas may work or not when you actually see it in action. That is why you need to specify the number of revisions and alterations agreed.

Do’s and Don’ts

Sometimes clients come back to you over and over with revision requests. Don’t promise them more than 3 revisions as it may kill your time while revising. Don’t carry the same impression on all the clients but make sure you handle revision requests like a pro!

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