I’ve been freelance designing for about 3 years already–off and on–and I barely made a contract for my business last week. I was afraid of the idea of a contract. It sounded so serious and too pretentious. In hindsight, I was foolish and naive. Contracts hold all parties accountable, organized, and moving forward on the same foot.
The biggest reason I decided to get one was because I found myself being too lenient. I let clients have unlimited corrections/drafts. It was always unclear if I would send them my files when finished. I found myself free of work on some days and absolutely swamped on other days. Worst of all, I failed to ever ask permission and get written proof that I could display their work on my online portfolio. All problematic red flags in my eyes!
My work-in-progress contract:
So far, it’s been working well, but I’m still making tweaks here and there. And always seeking ways to make it better and easier for the client to fill out.
My questions for the pros:
- What if I don’t have the money to hire an attorney? Are there any “obvious” things I can do/add to my contract until I gather enough money to hire someone?
- What is the difference between an invoice and a contract? Can they be combined? Would you recommend them to be combined?
- Do you recommend making the contract available to sign online? If so, do you use a third-party app?
- If you could offer any advice to up and coming freelance designers, what would it be?
Resources:
- The biggest mistake designers make with contracts – costing time and money
- Common mistakes designers make with clients – Part 1: Not signing a contract
- 50 of the best design business posts you may have missed at GraphicDesignBlender.com
- 5 Free to Use Freelance Design Contract Templates
- Great examples of existing contracts:
