Writing | Freelancing
6 Powerful Must-Have Things for Your Next Contract
This will safeguard your interests.
Contracts are the lifeboat of freelancers. When you have a contract, you stay assured that your rights are protected.
In my previous story, “Here’s Why You should ONLY Work on Contracts”,
I highlighted the reasons why having a contract is the best option.
Under the same post, I got a comment from Sharmila Zaman who asked me how to write a contract. Here I am to elaborate everything to you.
But before that, remember — There is no right or wrong way of writing a contract. It is just a written agreement between you(Party A) and your client(Party B)
However, there are certain things that you must include when you write a contract. Let’s discuss them.
Your Services
When you write a contract, you must elaborate the services you are offering the client. For example, if you are a content writer and your client needs you to write some blog posts and articles, you will clearly mention that you are only going to do these two for your client.
Note: Along with this, you should also write that you are not going to do anything else, if client request you to do some short tasks free of cost.
Timeline
You must clearly state the time duration of your work. If you are a social media manager and your client ask you to manage his Instagram account for two months, you will not work for him after that without signing a new contract.
Note: Rather than writing “two months in the contract”, it is always better to mention the starting date and the last date.
Deadlines
Make sure you write the date when you will be sending deliverables to your client. This will ensure that he can not ask you to submit the tasks anytime as per his wish.
Short-term deadlines and long-term both should be mentioned. If you have to deliver the content daily, you can write like this —
Price and Payment Dates
At what price you are working for the client?
When will he pay you?
Elaborate everything.
If you are getting paid some percent in advance, a little while working and the rest after the completion of work, mention the dates you both have agreed.
Do mention the due date or time duration to make payments like this —
Note: Always try to get your first payment in advance. (for instance, 40% in advance, 30% in between and 30% at the end).
Payment Methods
Both parties should decide the mode of paying the service provider.
Are you going to get paid through Paypal? or Direct Bank transfer or any other method?
Mention it in your contract.
Legal Terms
If you are a freelancer, you will never want to be in a situation where your client is not paying you or ghosting you after getting the work done. Right?
When you mention the key points of the work (points I have explained above), thereafter, you should write some labour/work laws in your contract as per your country.
Why should you do that?
- Firstly, a client will observe that you know the legal terms and he will avoid taking advantage of you.
- Secondly, if he breaches the contract, you are free to take legal actions against him.
- The laws that you will mention in the contract will help you in legal actions. They will act as evidence that your client cheated you even after stating everything. He will be bound to pay you.
Bonus Tip —
Insert your electronic signature at the end of the contract. Ask your client to do the same. Also, make your contract editable when you send it to your client so that he can insert his signature.
Final Words
Must include these things in your contract in the way you want.
Edit your contract as per your deliverables and you are good to go :)
Thanks for reading and take care.
