Start using your new contract template

You’ve built a knowledge of contract lingo and can understand the pieces of the more in-depth contract — great! What now? 

Having a solid, agreed-upon contract should leave both parties feeling like they are on the same page. During any conversation about contracts, make sure you understand:

• Your client’s expectations.

• The scope of the project.

• What deliverables are expected and when.

• What happens if either of you is unhappy with the outcome.

Remember that even when you’re presented with a contract that a client has drawn up, knowing the lingo involved helps empower you to make any adjustments you deem necessary. Ask yourself: what can I do to protect myself and my business in the future when it comes to my time, compensation, and intellectual property? Your client should be amenable to any respectful requests or adjustments on your end. 

After a project ends, review your contract to make sure everything went according to what was agreed upon, and use any pain points to enable you to ask for contract revisions in the future. Feel free to use your workbook and tweak your template to make adjustments for more precise language that better protects you. 

As a freelancer, knowing the ins and outs of a contract will empower you to know what you are getting into with any client project. While the language in a contract can sometimes feel intimidating, learning what these different terms mean can give you the confidence to make requests to change terms or add clauses that work in your favor.  

Try out the contract template, and if you find it’s not working for you, tweak it! Conversations with clients and other freelancers can help you determine if there’s anything, in particular, to keep an eye out for or add to a contract.