Establishing a contract as a freelancer can be a crucial move to make. Since freelancers are contract workers, there can be a lot of uncertainty regarding the role.
Yet and still, many freelancers love what they do and have built a thriving career that they wouldn’t trade for anything.
Having a solid contract put in place can protect your interests along with the interests of your clients and add some stability to your business.
Here are some important things you should consider including in your freelance contract.
Payment Terms
It’s so important to specify your payment terms so you know how much you will be paid and how often. As freelancers, we deal with a lot of uncertainty when it comes to income so if you are taking on a client who is offering you long-term work, it’s best to get all the payment terms in writing so you can know when to expect compensation for your work.
Including payment terms in your contract can also help you with budgeting since some clients send payments in different ways which could result in the money taking a longer or shorter time to hit your account.
Clear Terms for Any Fees You Have
Do you charge an additional fee for late payments or a rush fee when your clients ask you to take on an urgent project under a tight deadline? Highlight these terms in your contract so your clients know what to expect.
I am a big fan of implementing a late fee because I haven’t run into the problem often thankfully, but I have had a few clients who would never pay on time and it really affected my business and my finances.
In the end, it’s best to work with people who can respect your terms if you can respect theirs.
Deadline Specifications
This is another important element to include in your contracts. If you’re working on multiple projects, you may have different deadlines but if you are completing similar tasks each week, it won’t hurt to specify the agreed upon deadline(s) in your contract.
This can be beneficial for you and your client in case one of you forgets.
Amount of Revisions You Will Make
Making revisions is something you might have to consider when freelancing. It’s great to want to do your best work and make sure your clients are satisfied. However, you don’t want anyone taking advantage of the fact that you will provide revisions. So, you might want to put a limit on how many you’ll do without charging an extra fee.
If you are compatible with your client and they likeyour work, you might not have to worry about this. However, it also depends on which niche you are working in.
For example, with graphic design, you may need to provide more than one revision to make sure they’re happy. If you aren’t seeing eye-to-eye, however, you’ll need to cut them off. That makes having this clause in your contract come in handy.
Summary
Most freelancers will agree that having a contract is a must. It’s a must not only remain professional, but to make sure you are on the same page with clients.
Having a solid contract in place should make you feel more stable with your workflow and allow you to set realistic expectations for each client relationship.
When you’re drafting up your contract or updating the one you currently have, make sure if includes these 4 important things.
