The Design Contract The Design Contract is the final part of the Client Onboarding Process. This vital part confirms that a potential client is now a paying client. In this series, I talked about the Client Onboarding Process as a whole before breaking it down into the individual components, the Intro Packet, the Client Meeting and the Design Proposal. Each of these different elements helps win over potential clients encouraging them to hire you, which brings you to this next step, the Design Contract. In the last episode, I shared a statistic with you; 48% of designers don’t use a contract. I find that number mind-blowing. Not only does a contract establish you as a professional business, but it’s your protection against anything that may go wrong with the project or the client. Have you ever been part of a design forum or online group where someone mentions an issue they are having with a client? What is the #1 response or comment they receive? “Did you have a design contract?” If you are part of that 48 %, I hope you take note and add a contract to your client onboarding process right away. Before I go any further, let me state that I am not a lawyer. Do not take anything I mention here as legal advice. My advice is for you to either have a lawyer draft up your contract or at least create one yourself and have a lawyer review it. If you don’t have the budget to consult a lawyer, please find yourself a ready-made contract and start using it today. A quickly written, non-lawyer verified contract is still better than no contract at all. Then, once you have the means, consult a lawyer. As Mike Monteiro, co-founder of Mule Design Studio said. “You need a lawyer when you decide to stop being a design amateur and decide to start being a design professional.” Here are two sources for free design contracts you can modify for your needs: Stuff and Nonsense - Contract Killer AIGA Standard-Agreement What is a Design Contract? A Design Contract is a legal terms and conditions document that defines the expectations of a project for both parties. A design contract should contain: An overview of who is hiring you, what they are hiring you to do and for how much. The respective responsibilities agreed to by both parties. Specifics listing everything included and not included in the scope of the work involved. What happens should one of the parties change their mind about anything pertaining to the project. An overview of liabilities and any other legal matters. In other words, Your design contract needs to cover your process, what the client can expect, what you can expect from the client, time frames, payment details, technical details and any other legalese you deem fit. Everything in your contract should be explicitly stated and agreed upon by you and your client before a project begins. Do you really need a design contract? Maybe you're thinking “if 48% of designers don’t use a contract then how can it be so important?” Let me tell you. A contract is the only surefire way to protect you and your business’ interests while working with a client. So the answer is it's crucial. You should use a design contract for every client and every project you take on. In the case of disputes, a signed contract will quickly establish if anyone is at fault, and what actions should be taken to remedy the conflict. With that said, you need to be reasonable. If your mom or sister wants you to design an invitation for their annual poker tournament, you don’t need her to sign a contract. Friends and family are exempt, most of the time that is. My rule is; If what I'm designing will be used to generate money then I have them sign a contract, even if it's family. This includes charities, fundraisers and non-profits. When money is involved, it's better to protect yourself. Contracts prevent problems. You want client relationships to go smoothly, don’t you? A contract can help by preventing problems before they start. A Contract protects for both parties: A go