Negotiating Terms and Conditions

Terms and conditions are often ignored by freelancers, especially by solo professionals. Their transactions with their clients are usually through e-mail or simply through oral agreement on instant messengers, chats and phone calls. Nothing is actually signed as both parties have an oral agreement that the freelancer will work and receive certain compensation after completing the project.

But terms and conditions are very important for every business transaction. It's even more important for freelance professionals. Terms and conditions will protect them from being scammed since they enter into a legal agreement with a client. If the client refuses to pay or walks away from the business transaction, the terms and conditions can be legally used against the client. Therefore, negotiating terms and conditions is a must.

• Straight to the Point

Contrary to popular belief, terms and conditions don’t necessarily involve fancy and confusing words. Anyone can easily draft terms and conditions as long as they are done without any malice on both parties. A freelance professional does not need a lawyer to draft the terms and conditions for them. The agreement can be written in simple words that could be understood by both parties. Before a freelancer writes the actual draft, it is important for the freelancer to enumerate things that should be discussed in the terms and conditions. This will help the freelancer create a legal document that covers every area of the business transaction.

• Main Points to Cover

When writing a terms and conditions draft for a project, make sure to include main things such as pricing, payment, expenses, cancellation, modification. The above mentioned aspects of the terms and conditions are for general freelance services. The list should be expanded and customized based on the field of work you’re in. For example, a freelance photographer can add copyright agreement to determine who keeps and owns the rights over the photos. Customization is, in fact, a must since it will help the freelancer protect their interest without taking advantage of the client. ...To read full article, Sign-up for this email training