500 Words
Don't sign on the dotted line
- You should only sign contracts on the dotted line when you can read, understand and use them
- You can write simple contracts (perhaps, 500-word ones) that safeguard your business
- Your contracts can build trust throughout the contracting process (plan, make and use)
- Your contracts should never annoy your clients
Find out more from these client case studies, featuring our work for the Federation of Master Builders, Hings Group, Metis Consultants and Valuegrade:
Simple builds trust
A collaboration with award-winning architecture practice, Pride Road Ltd, to improve their contract processes and revise their proposal/terms and conditions resulted in:
Simpler documents and simpler processes: a 75% reduction in time spent preparing proposals and increased confidence.
Increased conversion rate: the documents demonstrated competence and credibility (elements of trust), resulting in more clients saying yes.
“My contract process has been simplified and I’m much more confident in the legality of my terms and conditions. As a small business, streamlining my processes is a key priority to allow me to spend more time with my clients, not on paperwork. My T&C are not just a legal document but are a key part of my sales process as it shows our professional expertise and values as a practice. I no longer find this part of my business intimidating.”
– Lisa Raynes, Architect, Pride Road
Simple safeguards your business
“Sarah rewrote my terms and conditions and fee proposal letter, redrafting them in plain English. The fee paid to her is priceless and as my liability is now limited and the fee proposal letter attracts more work with higher fees.”
– Kevin Shone, Chartered Architectural Services
“Since completing the course I have carefully thought through how I not only explain the contracts we use with our clients, I now fully appreciate how documents including emails form legally binding contracts.”
– Jon Tutt, Assistant Building Control Surveyor, East Sussex Building Control Partnership
Simple avoids disputes
A complicated contract confuses.
If you don’t know what you are meant to do/not do; when and how much you will get paid; if you can’t understand the expectations you are meant to meet; if you fail to follow the client’s procedures…
Before you know it, something has gone wrong and everyone is delving into the depths of the small print looking for the solution.
The solution is in clearer contracts, constant communication and transparency from start to finish.