Identifying Bad Clients

If the prospective client shows any of the following signs then this is an indication they may be a bad client to work with:

• Poor in communication.
• Take a long to get back to you.
• Hard to understand in emails or calls.
• Can’t explain their project properly.
• They have the “I will know what I want when I see it” attitude.
• Avoids pricing discussions.
• Against contracts!!
• They worked with other freelance designers before you but couldn’t get the right product.

Contracts

Contracts are legal documents that cover areas such as:

1. Working Relationship – A definition of the project you will be working on.
   
2. Scope of Work – Include the scope of work and timeline, Usually presented as a Project Proposal and Quote.
3. Payment – Terms and conditions regarding payment.
4. Copyrights – Copyright protection and limitations on the use of your work.
5. Miscellaneous Legal – Protection in the event of a dispute.

Contracts don’t have to be long, they can be brief and straight to the point.

Types of Contracts

1. Working Contracts
   Working contracts are the most common type of contracts with long pages filled with complex legal language are best used only with complex projects and large clients, as they need to be executed properly to avoid friction.
2. Boilerplate Contracts
   Just a common and generic form of contracts.
3. Custom Contracts

Letter of Agreement

Before sending the client a contract to sign, a letter of agreement is sent to outline the steps and details of the project. A letter of agreement could be considered a form of contract itself if it included signatures and agreement statements.

Project Proposal   +   Quote   =    Letter of Agreement or Engagement