Are you using a Scope of Work Contract?

Are you meeting with a new client? Make sure you have a Scope of Work, also called a Statement of Work, or Plan of Work contract ready to send them. A Scope of Work contract will ensure that you and your clients are on the same terms, avoiding any potential disagreements later in the project.

Unfortunately, most designers who use a Scope of Work contract do so after a disagreement over payment or services with their client. Disagreements can arise from payments, services rendered, and budget. Discussing and setting these points before the project starts will define the contract.

For clients, it means that they have the full agreement of the expectations from you for the project. It keeps them covered too if any disputes occur later in the project. It protects clients from inadequate work, budget disputes, and deadlines.

Avoid Bad Clients

For me a Scope of Work contract is essential. It defines the agreement between yourself and who you’re doing work for. Like many other designers, I started using one in my freelance career, after a bad encounter with a nightmare client.

It was still early in my career. I had to do some freelance design work for a restaurant, designing menus and simple photography. After I sent my invoice, the client disagreed over payment and what he expected from my services. Not paying attention to the red flags, things turned ugly and I never got paid. Since then, I’ve included a Scope of Work contract into my design process to send my clients for every project.

Since using one, the reaction from clients has been very positive. It looks professional and shows that you mean business.

Why Using a Scope of Work is So Important

The most important reason to use a Scope of Work contract is to reduce the risk of disagreement between the designer and the client. By settling the outcomes for the project at the start, it will reduce the risk of the client not paying you. Which is unfortunately an issue we have in our industry, especially for new designers.

By having a Scope of Work you have a paper trail that you can use in your defense if needed. The likelihood of this happening is small, and by selecting your clients you can avoid this situation. But if you do have to go to court this will be something that helps you get paid. Luckily a Scope of Work at the beginning will reduce the chances of any dodgy client shafting you.

Make sure your Scope of Work contract looks professional. Include your branding and show your design talent where you can. This is still in the introductory stage of the process. The more high-quality items you send at the start will give them a good impression of you and your design skills.

Who Should Use One?

Any designer who deals with clients should use a Scope of Work contract.

If you are a new designer who is beginning on their freelance journey, then having a contract like this will reduce your risk of getting scammed. It helps shake dodgy clients, you know the ones, the ones that pay in “exposure.”

When you are in the early stages of your design career, opportunities may be more difficult to find. Getting your client to sign your contract means you are likely to get paid, which if you’re starting can make the world of difference.

Whats covered in the contract?

The topics covered in a Scope of Work contract are

• Budget: The price determined by the client that they will be paying for the designer.

• Client and Designer Contact Details: Who are you going to be in contact with throughout the project?

• Deliverables: What are the expectations from you for this project?

• Deadline: When is everything due?

• Intellectual Property: Is the project under a Non-Disclosure Agreement? Can you put the project in your portfolio? Does the company retain everything?

Show Off Your Brand

Create a Scope of Work contract complete with your company logo and branding.  This gives credibility to your practice. All the output you provide to your clients must include your branding. This looks more professional.

It will make you and your brand more memorable. Something which may come in useful to get the client to come back for repeat business.

Have a digital copy of your Scope of Work contract that you can update depending on your client, their budget, and the project you are doing.

To give your contract more authenticity, provide a physical copy for you and your client to sign.  Scan and save your copy somewhere safe until the project is over.

When to Give Your Scope of Work to Your Client

You should begin using a Scope of Work contract at the beginning of every project when dealing with a client. At the beginning of the Brief Interpretation and Planning stage. A scope of work should be sent to your client once ye fully read, interpreted, and planned the brief.

You should have quoted the time spent to create the project’s deliverables in the deadlines provided. Use this calculated time in your contract.

Get Your Client’s Signature

Your Scope of Work should be ready once you have all the answers you need from your client. The points included in the contract should be discussed with your client during your initial meeting. Once you’ve planned the time involved and price for your services go back to your client with your contract for them to sign.

A lot of new designers are intimidated by sending contracts to their clients. When I first started using one, I worried that clients might see it as me distrusting them. That was not the case.

Remember, most of the clients you’ll be working with are not likely to have a design background. They are more familiar with a business setting. They will deal with contracts all the time.

Product

If you still don’t know where to start with your statement of work contract, you can download our Scope of Work Template here.

Conclusion

A Scope of Work contract is your best bet to prevent any nightmares about getting paid right from the start of the project.