I finally got a client to sign a contract and it saved me a huge headache

About three weeks ago, I finished a big website project for a local bakery. We had talked about the price, $2,500, over email and I thought we were good. I sent the files and then... nothing. For a whole week, no payment, no replies. I started to panic, thinking I just worked for free. I dug through my old notes and found a simple contract template I downloaded last year. I filled it out with our agreed terms and sent it over, asking them to sign it before I followed up on payment. They signed it that same day and paid the next morning. Turns out they just got busy and my email got buried, but having that paper trail made it so much easier to get things moving without sounding like I was begging. Has anyone else had a client go quiet and found that a simple contract was the key to getting paid?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara42921d ago

Oh, absolutely. Contracts aren't just legal stuff, they're a professional nudge. It makes the whole money conversation feel more official and less personal. Glad it worked out for you.

tara34521d ago

Ever feel awkward when a client pushes back on your contract terms?