August 31, 2022

10 Tips To Create A Proper Contract for A Logo Design Project

Creating a good logo design project contract can be challenging at times.
Here are some tips that you can easily follow and apply to your work!

Whether you are a freelance graphic design creator or not, there is a huge chance that a project contract is needed. It highlights the importance of the document for the career, which later can either affect your client relationship, job satisfaction, or earnings. But, should you make one for every project?

In the world of creative business, you are bound to see varying ranges and levels of job design. Logo creation is one of the most common designer's works, which can be categorized in varying price tags. In one way or another, you might have to consider the client before fully grasping the need for a contract for logo design.

It raised some other questions; how do you create the proper and professional contract for the project? And why do you have to craft one? The importance of the logo or any other design work contract goes to its function to avoid or prevent mistakes, misunderstanding, and misuse of the final work. At the professional level, the document is considered a must.

The contract document itself is translated as an official document that legally binds the two parties. It encompasses the project details and outlines the terms for both clients and the designer. It makes the logo design and its goods or services bind under the agreement. Due to its legal function, the document will legally protect you as an artist and your work.

It is especially useful when you are working on a huge logo design project. With the contract, you will have a significant document that lies as a foundation of the agreement. Both parties are responsible for what is written in it. With that in mind, this article will break down some tips for crafting your best contract for logo design.

10 Tips To Create A Proper Contract for Logo Design

Think About Whether You Need a Contract Or Not!
Use A Proper Template
Put A Checklist For What To Write Inside The Contract
Consider The Use Of Licensing Term
Determine The Revision Terms
Outline The Need For Termination Clauses
Send It Before The Project Execution
Include a Copy Of The Contract
Follow Up with The Client For The Term And Agreement
Be Patient And Charitable

1. Think About Whether You Need a Contract Or Not!

Whether you need the contract or not is a surprising decision you might have at the start of every project. The idea of using agreement documents sure comes with a function to protect your interest and job during the logo and design project. But is it always a document that every designer needs to take precautions? The answer is yes.

It is best to underline that the contract for logo design is a binding agreement between you and the client. For one reason or another, it is a legal action you need as a business owner. If something bad happens, you are ready to fight with the written agreement or contract. Sometimes you can also take legal action for the alarming or financial loss situation.

However, logo designs come in varying sizes. Sometimes a contract for a small project is not necessary. The solution to this wide variation of design sizes and prices is to have varying contracts as well. You can put varying lengths of comprehensive information on the document, such as the shorter and less formal for the quicker or smaller project.

If you are working with a big company on the logo project, make it more in-depth. If needed, bring an actual lawyer to ensure your big corporate client and your business get the deserved terms. Sometimes, the formal contract has pretty complex licensing terms and varying details. So, be objective when it comes to the logo contract.

2. Use A Proper Template

Given that the design world is pretty huge and diverse, contracts for the logo and creative projects can vary. Making and drafting one for yourself can be a pain, especially if you are working with varying projects. Designers need to understand and consider that every contract requires different attention, which encompasses the company or the client.

It makes the process of making the contract for logo design harder to grasp fully. While many designers use the idea (making one by one), you can always seek a template on the internet. You can get started with some free template providers, such as Bonsai, PandaDoc, and Contract Shop. Honeybook, or Signature.

Each of the sites offers its basic contract templates for exclusive professions or projects, including for logo creation and designers in general. Remember that the site does not only help you make quick contracts through templates. But you can also learn and get some inspiration from the sites. Learn about how the site figures the function and customizes the need.

It is also a wise choice to learn from the sites and make their template as inspiration. Those inspirations can include the structure, points, details, format, or how it should look like. You might want to get the placement, the information, simple fonts, legibility, or clarity. One way to another, learning from templates is a great solution for your logo design contract.

3. Put A Checklist For What To Write Inside The Contract

The next point is to understand what you should include in the document. Aside from the look, you will need to know what exactly to write in the book. You don't want to make a very thick contract for logo design when your customer only opens the last page and signs it. So, if you are going to make a draft over it, be sure to get some of these points on the checklist.

Project Information
In general, you will need to start the document by signifying the logo design project. It is the first section that is also known as the Statement of work. This section includes terms and conditions, project limits, and everything you can or cannot do as part of the logo and design project. The information of what the contract is about.

Your Client Expectation
It can also be included as a project overview; you will need to provide information about what your client will get and what you can give to them. In one way or another, this helps clear the client's expectations, including scheduling and some detail from the design proposal. It can also compose some data that the client needs to provide.

Deliverables
Considering that not every client is familiar with technology, deliverables details on the contract compose information about the software needed to open the final work. You will need to put or list the types or design variations for the logo files. For better, you can include details about storage on your pact.

Timing
Since creative projects take time to process, many designers will use contracts to settle timing situations. This is where you can use the timelines and timeframes to make a positive agreement. To avoid complex situations, don't accept time-crunched logo design projects; instead, as for time frame and feedback deadlines.

Feedback deadlines might give you a leeway to stop working when the client did not give feedback upon your logo creation. It also has a great section on the contract for logo designs that helps tell your client that the designer is also human. Be real about the timing and scheduling, don't cramp it at all.

Payment Terms
Be clear about how you want to get the charge. It includes the method or the timing for the payment. Underline that every logo or design project will need a different term. Normally, the quick design job can be paid by the hour or right away. For bigger companies, you can ask for a 50% down payment or on intervals.

Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is an agreement about the copyright of the logo design. As a creator, you are the owner who has the copyright. With the contract, you can outline how you want to transfer the design copyright.

4. Consider The Use Of Licensing Term

Deciding on the intellectual property for the logo design can be a bit of a challenge. Sometimes, people or clients forget that what you made is not theirs (depending on the contract). This is where you can always put the full licensing term for the logo or your design project. The licensing term should be fully and clearly stated on the indenture.

The common term is personal use, which is a specific right of the creator. You can use this term if you want to make the logo design for promotional or non-commercial purposes. Take an example of a portfolio or learning. A higher term in the design contract for logo design is limited, which means you will ask for extra fees if the client wants to use your work for additional purposes.

Another higher term of right is exclusive without the freedom to modify. In other words, you signify that the client has exclusive access but cannot change anything about the logo design work. It restricts the client and you since you cannot sell it to others. The last contract for the logo design term is a full assignment. It translates as you give full permission and IP to the client.

5. Determine The Revision Terms

If you want to make sure everything goes well with the logo project and design, you can always signify revision on the agreement. It is bound to happen with your client asking for extra work, such as revision or anything that you haven't agreed to. To avoid designer exploitation, make sure you clearly say everything possible about revision or extra jobs.

While mistakes can happen every time, it can be a helpful addition to the contract to state how many revisions you can provide for the client. You can also put some exclamation on what you will and won't do during the revisions. If it is needed, get the liberty to ask for an extra fee for an additional logo or design work that is requested outside of the work scope.

6. Outline The Need For Termination Clauses

It is not a surprise that some situations along the project can be a reason for the logo design work to go awry. It can happen from both parties for various reasons. Rather than risking yourself getting sued for some mistakes, you can always signify some points that will affect the project altogether.

This is where you put termination of clauses on the contract, telling what should happen in the event both parties need to cancel the project. By having the information applied to the bond, both parties will have a clear agreement on the logo project. For designers, it can be a great relief not to waste your time.

On the other side, the client will also have a convincing document to void design fraud. In general, it can protect both sides. You can also outline the continuation of what would happen if the termination happens. One of the common problems is copyright, which you need to specify as clearly as possible.

7. Send It Before The Project Execution

Given the fact that you have put some of the crucial information on the contract for logo design, the next thing to do is to ensure you deliver the contract properly. Most of the time, designers will make or discuss the document when meeting with the client. It can also be possible to start talking about the agreement during the project briefing.

However, the best time you need to make and send the contract is before you seal the deal. The contract document and how it is used on logo design projects is similar to the initial brief. You can discuss it at the beginning, revise it, and start the project. To avoid any abrupt changes in the middle of the work, try to finish the pact before you start the job.

Show him the agreement and make sure the client understands all of the terms. Explain it twice or thrice if needed. Thus, you can get the signature and process the logo. Upon signing the document, it means the logo design project is started. Everything happens in the process based on the indenture, and it is legally binding for both of you.

8. Include a Copy Of The Contract

To make sure both parties fully understand and can refer to the agreement, it is best to bring a copy of the indenture. Many professional logo creators or design artists will use the copy of the document and give it together with the project proposal. It will help set expectations and project terms from the get-go.

9. Follow Up with The Client For The Term And Agreement

After the contract for logo design is sent, signed, and approved by both sides, your job is not done yet. There are chances that some people or clients do not understand your terms and agreement. Thus, you will need to spare some time to get a follow-up with the client. This is the best time for both of you to settle and link the final agreement.

Take your time and ask the client whether they have any questions or concerns. Don't expect that everyone or every logo design client will take everything you wrote as granted. Sometimes, you might have to revise the contract again. The key is to make sure all parties involved in the project are on the same page before you start the logo project and design it.

10. Be Patient And Charitable

At the end of the day, you are working and trying to convince your client to trust the logo project using a contract. The document is there as legally binding. But no one will want to reach the point of legal action. That is why your relationship with the client should be top-notch and maintained at a good positive level.

One simple way to make it is to be patient and charitable. The idea is to not treat your clients like stupid or scammers. Not everyone knows about the creative design world, which makes some people oblivious of what they might find in the project. So, use the contract for logo designs to boil down the polite, reasonable, and provide extra length to make the client love you.

Final Words

A design contract is something that poses a foundation for your project's success and protects you or the final project. As a binding agreement between the logo designer and the client, it will protect and prevent unbeknown situations. That is why the commission should be written properly.

The importance and the need of the contract itself can differ from every project to another. However, it is always a good point to start and work with it. If template, concept, and details are the problem, using an already made template can also be a good option. All you need is to ensure every detail of your logo design project is written.

Be sure the contract for logo design compresses the critical information, foundation, and agreement. Get the signature from the client and you, then work around the contract. If something goes awry in the process, you can always use the contract as a written agreement that is possible for legal action.

Logo design and the contract can go side by side, following the need of the project itself. It is pretty common for professional workers, who likely work with bigger projects and companies. However, it does not limit new freelancers to using contracts on their work. It serves as a two-way agreement, which is a great addition to every business.