If you are a calligrapher and you get paid for your work, but you do not have a contract set up for your clients, we highly recommend you do this ASAP.
Likewise, if you are a calligrapher that has a contract but you keep getting blindsided by clients and eating costs (ahem shipping, extra edits, redos etc.), you need to rethink the way you lay out your contracts with your clients.
I can hear you say “But Laura, I have had great clients in the past by just doing the good ole virtual handshake. They have always paid me and I never felt taken advantage of!”
It takes just one bad client and hundreds of dollars down the drain for you to realize that you should have had a contract set up with each client all along. A contract is always good to have in place as it lays out everything you agreed upon in a document that you can refer to if your project doesn’t go as planned or expectations aren’t met on either end. Just trust us, OK? We learned the hard way.
So how do you create a killer contract? Attorney and fellow Calligraphy Business Bootcamp teacher, Christina Scalera, has created an invaluable resource for creative entrepreneurs looking to legalize their business.
The Contract Shop is an online catalogue of contract template for creative entrepreneurs. From Independent contractors to wedding photographers to calligraphers, The Contract Shop has the legal know-how you need to take your business to the next level. We highly recommend Christina’s services and products. You and your business will elevate and *BONUS* be taken more seriously by your clients and colleagues.