if you will need paid tools while working on the application, please mention them, like some copyright photos you want to buy from shutterstock, if the client sees that he will pay for them he will choose them carefully, but if he didn’t know, you might buy some photos that he likes one day, and the other day he says I want to change them!

I know it’s very hard to write down the client requirements in details, even harder to force him to write his requirements, he will always find a reason not write them down (busy, not all in mind write now, it’s easy and logic)…

actually most customer even will not want to write down the requirements or sign on it, because they want everything, and want to be free to tell you I need something, not knowing that this can cost you lot of things..

please insist on writing down the requirements and make your customer sign, it will save you a lot in the project…

here is a situation, I got this project where the client insisted to write a contract, and because he was in a hurry he mentioned the the requirements will be written later as we agreed on the project, the project was supposed to take 1 month, but after start, I found more and more and more requirements, everyday new requirements, it was like the client wants all features of the world in his website, he wants Facebook, YouTube, Google, MySpace and MSN in one site, and he wants it in the specified duration and under the specified budget, but it’s not his fault, it is my fault as I didn’t insist on writing the contract, and of course the project failed!

3- Payment terms

if the project will take more than 4 weeks I recommend dividing the payments with written milestones, first define the milestones, and on each milestone mention that will be a payment and define it, that will help your client has expectations about the payment dates beforehand..

4- Define the final product

It is important to name from the beginning the exact product you will deliver. Nothing more, nothing less. Will you offer the PSD files as well, the Design Brief in print and PDF, the website on a CD or stick and so on. Do not leave this important information out. Keep it simple and do not forget that not all of your clients are tech-savvy, therefore keep the jargon out.

5- Emergency terms

what happens if you get sick, should the client pay? should he wait for milestone? should you payback ? you need to mention all that, also what happens if a milestone was delayed because of the client himself being busy or traveled?

That’s very important point here, clients always get busy, that makes a project which can be delivered in 1 week to be delivered in 2 weeks, and consequently that might cause you to lose other projects…

mention it clearly, you are expecting reviews from the customer and comments from the customer should not exceed 2 days duration, if no comments received that means approval on the milestone.

Another clause you should introduce is the cancellation clause. In some of your projects it is very likely that you will not want to continue working, therefore it might be in the interest of both parties to stop the collaboration. Be very specific about what happens with the payment in this case and always break up in good terms.Before sending the contract to be signed by the client, read it again one more time and make sure this is really what you want. See if it’s possible that a clause will create a lot of stress for you at some point in time and modify it. Do not forget, it is always you that has to offer the client a contract. Most of them will not have this idea themselves, because they know that having the money means having the power. Therefore because you are the one to submit the contract, first make sure it fits your needs.

Conclusion

Having a contract to secure your payment at the end of a project is always a good idea and I do not recommend working on big or complex assignments without a signed deal. Sure, there may be some clients that will reject your offer of signing a contract, but just think about it, are those clients the ones you would like to work with?