Overheard a client at the coffee shop say they never sign contracts for freelance work

I was grabbing coffee yesterday and the guy next to me was telling his friend he just starts work after a quick email, no contract needed. He said, "It's just a handshake deal, keeps things simple." My stomach dropped because I got burned that way two years ago on a $2,500 project and never got paid. How do you even start the contract talk with a new client without sounding like you don't trust them?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee_barnes701mo ago

Maybe it's not that big a deal for small stuff. I mean, if it's a quick job for a couple hundred bucks, a simple email might be fine. The guy at the coffee shop probably just does small projects. It gets risky with bigger amounts, like your old project. But idk, maybe some people just have better luck with clients.

taylorknight1mo ago

Yeah, my luck with clients is so bad I'd probably need a contract just to borrow a pen. You're right though, @lee_barnes70, it's a different game when the numbers get bigger. What's the smallest job you'd still write up a full contract for?

betty_shah12d agoOG Member

You say a simple email might be fine, but that's how little mix-ups turn into big arguments over what was promised.