Hey there!
Congratulations! You have found your first client and you are now ready to seal the deal. Making sure that you have a sound contract protects you and your client. There are several contract examples online but I wanted to highlight some of the major things you should have in yours.
What exactly are you offering your client? You need to be very specific about what you are delivering, how often you are delivering it, when you will deliver it, and how you will deliver it. If I was offering basic administrative services, I spelled that out -- I will offer 20 hours of data processing services each month for the amount of $...... . Add any extra details that will be important.
How are you pricing your work? Are you charging hourly or per project? How will you handle overtime or rush projects? How will you get paid?
I work with some new virtual assistants that haven’t decided how much they are planning to charge their clients. It’s one of the first things we discuss. Decide how much you are charging per hour or per project. Then decide how you will deal will overtime, rush projects and late payments. Decide that you are not doing to deviate from those prices.
And along with pricing, how will you bill? Will your clients pay a retainer or deposit? Will you bill weekly, monthly or as projects are completed?
Last but not least, always, always, always have an exit strategy. That’s with anything -- have a plan to leave with the things that are yours, with the least amount of pain. Will you offer a 2 week out? Will you provide a 30 day release? What intellectual property is yours versus the clients?
There are several other items that should go into your virtual assistant contract. I have not touched on everything that should go into your contract, just a few of the major things that I feel you should think about. I will be very honest with you. I have a few different contracts that I use with my different clients. And, as I sign new clients, I amend existing contracts to fit our agreement. There are many articles and YouTube videos that will help you decide these things and create a great contract. Make sure you do your research and decide the methods that are most comfortable for you.
Are you interested in becoming a virtual assistant? Not sure if you have the skills necessary or wondering if it’s the right time? Contact me for a free discovery call and we can find out together!