7 Reasons to Streamline Your Design Contract Process and Send Contracts Quickly
Updated March 2024
If it takes you weeks to send a detailed scope of work, design fee, and contract to a potential client, your number one goal should be to cut that time way down. Your goal should be ONE to TWO days. YUP!
Seven Reasons Why You Must Get Contracts to New Clients Quickly:
01 | WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Clients today expect prompt responses and streamlined processes. Sending a contract quickly shows them you're efficient and know what you're doing. They likely don't understand or appreciate why it would take a long time to put a contract together.
02 | STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT
When a prospect expresses interest in your design services, talks to you on the phone, or has you into their home for a consultation, their excitement is at an all-time high. YOU ARE THE SOLUTION THEY NEED!! Delaying the preparation of a contract can dampen their enthusiasm. AND, they may forget what was so special about you if they're interviewing other designers as well.
03 | THEY MIGHT TALK THEMSELVES OUT OF HIRING YOU (or doing their project at all)
If it seems like a lot of work, or they lose momentum because it takes you a long time to get info over to them, they may decide not to do the project at all and tell themselves, “It's a sign we shouldn't do the project since it took so long for them to get info to us."
04 | THEY MAY THINK YOU DON’T WANT TO WORK WITH THEM
If it takes you weeks, they'll think their project isn't a priority, and it will leave them feeling unappreciated. By the time you do get the contract over to them, they could already have such a bad taste in their mouth that they don't move forward with you.
05 | THEY MAY BE TALKING TO OTHER DESIGNERS WHO DO GET THEIR CONTRACTS OVER QUICKLY
If you're taking weeks to present prospects with a well-crafted contract, they may end up moving forward with another designer who sends the contract over before you’ve even finished typing yours up. I've found that when a potential client finally makes the decision to hire a designer, they want to get going right away. You could be working away at a contract for no reason if the prospect has already decided to move forward with someone else.
06 | A PROFESSIONALLY PREPARED CONTRACT AND EFFICIENT CONTRACT PROCESS INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUR CLIENTS
It demonstrates your organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering exceptional results. From day one, your clients will view you as a reliable and trustworthy expert who means business.
07 | DATA HAS SHOWN THAT PROPOSALS/CONTRACTS SENT WITHIN 24 HOURS HAVE A HIGHER CONVERSION RATE THAN THOSE SENT DAYS (OR WEEKS) LATER
AND, the sooner you send a proposal, the sooner the client will sign it. This means i) more revenue, ii) more projects secured into your pipeline, and iii) more clarity into your project start dates.
Time = money.
If your contract process takes you tons of time, do everything in your power to streamline that process so it's not so expensive for you to do especially if you don't charge for a consultation.
How to Send a Scope of Work and Design Fee Proposal Quickly
Create scope of work templates for the typical project types you do.
Have a contract template for each service you offer.
Review past project data to see what your projects typically cost by room or by square foot and create a pricing calculator.
Use the pricing calculator for all future projects. Continue to refine.
Use software to digitally send your contracts (we like Honeybook and Dubsado)
The time spent creating these assets will serve your business for years to come and will make sending contracts and securing new projects a much more seamless process.
If you need scope templates for furnishing and new build projects, our Scope & Service Agreement for Full Service Designers includes sample scopes for various project types. Don’t forget to grab our done-for-you Canva or Honeybook Proposal Templates. Woop woop.
Looking for more? Keep reading:
