While contracts may not be the most exciting part of your day, they’re arguably one of the most important! Contracts allow you to set boundaries for the working relationship ahead, cover your back if things go awry, and highlight important details about your unique approach to an event.
We put together a round-up of must-have contract features for EVERY event pro – whether you’re brand new or a seasoned vet! It just so happens these features come standard with every RPC account. 🙂
1. Templates
Most of us send the same one, two, or three versions of our contract over and over – with only the details changing (date, client name, fee, payment schedule, etc). Why recreate the wheel every time you send a contract by updating your master file or making a copy of your file? Utilize a template so that all of the standard layout, styling, verbiage and terms appear – and just edit the items that change! Not only do templates save a TON of time – they also ensures consistency across your contracts.
Note: You can have unlimited templates with RPC – and our free white glove account set-up lets you lean on us for the heavy lifting! We upload and configure your template(s) in your account so they are ready to go when you are!
2. Automated Reminders and Updates
Who wants to spend time tracking down contracts and chasing clients to determine whether they’ve taken action on them? Not us! Automated contract reminders and updates are a definite must! Here are a couple of examples of valuable reminders:
- Contract viewed – this is a great way to confirm that your client has received and viewed the contract
- Contract signed – yay! It’s official. Your contract has been signed and now it’s time for the fun stuff…collecting that initial payment and kicking off the planning process
- Contract overdue – setting an expiration date on your contract is important so you don’t hold a date for too long and potentially miss out on other business! We recommend setting an expiration date one to two weeks max from sending out the contract. And if a prospect lets that date come and go, it’s critical to reach out to them and let them know the date will no longer be held.
3. Multi-Signers
Everyone’s contracts are a little different and it’s important to set your workflow up in the way that fits your needs (and legal counsel advice) best! Many pros prefer or even require both members of a couple to sign their contract. At RPC, we allow for both one or two client signers. If two recipients are selected, both will receive a copy of the contract and are able to view, sign, initial, and fill out any and all required fields separately.
Tip: more information on RPC multi-signer capabilities here
4. Countersignature
Once again, pros have different preferences when it comes to signing their contract. Many legal experts recommend countersigning but we think the choice should be yours! These are the signing options you have as a business user on RPC:
- Send contract for client signature only
- Sign contract before sending to client
- Sign contract after sending to client
5. Ability to contract other event pros
While a majority of the contracts we service are between a business and a client, there are tons of use cases for vendors to contract other vendors – styled shoots, networking mixers, bringing on contractors for mega events, hiring team members, etc! Be sure you have this capability so that no matter who you’re working with, you can execute a contract.
6. Mobile Signing
For the most part, mobile signing is an industry standard but we still run into contracts that are not mobile friendly from time to time. Since most couples are on the go, sending a contract that is 100% viewable and signable on a mobile device is really important. Here are a few reasons why mobile signing is a must!
- Showcasing that your brand is up to speed with technology leaves a valuable first impression and potentially sets you apart from the competition
- You are more likely to get a signature faster
- Clients prefer to use their phone
At RPC, we work hard to make sure our contract workflows and features are as easy and flexible as possible! If you’re not happy with your current contract process, give us a shout! We’d love to hear about your business and how RPC may be able to streamline your contracts!
